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The Central Arizona?Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research (CAP LTER)
project is one of 24 long-term sites funded by the National Science
Foundation (NSF). LTER sites have tended to focus upon pristine
locations well removed from the myriad effects brought about by
extensive human modification and dominance of ecosystems.
The CAP LTER site provides a unique addition to the LTER research by
focusing on an arid-land ecosystem profoundly influenced, even
defined, by the presence and activities of humans and is one of only
two sites that specifically studies the ecology of urban systems.
Biological, physical, and social scientists from Arizona State
University and a wide range of local partners are working together to
study the structure and function of the urban ecosystem, assess the
effects of urban development on the Sonoran Desert, and define the
impact of ecological conditions on urban development.
The project also has an explicit commitment to engage the broader
community in our research effort, both in K-12 education and in the
public understanding of science.
Website: "http://caplter.asu.edu/"
[Summary provided by CAP LTER.]
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