Organization of Biological Field Stations
Encyclopedia
The Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS) is a nonprofit
multinational organization representing the field stations and research centers across Canada
, United States
, and Central America
. While it has no administrative or management control over its member stations, it helps to improve their effectiveness in research, education, and outreach through various initiatives. This includes promoting the establishment of research networks, working with public agencies to enhance funding sources, and building interactions between scientists and policy makers.
The OBFS collaborates with the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
(NCEAS), the University of California Natural Reserve System
(UC NRS), and the Long Term Ecological Research Network
Office in maintaining a comprehensive registry of scientific data sets which may be used in future research projects.
Since its establishment in 1963, the organization has grown to nearly two hundred member stations. With the success, the International Organization of Biological Field Stations (IOBFS) was later created to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas at a larger geographic scale.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
multinational organization representing the field stations and research centers across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. While it has no administrative or management control over its member stations, it helps to improve their effectiveness in research, education, and outreach through various initiatives. This includes promoting the establishment of research networks, working with public agencies to enhance funding sources, and building interactions between scientists and policy makers.
The OBFS collaborates with the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
The National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis is a research center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in Santa Barbara, California. Better known by its acronym, NCEAS opened in May 1995, and is funded by the U.S...
(NCEAS), the University of California Natural Reserve System
University of California Natural Reserve System
The University of California Natural Reserve System is a network of protected areas throughout California.The UCNRS consists of 37 wildland sites that include 750,000-plus acres, making it the largest university-administered reserve system in the world...
(UC NRS), and the Long Term Ecological Research Network
Long Term Ecological Research Network
The Long Term Ecological Research Network consists of a group of over 1800 scientists and students studying ecological processes over extended temporal and spatial scales...
Office in maintaining a comprehensive registry of scientific data sets which may be used in future research projects.
Since its establishment in 1963, the organization has grown to nearly two hundred member stations. With the success, the International Organization of Biological Field Stations (IOBFS) was later created to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas at a larger geographic scale.