Preface: Introduction to the Special Issue on Research and Observatory Catchments

Catchment studies are foundational to hydrological and biogeo-<br>chemical process understanding that has informed resource<br>management, policy development and societal well-being (Burt<br>and McDonnell 2015; Likens 2021; Tetzlaff et al. 2017). These<br>place-based studies with sustained monitoring have shaped<br>understanding of fundamental ecosystem processes and con-<br>sequences of environmental change on ecosystems (Campbell<br>et al. 2022; Hewlett, Lull, and Reinhart 1969; Jones et al. 2012;<br>Latron and Lana-Renault 2018; Lovett et al. 2007; McNamara<br>et al. 2018).<br>The special issue, Research and Observatory Catchments: The<br>Legacy and the Future, originates from a groundswell of interest<br>and community spirit that reflects the commitment and passion<br>of the catchment community for sustaining our science, and its<br>collective conviction on the value and importance of catchment,<br>critical zone and ecosystem science.