National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc.
PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT for Domain 17 Sites San Joaquin, Upper Teakettle, Soaproot Saddle, and Providence Creek at KREW Date February 10, 2011
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Introduction The current NEON deployment for Sierra National Forest will include one core Fundamental Instrument Unit (FIU) at San Joaquin Experiment Range, two relocatable FIUs at Upper Teakettle and Soaproot Saddle, and one Aquatic Unit at Kings River Experimental Watershed (KREW). All sites, except KREW, will include activities related to NEON’s Fundamental Sentinel Unit product team. No STREON experiment will occur in this Domain. The Airborne Observation Platform is expected to operate at all four Sierra National Forest locations. Purpose and Need for Facility NEON will create a new national observatory to collect ecological and climatic observations across the continental United States, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. NEON has partitioned the U.S. into 20 ecoclimatic domains, each of which represents different regions of vegetation, landforms, climate, and ecosystem performance. In those domains, NEON will collect site-based data about climate and atmosphere, soils, streams and ponds, and a variety of organisms. NEON will use distributed sensor networks, coordinated airborne observations, and experiments, integrated by a communications, command, and control system, to collect ecological data across the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Each domain will host a fully instrumented core site in minimally managed “wildland” area slated to operate for the 30-year lifetime of NEON. The goal of NEON is to enable understanding and forecasting of the impacts of climate change, land use change and invasive species on continental scale ecology by providing infrastructure to support research, education and environmental management in these areas. The NEON approach will standardize scientific ecological efforts, work at continental scale, and integrate observatory operations. NEON Product Teams
NEON Product Team Description AOP Airborne Observation Platform
Methodology/Function Aircraft Remote Sensing
AQU/STREON
Aquatic and STREON Experiment
EDU
Education Mission
FIU
Fundamental Instrument Unit
Instrumentation and Field Sampling Prepare Society to Use NEON Information Automated Instrumentation
FSU
Fundamental Sentinel Unit
Human Observers/Samplers
LUAP
Land Use Analysis Package
Satellite Remote Sensing
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and Other Data Sets To successfully develop the National Ecological Observatory Network, the project has been structured to focus efforts on the above product teams. The EDU and the LUAP product teams have no direct impact on site development and construction and are not discussed in this document. If additional information is needed regarding these aspects of the NEON project, feel free to contact NEON at 720-746-4844. Product teams and their site activities are further described below. Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) The Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) is designed to measure the effects of land use change, and changes in vegetation state and ecosystem functioning including the presence and effects of invasive species. To meet the AOP scientific goals, it will consist of an aircraft platform carrying a remote sensing instrumentation package designed specifically to bridge scales from organism and stand scales to the scale of satellite based remote sensing. Aquatic/STREON (AQU/STREON) The Aquatic unit (AQU) will enable routine submeter-scale observations of the physical, chemical, and biological structure and function of streams and ponds in 36 sites. The Aquatic measurement suite consists of chemical and physical measurements of surface and shallow ground water along with measurements of diversity and distribution of algae, aquatic plants, invertebrates, and fish. At 10 of the Aquatic sites, a stream ecology experiment, STREON, is co-located with the Aquatic measurement suite. The Aquatic unit consists of methodologies that shall be employed across the NEON sites: fixed, automated instrumentation to continuously monitor physical and chemical environments; a field crew trained in NEON methodologies; Q/A procedures for data collection and sample processing; and a set of equipment and handheld instrumentation to assist in data collection at all sites. Where possible, candidate Aquatic sites were co-located within the same or nearby watershed or airshed as the FSU plots and FIU tower. In this way, the aquatic measurements act as an ecological integrator of drivers and responses across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The STREON experiment will provide an assessment of ecosystem response to predicted future conditions by accelerating known drivers of ecosystem structure and function. STREON shall increase ambient nutrient concentration in a stream reach and exclude top‐level consumers from experimental baskets at ten sites. STREON is designed to assess: (1) how stream ecosystems respond to constant, long-term nutrient addition, and (2) how the loss of top consumers, singularly and interactively with increased nutrient loading, alters stream ecosystem structure and function. Fundamental Instrument Unit (FIU) FIU is a primarily automated approach deployed at 60 sites. The FIU will be used to measure temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation, radiation, carbon dioxide, ozone, and reactive nitrogen via instrumentation attached to a tower. In addition, the FIU will make detailed soil measurements via soil arrays adjacent to the
