Biorepository Data Portal

This collection contains subsamples of aquatic macroalgae from clip harvest samples (NEON sample class: apl_domainLab_in.sampleIDmacroalgae). Aquatic macroalgae clip harvest sampling is conducted once per year at wadeable streams, lakes, and river (during the mid-summer aquatic biology window). During the first and third bouts in rivers and lakes, only presence/absence of vegetation is noted; during the mid-summer bout, samples are collected via quadrats in wadeable streams, and rake collection in lakes and rivers. Ten samples are collected per site if plants are present. In wadeable streams, clip harvest samples are collected near plant transect locations. In lakes and rivers, ten randomly selected points are sampled at depths that are colonized by plants. Aquatic macroalgae vouchers are preserved in 2% glutaraldehyde. Vouchers are stored in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains subsamples of aquatic macroalgae collected during point counts (NEON sample class: apc_perTaxon_in.sampleIDmacroalgae, apc_voucher_in.sampleIDmacroalgae). Aquatic macroalgae point count data are collected three times per year at wadeable streams only, during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Data are collected at ten permanent transect locations that are revisited during each sampling bout. Aquatic macroalgae vouchers are preserved in 2% glutaraldehyde and stored in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains subsamples of aquatic microalgae preserved in either glutaraldehyde or a high-iodine Lugol's solution (NEON sample class: ptx_taxonomy_in.preserved). Periphyton and phytoplankton samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Benthic samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat and substratum type, including rock scrubs, grab samples, and epiphyton. In wadeable streams, periphyton samples are collected in the two most dominant benthic habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools), and seston samples were collected from the water column near the S2 sensor (seston samples were discontinued in 2018). In lakes, water-column phytoplankton samples are collected near the buoy and littoral sensors using a Kemmerer sampler, and in littoral areas using the best benthic sampling method for the dominant substratum type. In rivers, phytoplankton samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a Kemmerer or Van Dorn sampler, and in littoral areas using the best benthic sampling method for the dominant substratum type. All field-collected samples are split into subsamples in the domain support facility, preserved, and shipped to a contracting taxonomy laboratory where samples are further subsampled for analysis and archiving. All samples are archived in 20 mL glass scintillation vials and stored in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. Phytoplankton and seston samples are preserved in a 2% high-iodine Lugol's solution from 2014-2020 and 0.5% glutaraldehyde starting in 2021. Periphyton samples are preserved in 0.5% glutaraldehyde. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains freeze-dried subsamples of aquatic microalgae (NEON sample class: ptx_taxonomy_in.freezeDried). Periphyton and phytoplankton samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Benthic samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat and substratum type, including rock scrubs, grab samples, and epiphyton. In wadeable streams, periphyton samples are collected in the two most dominant benthic habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools), and seston samples were collected from the water column near the S2 sensor (seston samples were discontinued in 2018). In lakes, water-column phytoplankton samples are collected near the buoy and littoral sensors using a Kemmerer sampler, and in littoral areas using the best benthic sampling method for the dominant substratum type. In rivers, phytoplankton samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a Kemmerer or Van Dorn sampler, and in littoral areas using the best benthic sampling method for the dominant substratum type. All field-collected samples are split into subsamples in the domain support facility, preserved, and shipped to a contracting taxonomy laboratory where samples are further subsampled for analysis and archiving. Freeze dried subsamples contained cleaned, freeze dried diatoms. Samples are archived in 20 mL glass scintillation vials and stored at room temperature. