摘要：BALTEX is an environmental research network dealing with the Earth system of the entire
Baltic Sea drainage basin. Important elements include the water and energy cycle, climate
variability and change, water management and extreme events, and related impacts on
biogeochemical cycles. BALTEX was founded in 1993 as a GEWEX continental-scale
experiment and is currently in its second 10 yr phase. Phase I (1993–2002) was
primarily dedicated to hydrological, meteorological and oceanographic processes in
the Baltic Sea drainage basin, hence mostly dealt with the physical aspects of
the system. Scientific focus was on the hydrological cycle and the exchange of
energy between the atmosphere, the Baltic Sea and the surface of its catchment.
The BALTEX study area was hydrologically defined as the Baltic Sea drainage
basin. The second 10 yr phase of BALTEX (Phase II: 2003–12) has strengthened
regional climate research, water management issues, biogeochemical cycles and
overarching efforts to reach out to stakeholders and decision makers, as well as to foster
communication and education. Achievements of BALTEX Phase II have been the
establishment of an assessment report of regional climate change and its impacts on
the Baltic Sea basin (from hydrological to biological and socio-economic), the
further development of regional physical climate models and the integration of
biogeochemical and ecosystem models. BALTEX features a strong infrastructure, with an
international secretariat and a publication series, and organizes various workshops and
conferences. This article gives an overview of the BALTEX programme, with
an emphasis on Phase II, with some examples from BALTEX-related research.