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tower. The FIU components include the majority of the physical infrastructure planned for the sites. The infrastructure requirements are detailed in subsequent sections of this document. Fundamental Sentinel Unit (FSU) The FSU product team uses human-based sampling methodologies. FSU samples organisms that are indicators of change. FSU consists of a field crew trained in NEON methodologies, Q/A procedures for data collection and sample processing, analytical facilities, and a set of equipment and handheld instrumentation to assist in data collection at all sites. FSU measurements are selected to cover a range of substrates across a range of taxa to quantify changes in diversity, abundance, phenology, and productivity. The FSU element acquires data through field sampling and collection in its science and measurement with an ecosystem represented by microbes, plants, small mammals, birds, insects, and soil. A final component to the FSU is a Bioarchive facility where biodiversity samples will be cataloged and stored for future retrospective studies. Pre-Construction and Site Characterization Activities Before construction commences at the site, NEON scientific and facilities construction teams will conduct preparatory work to collect information about the site’s requirements, a process known as site characterization. They will interact with the site owner and subject matter experts (in fauna, flora, soils, water, infrastructure, etc.) to gather information (wind, biota composition, biota distribution, digital datasets, etc.) that will be used in planning and design. The activities described below are independent activities and will not occur simultaneously at the site. The pre-construction and site characterization activities for the facilities construction and scientific teams include: Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) No site pre-construction activities are required for this Product Team. Aquatic (AQU) Stream reaches and ponds will be characterized prior to construction in order to determine optimal placement of sensors and define the natural conditions at the site. AQU site characterization measurements include the development of rating curves, water chemistry and morphological measurements on streams and ponds. Water and sediment shall also be assessed to detect possible organic and metal concentrations that are of concern to aquatic life. Sample dates will vary with site and are dependent on local hydrologic condition, groundwater influence on a site, and local lithology. Actual dates will vary, based on discharge, and will be communicated to land-owners on a regular basis. This section briefly describes the aquatic methods during the site characterization period. Stream reaeration and discharge rating curves •
The development of stream reaeration and discharge rating curve are done simultaneously 10-12 times per year. During each sample date, 2-3 people will collect data for these curves. The general procedure
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• • • • •
includes a simultaneous and continuous injection of both a non-conservative (SF6 or propane gas) and a conservative tracer (Cl- or Br-). SF6 has minimal bio-uptake and is deemed safe for aquatic life (US EPA 2002). The conservative tracer is dripped into the stream at a determined rate based on water flow. The target range for the conservative traced is a 1-3 mg/L increase in concentration above ambient. The non-conservative tracer is bubbled into the stream water in an area of slow-moving water at the same time. Approximate gas rates for SF6 are 50-200L/s for streams with flow ~ 100 ml min, and 1000L/s for streams with flow >200 ml min. NEON staff will collect water and dissolved gas samples at 2-5 locations downstream of the tracer input. Sites are separated by a distance of 30-60 water travel minutes. Once the conservative tracer reaches a plateau (measured via an electrical conductance handheld meter; approx 15 minutes), the tracer injection is stopped. Discharge is measured via electrical conductance during the tracer injection period. For discharge, NaCL (e.g. table salt) can also be used in place of Cl or Br.
Water sample collection •
Surface water samples will be collected (up to 4 L of water) 12-26 times per year at 1-2 locations in the pond or stream. Water sample collection will co-occur with rating curve measurements as much as possible.
Stream or lake/pond morphology •
•
•
This includes measuring the location and size of macrohabitat features such as wetted width; streambed slope; stream reaeration length; stream discharge; pond bathymetry (length, fetch, depths); pond water residence time where feasible; bank structure; and identification of gravel bars, islands, tributaries; coarse woody debris location, type, and amount. If a sub-meter morphological map does not exist, a crew of 2-4 people will physically measure the major features of stream reaches or lakes/ponds (i.e. length and width of gravel bars, debris dams, islands; bank sinuosity; wetted width; bank height) and identify the riparian overstory canopy species up to 100m from the bank edge (no sample collection). This task requires the establishment of semi-permanent survey markers for future measurements. Survey markers can be flush-mount or otherwise camouflaged based on land-owner requirements.
STREON No site pre-construction activities are required for this Product Team. Fundamental Instrument Unit (FIU) The FIU characterization requires two persons for approximately two days. This minimally invasive FIU characterization activity includes:
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• • • •
Identification of the ecosystem and site attributes for the tower site. Description of the preliminary site design and tower attributes. Detail of the soil array and soil pit information. This requires the use of probes to ??? Description of location of precipitation collection device(s).
The FIU includes the infrastructure for the tower and associated support facilities. The facilities construction team, numbering four to five persons comprising both NEON, Inc. personnel and its contractors, will require access to the site for approximately three days. Upon completion of the reports that describe the science requirements listed above, the facilities design team will commence the pre-construction work. These activities include: • • • •
Detailed site survey to develop base plans used in construction drawings. Identification of locations for boardwalks and paths, FIU tower, precipitation collection device, instrument hut, and other facilities. Geotechnical work to allow foundation design. This activity requires the use of a drill machine to obtain information on the depth to bedrock for foundation design. This activity requires only a single hole. The geotech and survey activity will be coordinated with the owner and routes of entry into the site will be determined prior to the work being performed.
Fundamental Sentinel Unit (FSU) During the FSU work, protocols will be refined and site-specific libraries will be developed to aid in rapid biodiversity assessment. The following activities will be performed by hand and the actual time period depends on seasonal factors. The FSU activities during the characterization/construction include the following: Soil • •
Samplings will be scattered across each site using a fixed-depth design (Table 1) to assess soil variables and generate maps for site soil parameters. At each of the sample sites, clusters of three points spaced 2-10 m apart will be sampled.