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains slide-mounted subsamples of aquatic microalgae (NEON sample class: ptx_taxonomy_in.slideID). Periphyton and phytoplankton samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Benthic samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat and substratum type, including rock scrubs, grab samples, and epiphyton. In wadeable streams, periphyton samples are collected in the two most dominant benthic habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools), and seston samples were collected from the water column near the S2 sensor (seston samples were discontinued in 2018). In lakes, water-column phytoplankton samples are collected near the buoy and littoral sensors using a Kemmerer sampler, and in littoral areas using the best benthic sampling method for the dominant substratum type. In rivers, phytoplankton samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a Kemmerer or Van Dorn sampler, and in littoral areas using the best benthic sampling method for the dominant substratum type. All field-collected samples are split into subsamples in the domain support facility, preserved, and shipped to a contracting taxonomy laboratory where samples are further subsampled for analysis and archiving. Algae specimens in this collection contain cleaned diatom subsamples that have been mounted on glass microscope slides and are archived at room temperature. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains aquatic plant, bryophyte, and macroalgae specimens collected as vouchers during clip harvest sampling (NEON sample class: apl_domainLab_in.sampleIDplant). Aquatic plant, bryophyte, and lichen clip harvest sampling is conducted once per year at wadeable streams (during the mid-summer aquatic biology window) and three times per year in rivers and lake sites. During the first and third bouts in rivers and lakes, only presence/absence of vegetation is noted; during the mid-summer bout, samples are collected via quadrats in wadeable streams, and rake collection in lakes and rivers. Ten samples are collected per site if plants are present. In wadeable streams, clip harvest samples are collected near plant transect locations. In lakes and rivers, ten randomly selected points are sampled at depths that are colonized by plants. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains aquatic plant, bryophyte, and macroalgae specimens collected as vouchers during point counts (NEON sample class: apc_perTaxon_in.sampleIDplant). Aquatic plant, bryophyte, and lichen point count data are collected three times per year at wadeable streams, during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Data are collected at ten permanent transect locations that are revisited during each sampling bout. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collections contains aquatic plant, bryophyte, and macroalgae specimens collected as vouchers during standard sampling (NEON sample class: apc_voucher_in.sampleID). These samples are archived dry in herbarium voucher packets. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains sediment samples collected during sediment collection bouts at NEON aquatic sites (NEON sample class: asc_fieldDataStation_in.archive1SedimentSampleID, asc_fieldDataStation_in.archive2SedimentSampleID, asc_fieldDataStation_in.archive3SedimentSampleID, asc_fieldDataStation_in.archive4SedimentSampleID). Samples are collected annually in the fall which is the period of baseflow for most domains. During a sediment sampling bout, domain staff collect point samples from multiple depositional zones in a sampling station (e.g., 250 m reach in streams and rivers, lake center, lake littoral zone) and combine all point samples into a single station-level aggregate sample. The aggregate sample is first subsampled and shipped to an external laboratory for analysis of chemical and physical properties. The remaining sediment is sieved (2,000 µm) and subsampled into four replicates for archival. Each sediment archive sample is stored at -20 C in a 60 mL amber glass jars with a PTFE lid. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains genetic extracts from homogenized benthic macroinvertebrate samples collected during aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling (NEON sample class: inv_dnaExtraction_in.dnaSampleID). Benthic macroinvertebrate metabrcode samples are collected for analysis at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during the mid-summer aquatic biology bout window, at the same time and location as morphological taxonomy samples. Samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat type, including Surber, Hess, hand corer, modified kicknet, D-frame sweep, and petite ponar samplers using field-sterile methods. In wadeable streams, samples are collected in the most dominant habitat type (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools). In lakes and rivers, samples are collected in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep. Samples are preserved in ethanol in the field, returned to the domain support facility for a preservative change prior to shipping to an external facility. The metabarcode samples from bout 2 (summer) are shipped to an external facility for homogenization and high-throughput sequencing (metabarcoding). The unused portion of genetic extracts are archived at the NEON Biorepository in 2 mL cryovials and stored at -80 degrees Celsius. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products. The metabarcoding analysis protocols used by external facilities are available in the NEON document library (https://data.neonscience.org/documents).

