EcolChange will represent a synergistic network of expertise to elaborate global and local scenarios for terrestrial ecosystems in the context of global change. Through lateral integration of six top-level research teams, it will contribute towards further internationalization and strengthening of the research agenda and provide the necessary resources to target national priorities in environmental and agricultural research and adaptation to climate change. It aims to (1) integrate studies of ecosystem function, biodiversity and adaptability, (2) create symbiosis between macroecological big-data, genetic and experimental approaches, (3) incorporate ecological knowledge into principles of adaptation to global change through sustainable ecosystem management, (4) enhance ecologically sustainable economic growth via smart regional planning in forestry and agriculture: functionally diverse forests, cultivars for future climates, novel crops, sustainable nutrient cycles.