Critical Zone Observatories

<h2 id="mission">Mission</h2>
<p>To use its institutions together to create a unique network that fosters scientific inquiry and discovery with regards to Earth's Critical Zone.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> Much like the interconnectedness of Earth's critical zone systems, CZO relies upon a range of disciplines, including <a href="/facts/Geoscience/rQsXCSbM">geosciences</a>, <a href="/facts/Hydrology/Xh727cnE">hydrology</a>, <a href="/facts/Microbiology/k7udsq81">microbiology</a>, <a href="/facts/Ecology/YE8upuJU">ecology</a>, <a href="/facts/Soil_science/nJ9SxpEE">soil science</a>, and <a href="/facts/Engineering/RFVg8H3I">engineering</a>, to develop a theoretical spatial-temporal framework for critical zone evolution for both quantifiable and conceptualized data analyses.
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<h2 id="education-and-outreach">Education and outreach</h2>
<p>Through research and education opportunities associated with each CZO, cross-CZO scientific endeavors, and annual meetings, CZO uses a variety of interfaces to communicate Critical Zone science to students and teachers.
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<h2 id="nsf-funded-critical-zone-observatories">NSF-funded Critical Zone Observatories</h2>
<table><tbody><tr><th>Year Established</th><th>Critical Zone Observatory</th></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>Boulder Creek CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>Susquehanna Shale Hills CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>Southern Sierra CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2009–2012</td><td>Christina River Basin CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Catalina-Jemez CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Luquillo CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>Calhoun CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>Eel River CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>Intensively Managed Landscapes (IML) CZO</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>Reynolds Creek CZO</td></tr></tbody></table>
<h3>National Office</h3>
<p>In 2014, a National Office branch was formalized to facilitate communication and collaboration among researchers and students, support education and outreach initiatives, coordinate data protocols and common measurements, and to provide a single point of contact for the Critical Zone Observatories.
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<h2 id="critical-zone-observatories-worldwide">Critical Zone Observatories worldwide</h2>
<p>There are 46 Critical Zone Observatories globally, with the majority in North America and Europe.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> There are 17 CZOs in Europe, 5 in Southeast Asia, 3 near Australia, 2 CZOs in Africa, and 2 in South America.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a>
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<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Earth%27s_critical_zone/vKkVLAnU">Earth's critical zone</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://www.criticalzone.org/">Critical Zone Network</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.czen.org/">Critical Zone Exploration Network</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Lin H.; Hopmans J.W.; Richter D. (2011). "Interdisciplinary Sciences in a Global Network of Critical Zone Observatories". Vadose Zone Journal. 10 (3): 781–785. doi:10.2136/vzj2011.0084. S2CID 129503576. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"NSF awards grants for four new critical zone observatories to study Earth surface processes | NSF – National Science Foundation". nsf.gov. Retrieved 11 November 2015. <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=130115" target="_blank">https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=130115</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Anderson, S. P.; Bales, R. C.; Duffy, C. J. (2008). "Critical Zone Observatories: Building a network to advance interdisciplinary study of Earth surface processes". Mineralogical Magazine. 72 (1): 7–10. Bibcode:2008MinM...72....7A. doi:10.1180/minmag.2008.072.1.7. S2CID 128779538. <a href="/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Anderson, Suzanne Prestrud; Blanckenburg, Friedhelm von; White, Arthur F. (1 October 2007). "Physical and Chemical Controls on the Critical Zone". Elements. 3 (5): 315–319. doi:10.2113/gselements.3.5.315. ISSN 1811-5209. <a href="http://elements.geoscienceworld.org/content/3/5/315" target="_blank">http://elements.geoscienceworld.org/content/3/5/315</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>Anderson, S. P.; Bales, R. C.; Duffy, C. J. (2008). "Critical Zone Observatories: Building a network to advance interdisciplinary study of Earth surface processes". Mineralogical Magazine. 72 (1): 7–10. Bibcode:2008MinM...72....7A. doi:10.1180/minmag.2008.072.1.7. S2CID 128779538. <a href="/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>"SoilTrEC – World Critical Zone Observatories". soiltrec.eu. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160125053008/http://soiltrec.eu/CZOPages/wfieldSites.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160125053008/http://soiltrec.eu/CZOPages/wfieldSites.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Banwart, Steven; Menon, Manoj; Bernasconi, Stefano M.; Bloem, Jaap; Blum, Winfried E.H.; Souza, Danielle Maia de; Davidsdotir, Brynhildur; Duffy, Christopher; Lair, Georg J. (2012). "Soil processes and functions across an international network of Critical Zone Observatories: Introduction to experimental methods and initial results". Comptes Rendus Geoscience. 344 (11–12): 758–772. Bibcode:2012CRGeo.344..758B. doi:10.1016/j.crte.2012.10.007. <a href="https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/geoscience/articles/10.1016/j.crte.2012.10.007/" target="_blank">https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/geoscience/articles/10.1016/j.crte.2012.10.007/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
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Critical Zone Observatories open-in-new

Critical Zone Observatories