About

Last updated: 28 September 2026

Introduction

DEIMS (Dynamic Ecological Information Management System) is an information management platform powered by the emerging eLTER RI. It enables the discovery, documentation, and interconnection of ecosystem research and observation sites around the globe, together with the people, organisations, and networks associated with them. DEIMS provides structured and standardised descriptions of sites, including their geographic location, ecosystems, facilities, observed parameters, research themes, and infrastructure characteristics.

Through persistent and globally unique identifiers (DEIMS.IDs), sites can be consistently referenced across scientific publications, data repositories, research infrastructures, and environmental information systems. By making site information visible and interoperable, DEIMS has evolved into one of the world's most comprehensive catalogues of ecosystem research and observation facilities, supporting scientific collaboration and increasing the discoverability of long-term ecosystem observations and research activities.

Developed within eLTER

DEIMS was developed to address fragmentation in environmental information systems and to improve the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of information (following the so called FAIR Principles) about ecosystem research and observation sites. Through the use of standardised metadata, persistent identifiers, machine-readable interfaces, and semantic interoperability approaches, DEIMS enables integration across research infrastructures, scientific information systems, and environmental data services.

DEIMS is a core service of the emerging Integrated European Long-Term Ecosystem, Critical Zone and Socio-Ecological Research Infrastructure (eLTER RI). As the official site registry of eLTER, DEIMS supports the documentation and management of eLTER Sites, eLTSER Platforms, and associated observation and research activities across Europe.

Today, DEIMS forms an integral part of the broader eLTER Cyber Infrastructure, connecting sites, datasets, sensors, observation programmes, national and regional networks, and scientific communities through a shared information infrastructure. The platform is maintained through collaboration between the Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH), the eLTER community, and partner institutions. Operational hosting is provided by Masaryk University.

Open Beyond eLTER and ILTER

DEIMS serves as the official site registry for both eLTER and the International Long Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER). Beyond these communities, it supports a wide range of ecosystem research and observation initiatives that require structured, interoperable, and FAIR site metadata. As an open and inclusive platform, DEIMS is not limited to LTER-affiliated sites. Environmental monitoring, observation, experimental, and research sites from any region, institution, or research network can be documented and managed within DEIMS.

By remaining open to the wider scientific community, DEIMS supports environmental research infrastructures, monitoring networks, universities, governmental organisations, protected areas, and individual research projects worldwide.

Supporting Open Science and Environmental Research

DEIMS contributes to the implementation of Open Science principles by providing a standardised and interoperable framework for describing ecosystem research and observation infrastructures. The system creates links between sites, datasets, sensors, and monitoring activities, helping researchers discover suitable study locations, identify existing observations, and establish collaborations across disciplines and regions. Site managers and data providers benefit from increased visibility, improved discoverability of research assets, and enhanced opportunities for scientific collaboration.

Through its metadata services and REST-API, DEIMS facilitates information exchange across research infrastructures and supports the long-term stewardship of environmental knowledge. In doing so, it contributes to a more connected and sustainable ecosystem of environmental research data and services in Europe and beyond.

Funding and Continuous Development

DEIMS has been developed, maintained and supported through a continuous series of European research and infrastructure initiatives spanning more than a decade including:

  • eLTER EnRich. (2024-2027). Enabling Research Infrastructures for Holistic Ecosystem Research (Grant Agreement No. 101131751). https://doi.org/10.3030/101131751
  • eLTER PLUS. (2020-2026). European Long-Term Ecosystem, Critical Zone and Socio-Ecological Systems Research Infrastructure PLUS (Grant Agreement No. 871128). https://doi.org/10.3030/871128
  • eLTER PPP. (2020-2026). European Long-Term Ecosystem, Critical Zone and Socio-Ecological Research Infrastructure Preparatory Phase Project (Grant Agreement No. 871126). https://doi.org/10.3030/871126
  • ENVRI-FAIR. (2019-2023). ENVironmental Research Infrastructures Building FAIR Services Accessible for Society, Innovation and Research (Grant Agreement No. 824068). https://doi.org/10.3030/824068
  • e-shape. (2019-2023). EuroGEO Showcases: Applications Powered by Europe (Grant Agreement No. 820852). https://doi.org/10.3030/820852
  • ENVRIplus. (2015-2019). Environmental Research Infrastructures Providing Shared Solutions for Science and Society (Grant Agreement No. 654182). https://doi.org/10.3030/654182
  • eLTER H2020. (2015-2019). European Long-Term Ecosystem, Critical Zone and Socio-Ecological Research Infrastructure (Grant Agreement No. 654359). https://doi.org/10.3030/654359
  • ECOPOTENTIAL. (2015-2019). Improving Future Ecosystem Benefits Through Earth Observations (Grant Agreement No. 641762). https://doi.org/10.3030/641762
  • EUDAT2020. (2015-2018). EUDAT2020 (Grant Agreement No. 654065). https://doi.org/10.3030/654065
  • Advance_eLTER. (2017). Advancing the European Long-Term Ecosystem, Critical Zone and Socio-Ecological Research Infrastructure towards ESFRI (Grant Agreement No. 739558). Horizon 2020. https://doi.org/10.3030/739558

Through this sustained investment, DEIMS has evolved into a key component of the emerging eLTER Research Infrastructure and one of the most comprehensive registries of ecosystem research and observation sites worldwide. The platform has continuously expanded its capabilities for site documentation, data discovery, interoperability, and FAIR data generation, while strengthening connections between sites, datasets, research infrastructures, and scientific communities.

The continued support of these initiatives demonstrates the long-term commitment of the European ecosystem research and observation community to maintaining DEIMS as a trusted, interoperable, and sustainable information service for researchers, site managers, research infrastructures, and environmental observation networks. Today, DEIMS provides a stable foundation for documenting environmental research and monitoring sites and contributes to the broader goals of Open Science and international collaboration.

The conceptual and technical development of DEIMS has been documented in the following peer-reviewed publications:

Recognition and Community Adoption

DEIMS is widely used by ecosystem research and observation networks and infrastructures for the documentation and discovery of research and monitoring sites. In addition to serving as the official site registry of eLTER and ILTER, the platform supports international environmental research communities and contributes to the broader adoption of FAIR and Open Science principles.

The quality, visibility, and interoperability of DEIMS have also been recognised by external initiatives. DEIMS is registered in re3data, the global registry of research data repositories, and has received the NFDI4Earth Label Badge, highlighting its value as a trusted resource for environmental and Earth system research.

Video Introduction

The following video provides a brief introduction to DEIMS and its role within the eLTER ecosystem.