Within the regions are instrumentations of "Global Change Stations" (catchment areas) as part of the TERENO observatories and the enhancement of existing research stations (e.g. Höglwald, Scheyern) designated. Furthermore mobile measurement platforms for monitoring dynamic processes at the local scale up to the determination of spatial pattern at the regional scale will be applied:

• Measuring systems for the determination of regional precipitation fields at temporal and spatial scales (e.g. using additional weather radars or densification of precipitation gauging networks)
• Micrometeorological eddy-covariance systems and scintillometer for the determination of atmospheric parameter and fluxes of water vapour, energy and trace gases at different scales
• Sensor networks for determination of environmental parameter at a high spatial and temporal resolution (e.g. patterns of soil temperature and moisture dynamics)
  Monitoring systems for the quantification of water and solute discharge in surface waters and groundwater
• The remote sensing part of TERENO include:
  • Operation and development of ground-based and airborne measurement platforms (e.g. towers, ultra-light aircrafts)
  • Acquisition of geophysical and spectral sensors (e.g. hyperspectral systems and infrared cameras, microwave radiometer, SAR, LIDAR, air-chemistry instruments)

Further infrastructure measures include high capacitive data processing and communication systems to guarantee a fast availability and long-term protection of the gather environmental data sets. Existing measuring platforms and sensors within the Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft will be as far as possible used, adapted with regard to a flexible application for longer periods and demand-oriented extended and further developed, respectively. This instrument pool represents the core of the planned terrestrial observatories, which will be extended according to the specific requirements of the research centres.

The interdisciplinary and multi-scale character of the planned TERENO activities demands a comprehensive and coordinated implementation process. Therefore an iterative procedure is intended, in which the first focus will be the monitoring of fluxes of water and matter representing basic indicators of changes in ecosystem functions since they are directly influenced by Global Change. Additionally, specific research complements will be integrated according to the core competences of the particular research centre, which can be extended in further project phases by including additional cooperation partners outside of the HGF (e.g. universities).

The interdisciplinary investigation of Global Change effects demands an adequate number of research sites with different characteristics and a sufficient replication in regions, which are already affected by Global Change or will sensitively react in foreseeable time, or in which extreme landscape changes take place. Therefore, in the framework of TERENO regional "terrestrial observatories" will be set up in selected and for Germany representative regions by integrating existing research stations and activities. These observatories will be equipped with a combination of in-situ measuring instruments and ground-based, airborne and satellite-borne remote sensing techniques.

The terrestrial observatories have to be operated on a long-term basis (at least for a decade), in order to facilitate the determination and quantification of environmental changes. Through cooperations with other networks the national observatory network will continuously extended in the following on a European and global level. For the first phase three regions in Germany have been identified:

• Site A: The Eifel/Lower Rhine Valley Observatory (coordination: FZJ)
• Site B: The Harz/Central German Lowland Observatory (coordination: UFZ)
• Site C: The Bavarian Alps/pre-Alps Observatory (coordination: KIT and HMGU)
• Site D: The German Lowland Observatory (coordination: GFZ)
  
  

Terrestrial Environmental Observatories
	Northeast German Lowland Observatory Coordination: GFZ     Harz / Central German Lowland Observatory Coordination: UFZ     Eifel / Lower Rhine Valley Observatory Coordination: FZJ     Pre-Alpine Observatory Coordination: KIT