Meeting notes – D. C. Hartnett

1. Country updates and research presentations by representatives from 12 ELTOSA countries identified the following research areas and issues of interest, or currently being addressed, within the region:

1. Causes and consequences of altered hydrological regimes, and management of water resources.

2. Changing land use and land cover patterns within the region (e.g. deforestation, desertification, bush encroachment)

3. Climate change and atmospheric processes (ecological consequences of climate change - strong regional climatic gradients provide excellent research opportunities)

4. Carbon and nutrient cycling, and effects of land-water interface processes

5. Soils and sediments

6. Changes in disturbance regimes and their consequences (e.g. grazing regimes, fire regimes, large animal impacts)

7. Population dynamics and population management of key species (e.g. elephants and other game animals)

8. Invasive species and biodiversity dynamics

9. Linkages between socio-economics and ecology (e.g. very strong linkages between ecology and human livelihoods and economics within the region; ecological consequences of regional political instability; human population movements related to regional wars, refugees; communal grazing land policies)

10. Others (e.g. GMOs)

2. It is clear that there are many research themes and issues of mutual interest among ELTOSA and other ILTER network sites, presenting many opportunities for productive interaction and collaboration. Examples of potential areas of collaboration with US LTER sites include:

· Savanna/grassland ecosystems and disturbance regimes (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia [Agric. Res. Station sites], Konza, Short-grass steppe, Sevilleta)

· Desert processes (Namibia, Sevilleta, Jornada)

· Coastal Ecosystem Processes (Namibia, Mozambique, Virginia Coast Reserve, Florida Everglades

· Wetlands and Hydrological Regimes (Botswana [HOORC], Florida Everglades)

3. A large range of ecosystems and biomes is included within the ELTOSA network, including:

· A wide range of mesic to arid grasslands, savannas, forests, and agroecosystems (SA, BOT, NAM, ZIM, TAN, ZAM, DRC)

· Deserts (NAM)

· Lakes and rivers (MAL, BOT, ZIM, SA)

· Wetlands (BOT)

· Coastal ecosystems (MOZ, NAM)

4. It was noted that the savanna biome is widespread in coverage but under-represented in research within the region.

5. ELTOSA participants understand and are addressing the strong linkages between ecological and socio-economic aspects of regional environmental issues. Human community sustainability is much more directly linked to ecosystem health and environmental conservation in various ELTOSA countries than in many other regions. However, these linkages and the socio-economic importance of ecosystem health are underappreciated at the national political level in many ELTOSA countries.

6. Many ecological issues in the ELTOSA region are clearly trans-boundary issues (e.g. water resources of the Okavango system; elephant population distribution, dynamics, and management; invasive species and biodiversity dynamics; effects of regional climate change). A key rationale for support of ELTOSA is that effective regional networking and collaboration is crucial for addressing these key regional trans-boundary issues.

7. One of the major limitations within the southern African region at present is that there is little coordination among research and monitoring programs within or among ELTOSA countries. However, progress is being made. ELTOSA workshops, the new ELTOSA web site (www.nrf.ac.za/saeon/eltosa), and other efforts are clearly moving in the direction of increased coordination and synergy among programs and participants.

8. Key challenges identified by representatives of several ELTOSA countries include: a) increasing support at the national level and securing government endorsement and long-term funding commitments b) maintaining momentum and increasing the pace of progress, and c) capacity building.

9. It was noted that the goal of ELTOSA is to work within institutions (bottom-up) rather than initiating efforts directly with national government ministries (top-down), and that collaborative efforts need to be initiated and developed by the participating scientists.

10. Much of the ecological research within the ELTOSA network countries is driven by the societal need for sustainable, science-based, resource management.

11. Strategies for continued development of the ELTOSA network were discussed (e.g. the prioritization of identifying sites vs. key problems/issues for collaboration). It was suggested that the first step should be planning collaborations and proposals around key scientific questions or themes. Joh Henschel will prepare a survey (questionnaire) to be completed by each ELTOSA country to identify priority research themes and sites of interest as a starting point for proposal development (with a target date of June 2004 for proposal draft.)

12. ELTOSA goals for 2003-2004 include the establishment of a web site and host, protocols for data sharing, marketing and PR, development of a financial plan, and development of a long-term funding strategy and identification of funding opportunities.

13. ELTOSA countries reported many specific accomplishments and progress during the past year (e.g. South Africa established its first site [node], a 6,000 ha site to focus on studies of savanna dynamics and biodiversity; Botswana established the Botswana Environment and Natural Resources Observatories Network [BENRON] and an interim steering committee; Namibia is establishing a network of partner sites including Gobabeb Training and Research Center, the Etosha Ecological Institute, and Agric. Research Stations). See future country updates and research abstracts for details regarding the status of other ELTOSA countries.