Moab NEON / MOAB

The NEON site at Moab (MOAB) is a terrestrial field site about 40 km (25 mi.) south of the town of Moab in San Juan County, Utah, on the Colorado Plateau. Its sampling area is 50km² (12,355 acres) on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The terrain at the tower site is flat with a very shallow slope towards the southwest. This is a key design element because the winds mostly come from this direction, allowing NEON to best measure dust generation and deposition. Vegetation is a mix of grasses and forbs with a uniform distribution, and the site is lightly grazed. The structure of this type of vegetation is representative of the dominant vegetation of the region. MOAB is part of NEON's Southern Rockies and Colorado Plateau Domain (D13). D13 includes one other terrestrial site and two aquatic sites. MOAB is not colocated with an aquatic field site. MOAB is managed out of the D15 Support Facility in Salt Lake City, UT. [2] [9]

MOAB is located on the Colorado Plateau, a high desert region that experiences cold winters, hot summers, and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night. Due to the region's relatively high elevation, the area experiences cold winters. Summer days are typically hot and can reach 38°C (100°F), but summer nights are cool. The average annual temperature at the site is 10.1°C (50°F). The average annual precipitation is low compared to other NEON sites at 320 mm (12.6 in.). However, the region receives large quantities of precipitation in the form of late summer thunderstorms. These monsoons bring violent storm cells that cause flash floods. [11] [13]

The geology at this site is composed of eolian deposits overlying sandstones and mudstones. The major nearby geologic units are Morrison, Entrada, Carmel, and Navajo Formations, which were formed during the Jurassic period. [3] [10]

The predominant soil series encountered at MOAB are Begay, Ignacio, Mivida, Rizno, and Windwhistle. [3]

MOAB is within the Colorado River watershed. Water flows northwest from the NEON site and into Hatch Wash. [3]

Dominant plant species around the tower include fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Mormon tea (Ephedra viridis), and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis). Pinyon Pine (Pinus edulis) and Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) make up the canopy composition in the higher elevations. [2]

Just a few of the animals living near the MOAB site include pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), American black bear (Ursus americanus), midget faded rattlesnake (Crotalus concolor), and giant hairy scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis). NEON samples for ticks, mosquitoes, beetles, birds, and small mammals. Some animals frequently sampled include Pinyon deermouse (Peromyscus truei), North American deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), and northern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster). [1]

As early as 10,000 years ago, the Ancestral Puebloans inhabited Moab, followed later by the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute). Mormon missionaries tried to settle in Moab in 1855, but Ute resistance rendered the attempt unsuccessful until the first permanent settlement in 1877. In the 1890s, the population grew as mining and the building of the railroad commenced. Mining for uranium started in 1952 and nearly tripled the population in three years; this mining operation ceased around 1983. Moab is also home to the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, conducting terrestrial and aquatic research in the area. In 2009, The Nature Conservancy opened the Canyonlands Research Center to study climate change and develop sustainable land management practices. The town of Moab is also considered a gateway to a few national parks, so the region attracts vast numbers of visitors each year. [4] [5] [7] [8]

The site is on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered property. The BLM has a multiple-use approach to land management, as outlined in Resource Management Plans, prepared in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The overarching land use in the area is rangeland. The site is also open to the public and includes the Looking Glass Rock and Wilson Arch recreation areas. [2] [3]

Plot establishment at MOAB was initiated in May 2015. Both TOS and TIS data collection methods were operational by August 2017, signaling transition to full operations.