Tutorials

Looking to improve your data skills using tools like R or Python? Want to learn more about working with a specific NEON data product? NEON develops online tutorials to help you improve your research. These self-paced tutorials are designed for you to used as standalone help on a single topic or as a series to learn new techniques.

Code for most script based tutorials can be downloaded at the end of the tutorial. Source files can also be found on GitHub. If you are interested in contributing a tutorial to this collection, please reach out using the Contact Us form, and we can guide you through the process of submitting resources to the GitHub repository.

All materials are freely available for you to use and reuse. We suggest the following citation for tutorials:  [AUTHOR(S), NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network)]. Data Tutorial: [TUTORIAL NAME]. [URL] (accessed [DATE OF ACCESS]). See Citation Guidelines for examples, and for guidance in citing data and code.

Tutorials

Start Tutorial

Vector 04: Convert from .csv to a Shapefile in R

45 minutes

This tutorial covers how to convert a .csv file that contains spatial coordinate information into a spatial object in R. We will then export the spatial object as a Shapefile for efficient import into R and other GUI GIS applications including QGIS and ArcGIS

Start Tutorial

Vector 05: Crop Raster Data and Extract Summary Pixels Values From Rasters in R

1 hour

This tutorial covers how to modify (crop) a raster extent using the extent of a vector shapefile. It also covers extracting pixel values from defined locations stored in a spatial object.

Start Tutorial

Version Control with GitHub

This series teaches why version control is important and how to use a common version control tool, GitHub. GitHub also allows for collaboration within the environment.

Series

7 part series

Start Tutorial

Visualize Elevation Changes Caused by the 2013 Colorado Floods using NEON LiDAR Data in R

1 hour

This tutorial uses Digital Terrain Models derived from

Start Tutorial

What is a CHM, DSM and DTM? About Gridded, Raster LiDAR Data

0.25 - 0.5 Hours

Understand LiDAR data product formats and learn the basics of how a LiDAR data are processed.

Start Tutorial

Wildfire Change Exploration Using AOP Reflectance and Canopy Height Data in GEE

45 minutes

Explore pre- and post- wildfire imagery at GRSM, looking at differences in canopy height and Normalize Burn Ratio

Start Tutorial

Work with NEON OS & IS Data - Plant Phenology & Temperature

Learn to work with NEON plant phenology (Observational System) and single aspirated air temperature (Instrumented System) data products.

Series

3 part series

Start Tutorial

Work With NEON's Plant Phenology Data

1 hour

Learn to work with NEON plant phenology observation data (NEON.DP1.10055).

Start Tutorial

Work with NEON's Single-Aspirated Air Temperature Data

1 hour

This tutorial demonstrates how to work with NEON single-aspirated air temperature data. Specific tasks include conversion to POSIX date/time class, subsetting by date, and plotting the data.