Background/Question/Methods  The Jornada Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program in the Chihuahuan Desert Jornada Basin of southern New Mexico has long been a host for researchers interested in understanding processes that initiate and sustain desertification. The theoretical model of desertification at the Jornada Basin Experimental Range hypothesizes that shrub invasion, which characterizes desertification, increases spatial and the temporal heterogeneity of resources. Deserts' role on the global carbon cycling is quite unclear. There is a great need to understand the impacts of global climate change on ecosystems goods and services locally and globally. With eminent global climate change consequences approaching our planet in the near future, there is an urgent need to understand the carbon balance at every spatial and temporal scale on this planet. This study utilizes and further advances a range of technologies and cyberinfrastructure tools at the Jornada Basin Experimental Range. The robotic tram system has been installed at the site to take remote measurements of spectral reflectance of the desert vegetation. These measurements can be used to calculate vegetation indices that are key for modeling estimated carbon fluxes.

Results/Conclusions  A 110-meter tram system has been installed to take measurements at temporal and spatial scales placed near the primary footprint of an eddy covariance tower. This novel technology allows for repeated measurement of a representative sample of the tower footprint. An ultimate goal of this research is to be able to predict the uptake, storage and loss of carbon, water and energy at regional scales