Long-Term Research in Ecology and Evolution (LTREE): 2015 survey data

Area of Science:

• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Long-term ecological and evolutionary research (LTREE) is crucial for advancing scientific understanding.
• Assessing community perspectives on LTREE's contributions and future directions is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate scientist opinions on the value and future of LTREE.
• To identify and prioritize critical research questions for long-term ecological field experiments.
• To understand the role of LTREE in generating and applying ecological and evolutionary knowledge.

Main Methods:

• A survey was developed with input from an advisory committee and tested for functionality.
• The survey was distributed online via professional societies and list serves to ecologists and evolutionary biologists in the U.S.
• A mixed-methods approach used quantitative (closed-ended) and qualitative (open-ended) questions, collecting demographic data.

Main Results:

• 1,179 respondents provided quantitative and qualitative data on LTREE's contributions, role, justifications, and incentives.
• Data were collected on priority research topics, incentives, and challenges for long-term experiments.
• Analysis considered how views varied based on respondent experience and expertise.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a comprehensive dataset on scientific community views regarding LTREE.
• Findings will inform the prioritization and support of future long-term ecological and evolutionary research initiatives.
• The raw data and metadata are publicly available for unrestricted use and further analysis.