Chironomid subsample from the taxonomy laboratory (NEON sample class: inv_persample_in.chironomidVialID). Benthic macroinvertebrate samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat type, including Surber, Hess, hand corer, modified kicknet, D-frame sweep, and petite ponar samplers. Macroinvertebrates are sampled using a percent-based macrohabitat approach. In wadeable streams, samples are collected in the two most dominant habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools) within each 1 km-long wadeable stream site. In lakes, samples are collected near the buoy, inlet, and outlet sensors using a petite ponar, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep. In rivers, samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a petite ponar sampler, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep or large-woody debris sampler. Field protocols differ depending on the habitat and substrate being sampled, but all samples are collected from the surface of the natural substratum in each habitat. Samples are preserved in ethanol in the field, returned to the domain support facility for a preservative change where a small volume of glycerol is added to help keep invertebrates from becoming brittle. Samples are shipped to a taxonomy lab for sorting and identification, including count of each taxon per size class (to nearest mm) and identification to lowest practical taxon (genus or species). Chironomid subsamples are preserved in 70-95% ethanol and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains slide-mounted subsamples of chironomids and oligochaetes sorted from bulk benthic macroinvertebrate samples for identification purposes (NEON sample class: inv_pertaxon_in.slideID). Benthic macroinvertebrate samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat type, including Surber, Hess, hand corer, modified kicknet, D-frame sweep, and petite ponar samplers. Macroinvertebrates are sampled using a percent-based macrohabitat approach. In wadeable streams, samples are collected in the two most dominant habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools) within each 1 km-long wadeable stream site. In lakes, samples are collected near the buoy and littoral sensors using a petite ponar, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep. In rivers, samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a petite ponar sampler, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep or large-woody debris sampler. Field protocols differ depending on the habitat and substrate being sampled, but all samples are collected from the surface of the natural substratum in each habitat. Samples are preserved in ethanol in the field, returned to the domain support facility for a preservative change where a small volume of glycerol is added to help keep invertebrates from becoming brittle. Samples are shipped to a taxonomy lab for sorting and identification, including count of each taxon per size class (to nearest mm) and identification to lowest practical taxon (genus or species). Subsamples are mounted on glass microscope slides and stored at room temperature. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains individual invertebrate specimens included in the taxonomist's reference collection (NEON sample class: inv_pervial_in.referenceID). Benthic macroinvertebrate samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat type, including Surber, Hess, hand corer, modified kicknet, D-frame sweep, and petite ponar samplers. Macroinvertebrates are sampled using a percent-based macrohabitat approach. In wadeable streams, samples are collected in the two most dominant habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools) within each 1 km-long wadeable stream site. In lakes, samples are collected near the buoy and littoral sensors using a petite ponar, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep. In rivers, samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a petite ponar sampler, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep or large-woody debris sampler. Field protocols differ depending on the habitat and substrate being sampled, but all samples are collected from the surface of the natural substratum in each habitat. Samples are preserved in ethanol in the field, returned to the domain support facility for a preservative change where a small volume of glycerol is added to help keep invertebrates from becoming brittle. Samples are shipped to a taxonomy lab for sorting and identification, including counts of each taxon per size class (to nearest mm) and identification to lowest practical taxon (genus or species). Reference collections are deposited at the NEON Biorepository at the end of a taxonomist's contract period. Reference collections are archived in glass vials and stored in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. Specimens are preserved in 95% ethanol. These expertly identified specimens represent standard morphotypes for each taxon at a domain and can be used to verify identification of specimens in bulk samples. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains identified and pooled benthic macroinvertebrates, up to 300 individuals subsampled from each habitat (dominant and subdominant) for each sampling event (NEON sample class: inv_fielddata_in.sampleID, inv_persample_in.mixedInvertVialID). This collection does not contain Chironomids or Oligochaetes, which are removed and archived seperately. Benthic macroinvertebrate samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat type, including Surber, Hess, hand corer, modified kicknet, D-frame sweep, and petite ponar samplers. Macroinvertebrates are sampled using a percent-based macrohabitat approach. In wadeable streams, samples are collected in the two most dominant habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools) within each 1 km-long wadeable stream site. In lakes, samples are collected near the buoy, inlet, and outlet sensors using a petite ponar, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep. In rivers, samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a petite ponar sampler, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep or large-woody debris sampler. Field protocols differ depending on the habitat and substrate being sampled, but all samples are collected from the surface of the natural substratum in each habitat. Samples are preserved in ethanol in the field, returned to the domain support facility for a preservative change where a small volume of glycerol is added to help keep invertebrates from becoming brittle. Samples are shipped to a taxonomy lab for sorting and identification, including count of each taxon per size class (to nearest mm) and identification to lowest practical taxon (genus or species). Specimens are preserved in 95% ethanol and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains