IV. RESEARCH NEEDS: A FUNCTION OF ECOSYSTEM CHANGES Research required to accurately determine the impacts of solar conversion systems on desert ecosystems must be closely correlated with the ecosystem functions. The research should be designed in such a way that one can easily recognize what ecosystem functions are being studied, why particular data are being collected and how the data will lead to a better understanding of the ecosystem function. Data from properly designed research can be statistically analyzed to demonstrate interrelations between and among factors. If not designed with numerical analyses in mind, research can lead to erroneous conclusions and improper management decisions. Biotic and Abiotic Hypotheses In order to delineate research needs necessary to evaluate biotic and abiotic changes in the desert ecosystem brought about by construction and operation of large solar collection facilities, hypotheses designed to test relevant environmental changes must be formulated. Biotic changes in the collector array of a large solar facility will occur due to alteration of the desert microclimate by individual collectors and the array as a whole, as well as the degree of initial site disturbance during site preparation and construction activities.
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