Five Core Areas of Research at LTER Sites

Sites in the LTER Network share a common commitment to long-term research on the following core topics:
Pattern and control of primary production
Spatial and temporal distribution of populations selected to represent trophic structure
Pattern and control of organic matter accumulation in surface layers and sediments
Patterns of inorganic inputs and movements of nutrients through soils, groundwater and surface waters
Patterns and frequency of site disturbances