Table 1: Description of the Soil Sampling Design Description Organic Horizon mass, particle size distribution, pH, EC, TDS, organic C and total N in mineral soil, bulk density, stone content, soil color, elevation, % slope, aspect, geology, landform position or micro-topographic position
Requirements -Organic horizons -Mineral soils from 0-25 cm depth via fixed cores -Fixed depth -GPS coordinates -Archive subsamples
Location Scattered throughout NEON site
Frequency Once
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Quantity 100-300
National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc.
Microbes • • • •
The location, size and number of microbial sampling plots will be established based on the soils and vegetation maps described below. At each site, soil cores to 10 cm depth will be taken five times annually to capture seasonal variation in microbial diversity and functional characteristics. Sampling intervals will include two dates separated by 48 hours to assess short-term turnover. Sampling intervals will include the beginning and end of growing season, as well as points representative of annual temperature or precipitation extremes. On-site soil core processing will involve sieving, drying, and other prep. All prepped bulk soils will be shipped to a designated facility (chemical, genetic, isotopic) as soon as possible after sampling for further processing and bioarchiving of soils and DNA extract.
Plant Biodiversity • • • •
Site specific soil and vegetation maps will be used, along with ground-truthing, to adjust the sampling design to cover all habitat types in each domain. A complete vegetation survey will be performed at each site during site characterization to create a site vegetation map and a relatively comprehensive plant species list. The layout of plots will be determined and a field crew will establish all of the plots with permanent markers (PVC pipe or rebar post). For all sampling plots, a GPS coordinate will be assigned. At least five individual plants of each species identified will be collected to serve as voucher specimens.
Plant Phenology • • • •
Three sentinel species in each domain will be used for phenological monitoring. Using vegetation maps created during site characterization, putative locations of each species will be identified. Individuals of each of these sentinel species will be marked (aluminum tag and GPS point) when found. At least five vouchers per species will be collected and shipped to the Bioarchive.
Plant Ecosystem Productivity • • • •
The FSU ecosystem productivity sampling plot will be located within the expected airshed of the FIU tower to estimate net primary productivity (NPP). A minimum of four regularly spaced transects (1 ha) per tower airshed will be established to record NPP field measurements and data about vegetation structure and composition. All trees > 10 cm dbh will be recorded, measured and permanently marked in the entire transect. Preliminary surveys will be done to assess the spatial sampling requirements (number and size of transects, number of sub-plots) and to quantify uncertainty for each vegetation life growth (grasses, forbs, bryophytes, shrubs, trees). For all sampling plots, a GPS coordinate will be assigned.
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•
In addition to gathering information on productivity plot locations, FSU will gather canopy information during site characterization.
Birds • •
The location of existing USGS Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) locations will be mapped onto NEON core and relocatable sites. Using this information, plus information on habitat types obtained from the soil and vegetation mapping during site characterization, the locations of the bird sampling grids will be selected and marked in the field.
Ground dwelling insects • • • •
Traps will be placed using any previous knowledge of habitat types between the annular plot and the main biodiversity sampling area of vegetation biodiversity plots. Six pitfall traps will be set up in each site within a circular transect (60 total traps per site). Traps will have an elevated cover (3-4 cm high) to prevent rain, snow, and other material from entering the traps. Traps will be checked, emptied, and reset weekly. Collected invertebrates will be sorted in the laboratory and shipped to the DNA barcoding and Bioarchive facilities.
Mosquitoes • • • • •
CO2 baited traps and gravid traps will be deployed to collect mosquitoes to develop a site-specific barcode library. One of each trap (CO2 and gravid) will be set near the insect pitfall traps. Two additional traps of each type will be placed near the aquatic array. CO2 baited traps will be suspended about 2 m above the ground in trees or sturdy shrubs. Where trees are not available, NEON will construct a post to hang the trap. A battery-powered fan pulls the mosquitoes into the trap for live storage until the trap is collected by a field technician. Gravid traps sit on the ground and should not be buried in vegetation; thus some vegetation clearing may be necessary.
Small Mammals • •
FSU will determine locations for mammal sampling transects based on habitat types obtained from the soil and vegetation mapping. No other mammal sampling will occur during this phase.
Construction Activities and Design Factors Airborne Observation Platform (AOP)
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No site construction activities are required for this Product Team. Aquatic (AQU) Once site characterization is complete, site-specific designs for each stream or pond/lake will be developed by the Aquatic and Engineering teams. Where necessary, installation designs will be delivered to permitting agencies to guarantee design suitable for a site. NEON aquatic stream locations consist of up to 500m (1640 ft) continuous length of a stream (referred to as the stream reach) as measured along the center of the channel and defined by GPS latitude and longitude coordinates. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the sensors to be deployed to measure critical ecological phenology in and around the stream.
