OZCAR and the European context
The OZCAR research infrastructure, in collaboration with the Réseau des Zones Ateliers (RZA) (*), is actively contributing to building-up of the pan-European eLTER infrastructure, which integrates Long-Term Ecosystem Research (LTER), Critical Zone research observatories and socio-ecological systems (eLTER RI – https://www.ozcar-ri.org/fr/elter-ri-2/). The eLTER project aims to bring together the ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological science communities.
This European infrastructure project was submitted to the European Union in 2015, resulting in the funding of the eLTER project – European Long-Term Ecosystem and Socio-Ecological Research Infrastructure (27 national networks, + 550 LTER sites and +50 LTSER platforms, Amount: €4,999,138, 2015-2019) and thus to the project’s inclusion in the 2018 European Research Infrastructure Roadmap (ESFRI Roadmap).
And today, the funding of two other European projects by the EU research program Horizon Europe 2021-2027), the eLTER PPP (27 partners from 24 European countries, €4 million, 2020-2025) and eLTER PLUS (33 partners, €10 million, 2020-2025) projects. eLTER PPP coordinates the detailed specification and decision-making processes for the implementation of the eLTER infrastructure (eLTER RI), as well as the creation of a legal entity at European level. eLTER PLUS links the main scientific user communities to the site networks and their data/services, works on the detailed specifications of sites and observations, and steers the development of technical services.
(*) OZCAR, the French network of Critical Zone Observatories, and the Réseau des Zones Ateliers RZA make up eLTER France, the French mirror of the European eLTER infrastructure.
(*) OZCAR, the French network of Critical Zone Observatories, and the Réseau des Zones Ateliers RZA make up eLTER France, the French mirror of the European eLTER infrastructure.
OZCAR and international affairs
OZCAR research infrastructure collaborates with several Critical Zone networks worldwide.
OZCAR collaborates with the US Critical Zone collaborative network, the CZEN (Critical Zone Exploration Network), which brings together 9 Critical Zone Observatories (the CZ Net – Critical Zone Collaborative Network is the funding program since December 2020 and follows on from the CZO – US CZO program). CZEN is a program that aims to foster the development of collaborations with other international Critical Zone networks either by restructuring existing geoscience-centric networks or by launching calls for projects to encourage multidisciplinary approaches between observatories.
OZCAR is also linked to other international networks:
o the German TERENO (Terrestrial Environmental Observatories) network
o the Australian TERN (Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network)
o the UK/China NERC Consortium CZO (NERC : Natural Environment Research Council)