Skip to main content
NSF NEON | Open Data to Understand our Ecosystems logo

Main navigation

  • About Us
    • Overview
      • Spatial and Temporal Design
      • History
    • Vision and Management
    • Advisory Groups
      • Science, Technology & Education Advisory Committee
      • Technical Working Groups (TWGs)
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
      • Field Offices
    • User Accounts
    • Staff

    About Us

  • Data & Samples
    • Data Portal
      • Explore Data Products
      • Data Availability Charts
      • Spatial Data & Maps
      • Document Library
      • API & GraphQL
      • Prototype Data
      • External Lab Data Ingest (restricted)
    • Samples & Specimens
      • Discover and Use NEON Samples
        • Sample Types
        • Sample Repositories
        • Sample Explorer
        • Megapit and Distributed Initial Characterization Soil Archives
        • Excess Samples
      • Sample Processing
      • Sample Quality
      • Taxonomic Lists
    • Collection Methods
      • Protocols & Standardized Methods
      • Airborne Remote Sensing
        • Flight Box Design
        • Flight Schedules and Coverage
        • Daily Flight Reports
          • AOP Flight Report Sign Up
        • Camera
        • Imaging Spectrometer
        • Lidar
      • Automated Instruments
        • Site Level Sampling Design
        • Sensor Collection Frequency
        • Instrumented Collection Types
          • Meteorology
          • Phenocams
          • Soil Sensors
          • Ground Water
          • Surface Water
      • Observational Sampling
        • Site Level Sampling Design
        • Sampling Schedules
        • Observation Types
          • Aquatic Organisms
            • Aquatic Microbes
            • Fish
            • Macroinvertebrates & Zooplankton
            • Periphyton, Phytoplankton, and Aquatic Plants
          • Terrestrial Organisms
            • Birds
            • Ground Beetles
            • Mosquitoes
            • Small Mammals
            • Soil Microbes
            • Terrestrial Plants
            • Ticks
          • Hydrology & Geomorphology
            • Discharge
            • Geomorphology
          • Biogeochemistry
          • DNA Sequences
          • Pathogens
          • Sediments
          • Soils
            • Soil Descriptions
    • Data Notifications
    • Data Guidelines and Policies
      • Acknowledging and Citing NEON
      • Publishing Research Outputs
      • Usage Policies
    • Data Management
      • Data Availability
      • Data Formats and Conventions
      • Data Processing
      • Data Quality
      • Data Product Revisions and Releases
        • Release 2021
        • Release 2022
        • Release 2023
      • NEON and Google
      • Externally Hosted Data

    Data & Samples

  • Field Sites
    • About Field Sites and Domains
    • Explore Field Sites
    • Site Management Data Product

    Field Sites

  • Impact
    • Observatory Blog
    • Case Studies
    • Spotlights
    • Papers & Publications
    • Newsroom
      • NEON in the News
      • Newsletter Archive
      • Newsletter Sign Up

    Impact

  • Resources
    • Getting Started with NEON Data & Resources
    • Documents and Communication Resources
      • Papers & Publications
      • Document Library
      • Outreach Materials
    • Code Hub
      • Code Resources Guidelines
      • Code Resources Submission
      • NEON's GitHub Organization Homepage
    • Learning Hub
      • Science Videos
      • Tutorials
      • Workshops & Courses
      • Teaching Modules
      • Faculty Mentoring Networks
      • Data Education Fellows
    • Research Support and Assignable Assets
      • Field Site Coordination
      • Letters of Support
      • Mobile Deployment Platforms
      • Permits and Permissions
      • AOP Flight Campaigns
      • Excess Samples
      • Assignable Assets FAQs
    • Funding Opportunities

    Resources

  • Get Involved
    • Advisory Groups
      • Science, Technology & Education Advisory Committee
      • Technical Working Groups
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
    • NEON Ambassador Program
    • Collaborative Works
      • EFI-NEON Ecological Forecasting Challenge
      • NCAR-NEON-Community Collaborations
      • NEON Science Summit
      • NEON Great Lakes User Group
    • Community Engagement
    • Science Seminars and Data Skills Webinars
    • Work Opportunities
      • Careers
      • Seasonal Fieldwork
      • Postdoctoral Fellows
      • Internships
        • Intern Alumni
    • Partners