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National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc. Water Chemistry Sondes (Reach Top)
2D WS
pH
AIR
DO2 ORP
H 2O
PAR
cDOM
1. 2D Anemometer (Wind Speed and Direction) 2. Air temperature 3. Barometric pressure 4. Net solar radiation 5. Relative humidity 6. Digital camera (record phenology and ice) 7. Precipitation isotope collector
PT
PAR
FR
NA
Water Nutrient & Flow
PT
H 2O
1. Nutrient Analyzer 2. Flow meter
PAR
Water Temperature & Radiation (Distributed along reach)
H 2O
1. Water Temperature 2. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)
H 2O
H 2O
PT
H 2O
Micro-Meteorological Tower
H 2O
BP
WS
TB
EC
RH
C
H 2O
LW LW
H 2O
SW SW
1. Conductivity 2. Turbidity 3. Temperature 4. Dissolved Oxygen 5. Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) 6. pH 7. Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM)
PAR
H 2O
H 2O
PT
PT
H 2O
PAR
PAR
H 2O
PT
H 2O
H 2O
PT
Ground Water Wells (x8) (Distributed on both sides) 1. Water temperature 2. Water pressure (depth) 3. Water sampling
TB
DO2 ORP
PAR
pH
H 2O
EC
H 2O
Water Chemistry Sondes (Reach Bottom) 1. Conductivity 2. Turbidity 3. Temperature 4. Dissolved Oxygen 5. Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) 6. pH 7. Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM)
PAR
H 2O
H 2O
PT
PAR
cDOM
Figure 1 - Conceptual Instrumentation Diagram
Auxiliary Portal • • •
The auxiliary portal is where AC power and communication lines are brought to and terminated at the stream reach. The auxiliary portal includes the power meter and weatherproof enclosures mounted to a post or metal frame. Figure 2 - Auxiliary Portal Power and communication lines are terminated in separate enclosures. The enclosures are mounted above the ground or otherwise designed to prevent
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• • •
water ingress and allow for drainage to prevent damage to the circuits inside. Where possible, AC power and communication lines are brought to the auxiliary portal using buried conduit from the nearest utility pole or internet service provider (ISP) point of presence. The auxiliary portal is positioned to be out of the highest flood stage of the stream and secured in stable ground using either concrete footers or deep (4’-6’) burial of the mounting structure. In the event that wired communication is not available, wireless networks are employed. The type of wireless network depends on the available service at the location.
Access and Pathways • • • •
To ensure minimum impact to the ecology around the stream reach, all access and pathways to the reach and instrumentation along the reach are carefully planned and unique to each stream location. Access planning includes where staff and visitors are allowed to park their vehicles, the paths that staff must use to access all of the instrumentation, and specific keep out areas. Unless necessary for staff safety, ecology protection or minimizing erosion, all paths are simply and minimally cleared. In areas where safety of the staff ecology protection or minimizing erosion are a concern; boardwalks, stone pavers, gravel beds, ladders and bridge improvements may be provided. All improvements are designed to meet OSHA standards for safety, and minimize impact to the local ecology and fauna.
Micro-Meteorological Tower Sensor Group • • •
A small micro-meteorological station is located near the auxiliary portal. Unless restricted, the station is mounted on a small concrete footing. At the base of the tower is an enclosure which houses all of the data acquisition and networking equipment.
Water Chemistry Sondes • •
Because the sondes are intended to measure continuous water chemistry, they must be mounted in the stream with the sensing elements submerged below the surface of the water. To protect the sondes and prevent them from being washed downstream, the sondes are placed in a protective enclosure that is securely anchored to the shore. Methods for anchoring the sondes to the stream bank depend on the stream flows and the stability of the banks. Figure 3 shows potential sonde mounting techniques.
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Figure 3 - Stream Sensor Mounting and Anchoring
Water Sampling Wells • • • • • •
In addition to sensors placed in a stream or lake/pond, up to 8 shallow subsurface wells will be constructed and instrumented on each side of the reach. Subsurface wells will be drilled via a handheld auger or Geoprobe (ATV mounted auger). The hole drilled for the well is approximately 2-4 inches in diameter and extends down below the water table. Where wells cannot be drilled due to profuse bedrock, no wells will be placed. Site specific groundwater well designs will be developed in consultation with local hydrologists during the construction period. Near each well is a data acquisition system housed in an instrumentation enclosure. Periodic water samples are taken from each well for chemical analysis.
STREON No site construction activities are required for this Product Team. Fundamental Instrument Unit (FIU) The NEON facilities construction team, numbering four to eight persons comprising both NEON, Inc. personnel and its contractors, will require access to the site for the duration of the construction period for the FIU infrastructure. NEON will employ a Construction Site Supervisor to oversee all contractor actions, implement health and safety protocols, and track daily activity logs at the site. The environment at every NEON site will be protected to the maximum extent possible during construction. Strict guidelines and considerations will apply to materials used in construction to minimize their impact on the environment. NEON will employ best management practices (BMPs) in all construction design and activities. In almost no cases will typical large construction vehicles be utilized for material delivery. Site Infrastructure Overview At each site, infrastructure may include boardwalks, buried conduit, fencing, equipment, and storage enclosures. A meteorological tower approximately 10 m above canopy height will be built on a concrete pad
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that will be used to mount sensors that measure a suite of atmospheric variables. An instrument hut will be built near the tower to house gas analyzer instruments and other equipment. The hut will also contain communications and control hardware that transmits data back to the NEON central repository. The individual components for the FIU are further described below. Auxiliary Portal • • • •
The Auxiliary Portal (AP) is a designated point near the edge of the observing region where the utility company’s power and data services enter the site location. The AP is generally 100-500 feet from the instrument hut. Beyond the AP there will be no vehicular traffic. No overhead lines, conduits, or cable trays are planned onto the observing site beyond the AP.
