OPS 2-5
NEON soil archive: A community resource
Soils are one of the most complex components of terrestrial ecosystems and play a key role in a range of ecological properties and processes, including carbon storage, ecohydrology, nutrient cycling, and supporting hyper-diverse biological communities. As a result soil measurements represent a major focus of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). Soil-based sensors will monitor profiles of soil temperature, moisture, CO2, and root activity, as well as soil heat flux. Soil pits are being used to characterize soil at NEON sites in order to maximize the accuracy of these measurements, provide information on soil properties, and establish a soil archive. At each NEON site a single soil pit, located in the dominate soil type, is excavated and soil samples to be archived are collected from each horizon. At most sites, the soil pit will extend 2 meters deep or to bedrock. Prior to archiving the soil, samples are air-dried and mineral soils are sieved (2 mm), while organic soils are broken up and mixed by hand. A total of 1.2 kilograms of soil from each horizon is split between at least 4 glass jars and archived at room temperature in locked, water- and fire-resistant cabinets.
Results/Conclusions
As of February 2014, soil pits have been sampled at 20 NEON sites and soils from 147 horizons have been archived or are being processed. On average, 7 soil horizons were identified from each soil pit, however, this varied from 4 horizons at Klemme Range Research Station, OK and Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, FL to 10 horizons at Harvard Forest, MA and Dakota Coteau, ND. Metadata associated with each archive sample include a soil profile description, photos, and soil properties (total C, N, S, Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Si, Sr, Ti, Zr, bulk density, pH, and texture). The archive is growing steadily with soil from 1-2 pits added monthly. These soils serve as a reference of physical and chemical conditions at the time the NEON site was constructed. In addition, the NEON Soil Archive is intended to be a resource for the community, and researchers are encouraged to request samples for study. Soil samples and all associated metadata are freely available and the archive has already begun to provide subsamples to researchers. See the NEON Soil Archive website for details: www.neoninc.org/science/soil-archive