the neon project in the desert southwest: 2017 status update › rise › 2017 › presentations ›...

National Ecological Observatory NetworkA project sponsored by the National Science Foundation and operated under cooperative agreement by Battelle.

Abraham KaramField Operations ManagerDomain 14

The NEON Project in the Desert Southwest: 2017 Status Update

What is NEON?

National Ecological Observatory Network• A large science facility funded by the National Science

Foundation and operated by Battelle• NEON provides open, continental-scale data that characterize

and quantify complex, rapidly changing ecological processes at multiple spatial and temporal scales

• Can be used stand-alone, or as a standardized framework for additional research and experiments to leverage data

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81 field sites • 47 terrestrial• 34 aquatic

24STATES

(plus Puerto Rico)

Located in

180DATA

PRODUCTS

Approximately

Where is NEON?

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How does NEON collect data?• Automated instruments

• Observational sampling

• Airborne remote sensing

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What happens at a NEON site?

Obtaining Automated Instrument and Observational Data

• NEON provides free and open-access data via our data portal.Once downloaded, the data are saved as .csv files in a

packaged single .zip file. Sampling protocols available for download.

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neondata.org

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View all data products

Search by location list or map

Find protocols & maintenance docs

Search by product

Obtaining Automated Instrument and Observational Data

Obtaining Airborne Remote Sensing Data

• AOP data from around the observatory are available; users will have to request access

• Alternatively, users can purchase and mail in a hard drive to AOP

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neonscience.org/request-airborne-data

2017 Field Operations Highlights

• Transitioned from paper data sheets to field tablets Improved data upload times

• Commissioning• Established contracts with external processing labs• Retention of field technicians within and among domains

around the NEON network

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Domain 14 Status Update

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• Airborne Sampling Coordination with TUS, Fort

Huachuca and Air Force

Flight window at peak green (22 Aug – 3 Sept)

Goal is to map the entire watershed


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P1 P2

P3

P1 P2

P3

• Airborne Sampling Priority 1 (P1) flight box

captures the tower airshed and most of the NEON site.

Priority 2 and 3 boxes capture the remainder the watershed not covered by P1


P1 area collected under nominal conditions (less than 10% cloud cover and within 40 degree solar angle). P2 and 3 areas collected under various conditions.

SRER data have been processed except for the digital camera data (estimate 1 month) and higher level Spectrometer mosaics (mid Dec-Jan).

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• Instrumented Systems: All Phase 3 (eddy covariance)

instrumentation completed at Jornada and Santa Rita; most data products streaming

All infrastructure and instruments installed at Sycamore Creek; data expected early 2018

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Phenology Cam• Located on the NEON SRER tower

• Photos taken at 15 minute intervals

• https://phenocam.sr.unh.edu/webcam/

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July 9, 2017 Aug 1, 2017


• Organismal Sampling: Terrestrial sampling ongoing at

Jornada and Santa Rita

Aquatics sampling began in June at Sycamore Creek

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2017 Terrestrial Sampling at SRER

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Protocol FrequencyPlant Phenology Yearly (weekly)

Leaf Area Index Yearly (bi-weekly) + 3 year

Leaf Litter Yearly (1x/month)

Herbaceous Clip Yearly (Spring & Summer PG) + 3 year

Plant Diversity Yearly (Spring & Summer PG)

Mosquitoes Yearly (bi-weekly)

Ground Beetles Yearly (bi-weekly)

Ticks Yearly (6 weeks)

Small Mammals Yearly (6x)

Birds Yearly (1x)

Soil Microbes Yearly (3x)

Vegetation Structure 3 year

Course Downed Wood 3 year


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Birds Yearly (1x)




• Velvet mesquite

• Creosote

• Desert Zinnia


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Birds Yearly (1x)




Tower Plot

Distributed Plot


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Birds Yearly (1x)





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Birds Yearly (1x)




• Grazing clip harvest (1x/month) if cattle preset during growing season

• 2019 Below Ground Biomass and Canopy Foliar Chemistry sampling


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Birds Yearly (1x)




• Over 200 plant species representing 35+ families

• 60+ species in one plot


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Birds Yearly (1x)




• Pathogen results in Jan.

• Taxonomic identification

11 species identified from SRER


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Birds Yearly (1x)



Course Downed Wood 3 year Aedes purpureipes

Aedes papago

Photos: Kelsey Renfro


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Birds Yearly (1x)




• External lab identification results in Fall 2017


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Birds Yearly (1x)





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Birds Yearly (1x)




• Highest small mammal capture rates at NEON

• Disease and population data


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Birds Yearly (1x)




• Successful first year partnering with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies


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Birds Yearly (1x)




• Nitrogen Transformation sampling in 2019


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Birds Yearly (1x)




• Baseline mapping and tagging of woody vegetation

• Over 1,100 technician hours to complete


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Birds Yearly (1x)




Thank You!• Domain14 staff and NEON HQ support

• Mitch McClaran and Mark Heitlinger (assistance and support)

• Cheryl McIntyre (bio-crust guidance)

• Martha Gebhardt (outreach opportunities)

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720.746.4844 | [email protected] | www.battelle.org/neon

National Ecological Observatory Network is a project sponsored by the National Science Foundation and operated under cooperative agreement by Battelle.

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the neon project in the desert southwest: 2017 status update › rise › 2017 › presentations ›...

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