In the 1980s the recognition that long-term and broad-scale research is necessary for truly understanding and explaining ecological and climatic processes and environmental phenomena prompted the foundation of the long term ecological research (LTER) in the United States and a network of investigation areas across the USA was established. Today, counterparts have been implemented across Europe (LTER‐Europe) and internationally (ILTER-international long term ecological research).

In several countries the LTER concept was extended by the socioeconomic component: LT(S)ER – Long Term Socio-Ecological Research to reflect the human influence on ecosystems.

At the LT(S)ER site Matschertal the socioeconomic aspect is increasingly incorporated in research projects.