    Get Involved

  • My Account
  • Search

Search

Collection Methods

  • Protocols & Standardized Methods
  • Airborne Remote Sensing
  • Automated Instruments
  • Observational Sampling

Breadcrumb

  1. Data & Samples
  2. Collection Methods
  3. Protocols & Standardized Methods

Protocols & Standardized Methods

The success of NEON relies upon standardized and quality-controlled data collection methods and processing systems. NEON scientists collaborate with technical working groups to develop and document science designs and protocols for 1) data collection infrastructure and 2) observations and samples collected at field sites. Science designs inform data collection methods and protocols guide operations crews in the field.

A fundamental principle that has been applied in the design and execution of NEON observational protocols, as with its instrument measurements, is that observational data are acquired in a standardized and consistent manner across the entire Observatory.  NEON designs have been optimized to embrace this central principle of the observatory while providing for some level of flexibility to accommodate site-specific needs.  There are two main drivers underlying this principle. 

First, it is essential to maximize the Observatory’s ability to detect trends in physical, biological and chemical measurements across large spatial and temporal scales. NEON’s physical, biological and chemical measurements have been designed to enable detection of decadal trends over 30 years and to draw inferences at regional and continental scales utilizing various statistical methods and process-based models. The standardization of protocols across all sites is key to the success of NEON (and its novelty) and must be maintained at all sites through time.

Second, having field crews trained and able to implement the same protocols in the same way, to the extent practicable, across the continent is operationally most efficient and effective, and helps to reduce measurement uncertainty.  Although specific techniques may be required at some sites (e.g., due to different vegetation types, flow conditions, etc.), protocols have been developed to ensure data comparability. Site-specific modifications are detailed in appendices for each protocol.

NEON’s protocols are based on sampling methods broadly utilized by the research community and further refined with input from experts participating in NEON design workshops and technical working groups. Protocols are tested through characterization and prototype efforts. While the general methodology described in protocols will not change significantly, modifications can continue to be made to support more efficient and effective data collection. Updates to these documents will be posted as they become available.

Science Designs: The science design documents provide the background and strategy used for data collection. They frequently bridge related data products.

Aquatic and Terrestrial Protocols: Highly detailed protocols are used by field scientists to carry out sampling and measurements. Protocols are generally modified over time as recommended by our Technical Working Groups or our Science or Field Science staff. Each OS data table will specify which protocol version was used to collect each datum. All versions are available in our Document Library. We also provide access to protocols used by our partnering labs.

Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD): A full explanation of the algorithms used to process data. Each ATBD details the scientific theory behind the measurement, relevant processing algorithms, as well as the steps taken to determine uncertainty and to perform quality control/quality assurance. Some ATBDs are specific to a data product, while others describe algorithms applied to many data products.

Sensor Command, Control, and Configuration (C3) Document: Specifies the command, control, and configuration details for operating the relevant sensor and its assembly. It includes a detailed discussion of all necessary requirements for operational control parameters, conditions/constraints, set points, and any necessary error handling.

NEON Preventive Maintenance Procedure: Specifies a list and schedule of checks and actions that NEON personnel perform on the relevant sensor and its assembly to ensure its proper operation. Detailed instructions are provided for more complex tasks.

Data Processing Quality Assurance (QA) Document: A summary of the data quality metrics used to assess the validity of the AOP data products, as well as information on flight acquisition parameters, and processing parameters. These documents are optionally delivered with the data products for which they are applicable - they must be selected in order to be downloaded. Look for PDF files in the download workflow.

Data Product User Guide: A brief summary of the sampling design and the structure of the published data. In some cases a single User Guide may cover multiple closely related data products.

Explore NEON Documents now

NEON Logo

Follow Us:

Join Our Newsletter

Get updates on events, opportunities, and how NEON is being used today.

Subscribe Now

Footer

  • My Account
  • About Us
  • Newsroom
  • Contact Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Careers

Copyright © Battelle, 2019-2020

The National Ecological Observatory Network is a major facility fully funded by the National Science Foundation.

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.