Boardwalks and Paths • • •
Paths on the site will be designed to direct personnel along preferred access routes and will measure no wider than four feet. Boardwalks are currently planned for access to and from the instrument hut, tower, and soil array. Boardwalks will be built to FSU plots where necessary or deemed necessary by the land owner.
Fencing and Security • •
Security and protection from both humans and animals will be provided at all tower sites. Where needed to protect the site from intrusion or to ensure the safety of animals, the base of the tower and the ground points for any tower guy lines will be enclosed by fencing.
Figure 4 - Prototype Boardwalk, FIU Tower, Instrument Hut
FIU Tower • • •
The FIU tower will serve as supporting structure for scientific sensors at various heights above the ground, and will be equipped with ladders or stairs and landings/working platforms for personnel observations and installations. Depending upon the height of the tower, guy wires may be required. Tower heights will be domain specific and determined by the height of the surrounding site canopy.
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Instrument Hut • • •
• •
There will be an Instrument Hut (IH) near the base of each tower, located about 50 feet from the tower on the leeward side. The IH will house electronic instrumentation and other equipment associated with the tower, as well as gas bottles, tools, safety equipment, and other items for use during operations. The IH will be brought to the site by manpower or small vehicles such as ATVs. The design envisions a base frame mounted, high performance, foam insulated, steel face panel modular structure that can be delivered in pieces and bolted together providing a tight assembly capable of withstanding the temperature, humidity, rain/snow and wind conditions. The outer façade of the IH will be variable, depending on the aesthetics and context of each site. Foundations will be site specific based on both the geotechnical characteristics of the site as well as the ecology of local plant and wildlife; however, the typical foundation plan is for six pier foundations and helical anchors, if required, for tie-down.
Power and Signal Distribution • • • • • •
•
Where available, NEON will use power and communication supplied by the local utility company. Other possible communication sources are remote terminal units and cell phones. Preliminary designs and estimates for power to the site will be generated with the local utility. NEON will work with the land owner to determine the appropriate power source. Any underground utilities will be trenched and completed with a standard walk-behind trencher to minimize impacts. Where acceptable by local code and the owner, conduit may be placed on the surface of the ground and extend along the site boardwalk. Extended overhead lines to the auxiliary portal would be kept clear of trees by hand clearing saplings as necessary for the duration of the NEON project.
Precipitation collection •
•
Figure 5 - Side View DFIR
A Double Fence Intercomparison Reference (DFIR) is a primary standard precipitation collection system that will be deployed at NEON core tower sites. This assembly contains a weighing-type precipitation collector, one metal altar shield and two double wooden octagonal fences following U.S. Climate Reference Network (USCRN) specifications. Deployment of wind shields and fences improves the ability to measure both liquid and solid precipitation without contamination from horizontal winds.
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•
Power required is 110 V AC to power the heater in harsh environments to keep the throat of the precipitation gauge free of snow.
Figure 6 - DFIR Precipitation Gauge
• •
•
Relocatable site locations and the core site locations where primary site requirements cannot be met will be considered secondary sites for precipitation collection. All secondary sites will deploy a tipping precipitation gauge. Under these conditions, the precipitation collector will be installed on the top of tower above any Figure 7 - Typical Throughfall Collector obstruction that may cause sampling bias, and without causing any turbulent obstruction to the other measurements. Wet deposition collectors will also be deployed at all core tower sites and selected relocatable tower sites following National Atmospheric Deposition Program protocols. The wet deposition collector will be on the ground and co-located or close to the primary precipitation collector. The specific location for the wet deposition collector will be assessed on site-by-site basis.
Site Access •
General vehicular access to the Domain sites will be restricted during both construction and operations. A parking area for four vehicles will be designated at the point of closest access. Beyond the parking area, site access will be on foot. Where acceptable to the owner, all terrain vehicles may be used during operations.
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Soil Array •
•
Figure 8 - Typical Geoprobe
The soil arrays are bore holes in five clusters arrayed out from the tower typically in the direction of the prevailing wind. In the typical design, each cluster is spaced 25 meters apart from its closest cluster. Each hole is nominally 2½ inches in diameter and is either vertical or at a 45 degree angle, depending on the particular measurement for that hole. Depth is site specific, but is no more than 7 feet. The soil array holes will be made using a portable Geoprobe machine. The typical sensors deployed at the soil array include soil temperature sensor, soil water content sensor, soil CO2 sensor, minirhyzotron, soil heat flux plates, line quantum sensor and precipitation throughfall collector.
