THE CHALLENGES OF INTEGRATED LANDSCAPE SCIENCE IN A CHANGING WORLD

United States Geological Survey (USGS) research in biology, geography, geology, and hydrology serves as critical building blocks for greater understanding of discipline-based science and Earth processes. The improvements in discipline science are key to maintaining cutting edge research, but scientific and management questions are increasingly more complex. As the challenges of changing landscapes and Earth systems press land-managers for faster and more integrated responses, USGS must reach beyond the technical capabilities in single discipline-based sciences and address the landscape as a system. Earth science systems must be addressed as a single construct if we are to understand the interrelated and interdependent nature of the systems. USGS has a history that demonstrates the desire to address complex integrated Earth system-based science and management and a history of efforts that demonstrates that there are no easy solutions. Integration across scientific disciplines, advanced modeling and prediction is key to USGS engaging with partners and other scientific communities that are striving to deal with the complex Earth science system responses to climate change, drought, fire, landscape change, invasive species, population changes, resource extraction, and other drivers within the ecosystem. The current USGS integrated science approach weaves these challenges into more complex systems-based questions to define, model, and predict Earth system responses. USGS will rely on gains in innovative technology developed through the goals of the most recent USGS science strategy and through advancing scientific capabilities. Advanced integrated Earth system science is the next generation of scientific achievement for USGS.