The Białowieża Forest as an example of the resilience of long-term studies in a changing world

Abstract

Effective conservation of biodiversity requires a good understanding of ecosystem dynamics in response to natural and anthropogenic influences. Long-term studies (LTS) conducted over multiple decades provide essential insights into ecological processes and interactions over time, which can inform conservation strategies, but they are anchored within their wider society and geopolitics. The context of any LTS is therefore vulnerable to temporal instability, including disruptions and challenges but also scientific opportunities. The resilience and adaptability of LTS in the face of political, social or environmental change is key to their continuity and relevance for science and society.

Poland's iconic Białowieża Forest hosts unique remnants of European old-growth forest, and also diverse LTS lasting up to nine decades, revealing a dynamic ecosystem. The Białowieża Forest is a hub of international science, providing an essential reference for ecosystem functioning and evolutionary processes, and a key benchmark for wider perceptions of ‘natural forest’, which is increasingly relevant to ecological restoration elsewhere. Nevertheless, the Białowieża LTS have persisted against a backdrop of profound sociopolitical and geopolitical change, which has challenged their scope and viability. The Białowieża experience has a wider resonance for LTS in other regions, because change can affect science anywhere, even in situations that currently appear stable.

We describe how Białowieża's LTS have maintained continuity and relevance for our understanding of forest ecosystems by embedding core expertise among diverse institutions, building collaborative teams around visionary leaders and dispersing risks of financial, political and security vulnerabilities. However, issues remain around centralised data archiving and availability. These perspectives provide general lessons for supporting LTS in a changeable world.