After the tower has been constructed, but prior to the commencement of operations, the NEON engineering team and the scientific teams will be on site for short periods of time to conduct final installation of sensors on the tower and in the soil array. There are typically two or three persons on each team. The engineering team’s responsibility is to test and install instrument assemblies on the FIU tower, soil arrays, and AQU/STREON subsystems. The installation and testing includes sensor data acquisition, power, and communications systems. Fundamental Sentinel Unit (FSU) The FSU requires no added infrastructure. No other site construction activities are required for this Product Team. In operations, throughout the core site, there will be approximately 30-50 FSU sampling plots that are identified and installed for biological sampling. Operations Each NEON site is managed by a Domain Manager, who will have a supporting staff of approximately five fulltime-equivalent (FTE) personnel. The Domain Manager will be the point of contact (POC) for each site’s land owner. There will be approximately four Domain Technicians who will service all sites within the Domain. Typically, two of them will visit a site at any given time (see below). In addition to these Domain Technicians, the Domain Manager will be responsible for training seasonal FSU field crews. The training will include safety procedures as required by the NEON Division for Environmental Health and Safety and all local requirements. Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) Aircraft with specially mounted instrumentation will fly routine patterns over all NEON sites and surrounding areas (~300km2 range) approximately once per year to collect detailed aerial data about the regional landscape and vegetation. Each site fly-over will last approximately four hours, with planes flying at an altitude between three and five thousand feet. Aquatic (AQU)
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All sample and analytical methodologies will follow best practices and be similar to existing methodologies used at LTER sites and the USGS NAWQA program. Some species will be DNA barcoded in addition to traditional morphological taxonomy. All biological samples, except fish, will be stored at NEON’s outsourced bioarchive facilities. Chemistry • • • •
Water chemistry will be measured throughout the year at each site, up to 26 times per year in surface water and once per year in subsurface wells. Water collection will co-occur with maintenance of the in-situ instruments (e.g. sensors) in order to minimize impact to the site. Water chemistry will be measured continuously via in-situ sensors. Sensors will be installed during construction and maintained on a regular basis during Operations. Sediment chemistry will be measured once per year. Samples will be collected by domain staff or seasonal field personnel and shipped to a NEON outsourced facility for analysis.
Aquatic algae and plants • • • •
Algae, bryophytes, lichens, and emergent vegetation (macrophytes) will be collected twice per year to track changes in diversity. Additionally, the carbon, nitrogen and isotopic composition of algae will be measured. Algal samples will be collected and preserved in the field, then shipped to analytical facilities for identification and analysis. Bryophytes and lichens will primarily be identified in-situ to avoid disturbance to this plant community, which is slow-growing at most NEON candidate Aquatic sites. Macrophytes will be processed by NEON domain staff at the Domain Lab. Macrophytes will be identified, weighed and measured.
Microbial diversity and function •
Microbial taxonomic and functional diversity shall be measured in water, sediment/benthic detritus, and the biofilm community associated with attached (epilithic) algae between 1 and 12 times per year in at least 5 sample locations in streams and ponds. All samples shall be sent to outsourced facilities for taxonomic and functional identification.
Invertebrates • •
Benthic macroinvertebrates will be collected twice per year and shipped to analytical facilities for identification. They will be collected via common nets including a modified Hess sampler, Surber net, Eckman grab or zooplankton tow (haul) net.
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Fish • • • • •
Fish diversity will be measured once per year, where feasible. Fish identification will occur with emphasis on minimum disturbance to the fish. Fish sampling methodologies will vary by site and by focal species and will include electroshocking, seining, gill-netting, and minnow trapping. SCUBA and snorkeling will not be used as a method to assess fish diversity. Photographs of live specimens will be collected.
Stream morphology and pond bathymetry • •
Changes to stream or pond morphology will be quantitified annually in streams and every 5 years in lakes/ponds. Morphological measurements include bank structure; movement of geomorphic features such as gravel bars, boulders, islands; bathymetry; qualitative riparian canopy structure diversity; and identification of major tributaries.
Rating Curves •
Stream reaeration and discharge rating curves will be verified 1-2 times per year, following methods used during site characterization.
STREON No operations activities are required for this Product Team. Fundamental Instrument Unit (FIU) •
Year round, two technicians for three days at each site every two weeks to perform sensor maintenance, process consumables, and collect samples for off-site analyses.
Fundamental Sentinel Unit (FSU) The FSU is the most labor-intensive operation of NEON. The design of the microbial sampling will be determined after the microbe prototype and will likely also be revised once NEON has several years of operating data. Plant Biodiversity •
Vegetation structure, composition, species number, cover, and abundance shall be recorded in circular permanent sample plots of 168 m2.
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Shrubs and trees > 1 cm dbh will be recorded measured and permanently marked in the entire 168 m2 plot, whereas grasses, seedlings and non-vascular species will be recorded in three 1 m2 quadrats distributed within each plot. Environmental data (elevation, slope angle and azimuth, parent material, soil characteristics, disturbance history) will also be recorded for each sampling plot. About 20-50 plots will be distributed in a stratified-random sampling design on vegetation. Sampling for species composition, species number and abundance will be carried out for all sites every year for sites predominantly covered by forests, and three times during growing season (early, mid and late) for sites covered mostly by shrubs, grasses, and herbs. All of the annual sampling will occur within a two-month period for forests. The seasonal sampling will occur within ten-day periods for other vegetation types.
