techniques could substantially advance our understanding of 

 ecosystems and their responses to environmental changes. 



1. Identifying the factors limiting and regulating the 

 biologically driven fluxes of geochemical elements. 



2. Understanding the important processes that determine the 

 ability of organisms to adapt physiologically to environmental 

 changes . 



3. Assessing the impact of chronic, long-term environmental 

 changes on the stability, diversity, and function of biological 

 communities . 



The report provides a strategy to foster the application of 

 molecular techniques in ongoing multidisciplinary research in 

 terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems. The initiative will 

 cut across DOE's programmatic elements, and will be implemented 

 through competitive research grants, post-graduate fellowships, and 

 training grants; the initiative will promote interdisciplinary 

 research between ecological and molecular biological sciences. 

 Additionally, implementation of the MAESR report will provide basic 

 scientific information which will improve efforts in 

 bioremediation, site clean-up, renewable-resource production, and 

 waste management. 



