Macrosystems ecology and landscape limnology

In an era of rapid environmental change and increasing human impacts, ecologists are increasingly confronted with complex questions that require analysis and prediction across vast geographic areas and extended time periods. Many of today’s environmental challenges—from understanding the spatial distribution of invasive species to discerning how local forest ecology interacts with regional fire patterns to influence continental carbon fluxes—operate on broad scales that traditional, site-specific studies cannot adequately address.

Recognizing that these problems have inherent broad-scale components, we adopt a macrosystems ecology approach, integrating diverse datasets and leveraging advanced technologies to study large, highly variable ecological systems. The rise of big data in ecology necessitates the use of multiple strategies for data acquisition, including the collation of existing datasets, remote sensing, sensor-based observatories, and large-scale “big science” programs. Addressing these challenges also requires a cultural shift towards greater collaboration, openness, and interdisciplinarity thinking.

Ecology at Scale responds to the urgent need for comprehensive, population-level insights by fostering collaborative, data-intensive research infrastructures (like LAGOS) that can handle the extensive spatial and temporal variability of ecological systems. This holistic perspective is essential for informing effective management and policy-making, particularly for agencies tasked with maintaining water quality and ecosystem services across thousands of lakes and other vital ecosystems. By embracing big data strategies and interdisciplinary methodologies, Ecology at Scale seeks to overcome the limitations of fragmented, localized studies, enabling a more holistic understanding of ecosystem responses to global stressors and supporting sustainable environmental stewardship on a grand scale.