Plant Phenology • • •
•
The plant phenological patterns of three sentinel species in each domain will be derived from standardized, intensive individual observations on leaf and reproductive For each selected species, at least 10 marked individuals will be sampled to record leaf and reproductive phenological events. The frequency of observations will vary among ecosystems and according to species, but observations will occur more frequently during periods of rapid phenological changes (e.g., spring and autumn in north temperate ecosystems), and somewhat less frequently during periods of slow phenological changes (e.g., summer and winter in north temperate ecosystems). Observations should be carried out for all sites with the following frequency: at least nine times per year for sites predominantly covered by forests, and six times during the growing season (early, mid and late) for sites covered by shrubs, grasses, and herbs.
Plant Population Dynamics • •
Plant populations will be characterized by measuring and periodically monitoring individuals permanently tagged in FSU sampling plots. The exact measurements and design will vary by species and life form. Estimates of these parameters will be taken annually.
Plant Ecosystem Productivity • •
The FSU ecosystem productivity sampling plot design shall be located within the expected airshed of each tower to estimate NPP. A minimum of four regularly spaced transects (1 ha) per tower airshed will be established to record NPP field measurements and data about vegetation structure and composition.
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All trees > 10 cm dbh will be recorded, measured and permanently marked in the entire transect. Tree saplings, shrubs, grasses, forbs and non-vascular vegetation will be recorded and measured in sub-plots distributed within each transect.
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Figure 9 - FSU Field Activities In addition to the biodiversity measurements described in a previous section, vegetation structure, composition, and live above-ground biomass shall be recorded in circular permanent sample plots of 168 m2. Shrubs and trees > 1 cm dbh will be recorded measured and permanently marked in the entire 168 m2 plot. Grasses, seedlings and non-vascular species will be recorded and measured in three 1 m2 quadrats distributed within each plot. If conspicuous and abundant, lianas will be sampled within each plot. Plots (20-50) will be distributed in a stratified-random sampling. The determination of wood production or wood biomass increment in forest-dominated ecosystems will be accomplished by repeated measurements of tree diameter at breast height (dbh) Ingrowth (the recruitment of small trees to the minimum size class) and losses to mortality (standing dead trees) will also be estimated. The installation of dendrometers bands will complement and refine the estimation of wood biomass increment, particularly for very slow-growing forests. At least every two months, some percentage of tagged and banded individuals distributed within ecosystem plots will be measured in each domain. At each domain, dead material will be grouped into classes according to level of decay. The determination of density of each decay class will be done only once per domain. Biomass will be estimated destructively by clipping at ground level all individual plants rooted in smaller sub-plots. The litterfall production (leaves, flowers, fruits, and woody fraction < 2 cm diameter) and the litter standing stocks (the quantity of litter remaining on the ground) in forest stands and shrublands shall be estimated by taking periodic samples with litter traps (0.50 m2) and paired ground plots (0.50 m2) distributed within ecosystem productivity plots. A minimum of 10 litter traps and 10 ground traps will be distributed in a stratified-random sampling design within each ecosystem productivity plot. The frequency of litter collection will be monthly for tropical forests, nine times per year for temperate forests, and two times per year for temperate and boreal forests, respectively (focused on leaf fall period), and two times per year for shrublands (focused on leaf fall periods). Estimation of Leaf Area Index (LAI) will be carried out in sampling points distributed every 10 m along transects within each ecosystem productivity plot to be applied in ecological models of ecosystem productivity, as well as for ground validation of LAI data taken by AOP LiDAR and/or spectroscopy.
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• •
The instruments shall be inter-calibrated above the canopy at the beginning of each set of measurements (within one week of AOP over-flight) and GPS points for all measurement locations shall be recorded. At least once every three to five years, the standing stocks of fine roots will be measured by collecting and processing root mass in soil cores distributed across 30 points associated with productivity plots.
Birds • • • • • • •
Three 10 grids will be established at each site, depending on the total area of a site and habitat complexity. Each grid consists of a 1 km2 grid, with transects every 250 m. Each grid will have 25 stations (transect nodes). These stations will not overlap vegetation plots or small mammal transects/webs to minimize impacts to habitat or biota. Each bird sampling station will be surveyed every three to ten days during the breeding season. At each grid, one observer (four total observers) will walk each transect and stop at each station to record birds seen and heard. For most Domains, breeding bird observations will begin at dawn and end during late morning, as most birds are active and singing to defend breeding territories during early morning. Standard bird point count methodology consists of an observer recording all birds seen or heard within 60 m distance from point center classes during a 10-minute interval.
