“長期生態研究”之通識教育

General Education on Long-Term Ecological Research

李玲玲(Ling-Ling Lee) ； 周昌弘(Chang-Hung Chou)

《通識教育季刊》 2卷3期 (1995/09) Pp. 39-52

https://doi.org/10.6745/JGE.199509_2(3).0004

摘要

長期生態研究（Long-Term Ecological Research，簡稱LTER）是指對生態系進行長期監測與大尺度的比較研究，並逐漸建立基本資料，適時分析各項生態資料的相關性與趨勢，以判定環境變遷的幅度與因果關係，建立正確的模式以預測生態系變化的相關研究。此類研究的形成，主要是針對以往短程、小尺度的研究結果，往往無法察覺生態系整體或長期的變化，如消長、分解、環境變遷等，希望能藉由長期與整合性的研究，充分了解生態系的本質，尤其是其結構與功能，及其受到人為或自然干擾時所產生的反應、變化與其機制，並能建立正確的模式加以模擬與預測，以能掌握全球環境變化的影響，規劃因應措施，制定適切的經營環境政策。因此在眾多有關全球變遷的研究課題中，長期生態研究無疑是相當重要的部分。機至目前，歐美紐澳等地區及亞洲的日本等科技先進國家，先後推動長期研究，已有具體的成果，未來並將擴大計畫規模，進行國際、洲際、區域性、全球性的比較與整合研究，發展國際長期生態研究網（International LTER Network，簡稱ILTER Network），使研究結果的適用性更廣，對了解全球生態系的助益更大。
長期生態研究計畫的主要任務除了各項研究外，也包括加強教育與溝通，將研究的內容與成果，轉換成大眾能理解的資訊；使決策者能在制定政策、規劃發展時，更能把握基本的生態原則；使社會大眾認識，繼而重視生態問題與生態研究，減少對環境的負面影響；使各學科領域的學生、研究生了解長期生態研究的內涵，使其能將相關資訊運用在生活及未來的工作上，或加以培養及訓練成為未來的研究人員，使其更能整合各領域的研究力量，以全面了解生態系的運作。大學通識教育的課程，正是介紹長期生態研究的內容，以達成上述諸多教育目標的方式之一。因此本文謹就目前國內推動長期生態研究計畫的進展，及台灣大學在生態研究方面相關之通識課程做一介紹，使讀者能了解、關心、支持、進而參與我國的長期生態研究。

並列摘要

Long-term ecological research (LTER), in contrast to the short term, small scale, single species studies, focuses on research which studies and monitors ecosystems over a sufficiently long period of time and large spatial scales, so that the trend of changes and responses of ecosystem can be revealed, mechanisms of how ecosystems function can be understood, and the models of predicting ecosystem reaction under global environmental change can be established. The results of such research are important for predicting the influence of global change, and deciding policies to deal with such changes. Therefore, developed countries with advanced technology in Europe, North America, and Asia have promoted the long-term ecological research many years ago, and had fruitful results. After careful review, these countries decided to expand such research program and form an International LTER network to facilitate regional and global information exchange, cooperation, and integration on large scale comparative studies. The LTER network in Taiwan was initiated three years ago. Now, there are four field sites, and the fifth site will be established in the next fiscal year.
Another important mission, besides research, of long-term ecological research program is public awareness and education. It is important to keep the general public informed about the content and results of LTER work, so that decision makers can apply such information in resource management, sustainable development and environmental policy making; the general public can have some basic understanding of the content and importance of LTER work and support such research and relevant policies; and undergraduate and graduate students can be trained to involve LTER work in the future. General education is an appropriate starting point to achieve this mission. In this article, we reported current status of LTER network in Taiwan, and the relevant general education courses in the curriculum of the National Taiwan University.