Perspectives on next-generation technology for environmental sensor networks

© The Ecological Society of America www.frontiersinecology.org A era in the environmental sciences is dawning, in which technological developments and the emergence of scientists with increased levels of training in, and familiarity with, cyberspace promise to revolutionize the way we collect and interpret data. Sensorbased observing systems will form a new and critical resource for environmental sciences, by characterizing such diverse subjects as plankton colonies, endangered species, and soil and air contaminants. Across a wide range of applications, sensor networks promise to reveal new insights by expanding and integrating the scales at which scientists can perceive the natural world, in both space and time (Arzberger et al. 2005; Porter et al. 2005; Hamilton et al. 2007). From studies of nesting success to ocean currents to ecosystem metabolism, previously unobserved phenomena are being detected and ecological theory extended, based on information derived from sensor systems (Porter et al. 2009). The many emerging environmental observatories (eg National Ecological Observatory Network [NEON]; WATer and Environmental Research Systems [WATERS]; Ocean Observatories Initiative) clearly testify to the importance of this new era of sensor observations within the environmental sciences. Innovation in sensors and sensing networks is advancing as a result of collaborations among engineers, computer scientists, and environmental scientists. The application of these technologies to answer specific scientific questions can uncover unexpected limitations that can motivate further novel technological solutions. Here, we highlight examples from such partnerships to illustrate emerging advances in sensor design and operation, sensor platforms, networking and communications, information management systems, and training programs.