Ground dwelling insects • • • • •
Pitfall traps will be placed adjacent to biodiversity plots (within 10 m of the destructive sampling buffer zone). Pitfall traps are embedded 15 cm below soil surface with a 9 cm aperture. Ten biodiversity plots will each have four pitfall traps located around them at the north, south, east, and west points of the circular biodiversity plot (40 traps total per site). Traps will have an elevated cover (3-4 cm high, and 20 cm x20 cm) to prevent rain, snow, and other material from entering the traps. Traps will be checked, emptied, and reset weekly by two personnel. Collected invertebrates will be sorted and prepared for shipping in the laboratory.
Mosquitoes • • •
During mosquito breeding season, two field technicians will process mosquito traps every day four times per week for two consecutive weeks, with 10 days of inactivity (with respect to this activity) before a subsequent two-week cycle begins. One of each trap (CO2 and gravid) will be set next to the vegetation plots (five per site) within about 10 m of the plot but not directly within the plot itself. Two additional traps of each type will be placed near the aquatic array, if present.
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Trap locations will be adjusted to maximize trapping numbers. CO2 baited traps (about 0.75m from top to bottom) need to be suspended about 2m above the ground (such that the top of the trap is 2m above the ground). NEON will hang CO2 baited traps in trees or sturdy shrubs where possible (within 10m of a vegetation plot). Where trees are not available, NEON will construct a post and secure them from heavy wind. Gravid traps will be placed within 10m of the vegetation plots (not within them) and at least 10m apart from the CO2 trap. Gravid traps sit on the ground and should not be buried in vegetation. Some vegetation clearing of about a square meter may be necessary. Traps will be set in the morning and the traps are equipped with a photosensitive switch designed to turn on the gas release after sun-down, and shut off at dawn. Each morning following trap deployment, two personnel will change out the trap cup with a new empty one. Mosquitoes will be collected two mornings per week at each site every week or ten days. Captured mosquitoes will be transferred to the laboratory.
Small Mammals • • • • • • •
For each trapping season, two field technicians will process small mammal traps for four or five consecutive days, once in the morning (trap checking) and once in the evening (trap setting). Each year, FSU will conduct three trapping sessions: spring, summer, and fall at each site. Capturing small mammals live involves the use of aluminum traps (7.5 x 9 x 23 cm) with a spring-loaded door set open in the evening. Two field personnel must check the traps soon after dawn, record data, tag animals, and release them before the temperature becomes too warm and causes mortality for animals caught in the traps. At each site, between four to ten transects of 500 m (100 traps each) will be set up running north to south in different habitat types (one transect per habitat type) within the site boundaries. Once five to 10 transect trapping sessions are completed, field techs will determine the habitats that have the highest relative abundance of Peromyscus species and deploy between two to three web design trapping plots (one per habitat type). Webs will cover one hectare of ground each. Within each web design, vegetation plots may overlap but trap placements should not occur directly within any vegetation plots.
Rehabilitation and Reclamation After the life span of the site, NEON will return the site to existing conditions as per the site requirements. Any existing infrastructure (foundation for storage enclosure) will be disassembled and removed. The existing tower will be removed and disassembled, the foundation removed and ground disturbance filled in with fill dirt via local direction.
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Appendix A Domain 17 NEON staff completed preliminary site characterization activities for Domain 17 in the Summer of 2010. During those visits tower, instrument hut, and aquatic reach midpoint locations were selected for all four NEON sites within the Sierra Nevada National Forest. Additional soil and wind data has been collected and is being analyzed to determine final layout of the soil array for each tower location. Additional aquatic site characterization is expected to occur in 2012 to determine the exact upper and lower bounds of the stream reach. Final site layout will be provided to Sierra Nevada National Forest staff for review and comment. Preliminary site layouts are depicted in the proceeding figures. SAN JOAQUIN CORE SITE After FIU site characterization, the preliminary tower location was been sited at 37° 6'31.61"N, 119°43'56.46"W with the instrument hut approximately 20 meters to the west of the tower at 37° 6'31.61"N, 119°43'57.07"W. A precipitation gauge is proposed in a clearing located southeast of the proposed tower at 37° 6'28.55"N, 119°43'55.34"W. UPPER TEAKETTLE RELOCATABLE SITE The preliminary tower location for the Upper Teakettle Relocatable is sited at 37° 0'20.99"N, 119° 0'21.67"W, with the instrument hut located approximately 20 meters north of the tower at 37° 0'21.38"N, 119° 0'21.34"W. SOAPROOT SADDLE RELOCATABLE SITE The preliminary tower location for the Soaproot Saddle Relocatable is sited at 37° 2'0.13"N, 119°15'43.88"W, with the instrument hut located approximately 20 meters west of the tower at 37° 1'59.99"N, 119°15'44.57"W. PROVIDENCE CREEK AT KREW The proposed aquatic location at Providence Creek is approximately 3.5 miles northeast of the FIU tower location at Soaproot Saddle. The current coordinate for the mid-point of the AQU reach is 37° 3'28.75"N, 119°12'16.51"W. The exact design of the AQU instrumentation and installation is pending final site characterization, preliminarily scheduled for 2012.
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Upper Teakettle Relocatable Site
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Soaproot Saddle Relocatable Site
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Kings River Experimental Watershed Aquatic
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