unsorted bulk benthic macroinvertebrate samples collected in the field (NEON sample class: inv_fielddata_in.geneticSampleID). Benthic macroinvertebrate samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat type, including Surber, Hess, hand corer, modified kicknet, D-frame sweep, and petite ponar samplers. Macroinvertebrates are sampled using a percent-based macrohabitat approach. In wadeable streams, samples are collected in the two most dominant habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools) within each 1 km-long wadeable stream site. In lakes, samples are collected near the buoy, inlet, and outlet sensors using a petite ponar, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep. In rivers, samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a petite ponar sampler, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep or large-woody debris sampler. Field protocols differ depending on the habitat and substrate being sampled, but all samples are collected from the surface of the natural substratum in each habitat. Samples are preserved in ethanol in the field, and returned to the domain support facility for a preservative change prior to shipping. The DNA samples from bout 2 (summer) are sent to an external laboratory for metabarcoding. The unsorted bulk DNA samples from bout 1 (spring) and bout 3 (autumn) are archived for future research. Unsorted bulk macroinvertebrate samples are preserved in 70-95% ethanol and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains genetic extracts of benthic microbes collected during aquatic microbial sampling (NEON sample class: mic_dnaExtraction_in.ambDnaSampleID,mic_dnaExtraction_in.ambDnaOnlySampleID). Benthic microbe samples are collected at the same time and location as periphyton (microalgae) samples, three times per year in wadeable streams during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Samples are collected using field-sterile methods using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat and substratum type, including rock scrubs, grab samples, and epiphyton. In wadeable streams, periphyton samples are collected in the two most dominant benthic habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools). Cobble scrubs are filtered on 0.22 um Sterivex capsule filters, capped and flash-frozen in the field. Grab samples of sediment (silt, sand) or plant material/epiphyton are collected when appropriate and flash frozen in the field. Frozen samples are shipped to an analytical facility for DNA extraction, sample preparation, and shotgun metagenomic sequencing (only for samples collected during the summer collection bout), marker gene sequencing (and subsequent analysis of community composition), and microbial abundance (qPCR). Laboratory metadata are delivered to NEON for QC testing and acceptance, and then are formatted for upload to public sequence repositories. Genetic extracts in 96-well plates are archived at -80 degrees Celsius. Archived extracts range from about 20 to 100 uL. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products, which include information on the concentration of the DNA. The DNA extraction and sequencing protocols used by Battelle Applied Genomics are available in the NEON document library (https://data.neonscience.org/documents).

This collection contains benthic biofilm samples collected on 67 mm long, 1.7 cm diameter, 0.22 um Sterivex capsule filters (NEON sample class: amb_fieldParent_in.archiveID, amb_fieldParent_in.geneticSampleID). Benthic biofilm samples are collected 3 times per year at the same time and location as periphyton (microalgae) samples and microbe samples sent for sequencing analysis, three times per year in wadeable streams during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Benthic biofilms are not collected in lakes and rivers. Samples are collected from rock and wood scrubs using field-sterile methods, and filtered through a 0.22 um Sterivex SVGP capsule filters. In wadeable streams, periphyton samples are collected in the two most dominant benthic habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools). Sterivex filters are capped and flash-frozen in the field and then shipped to the Biorepository to be archived at -80 degrees Celsius. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

Bishop Museum houses the world's largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific cultural artifacts and natural history specimens. This collection continues to be used as a first class scientific collection contributing to ongoing global research.

This collection contains subsamples of Carabid adults from pitfall sampling and pooled across multiple traps within a plot (NEON sample class: bet_archivepooling_in.subsampleID.bet). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of propylene glycol). Four (pre-2018) or 3 (2018 and beyond) traps are deployed in each of 10 (pre-2023) or 6 (2023 and beyond) plots at each terrestrial NEON site, with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Following trap collection, all beetles from the family Carabidae are sorted by NEON technicians and identified to species or morphospecies. A subset of collected Carabidae are pointed or pinned, while other specimens (non-pinned/non-pointed carabids, invertebrate bycatch, and vertebrate bycatch) are stored in 95% ethanol for archiving. A subset of pinned ground beetles (up to 467 per site per year) are sent to an expert taxonomist for secondary identification. Identifications performed on these individuals may be used to estimate uncertainty in parataxonomist identification by NEON technicians. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains genetic extracts derived from select ground beetle vouchers (Coleoptera: Carabidae; NEON sample class: bet_expertTaxonomistID_in.geneticSampleID). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of diluted propylene glycol preservative). Four (pre-2018) or 3 (2018 and beyond) traps are deployed in each of 10 (pre-2023) or 6 (2023 and beyond) plots at each terrestrial NEON site, with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Following trap collection, all beetles from the family Carabidae are sorted by NEON technicians and identified to species or morphospecies. Annually, up to 95 Carabidae per site are pointed or pinned, receive secondary morphology-based identification by an expert taxonomist, and have genetic sequences produced at the cytochrome oxidase I barcode region. Beetles that are rare, particularly difficult to identify, or poorly represented in previous collection events are prioritized for DNA sequencing. Only beetle specimens that have been identified by an expert taxonomist are eligible for DNA barcoding. Barcodes of cytochrome oxidase I are generated per specimen and are cross-posted on the Barcode of Life Data Portal (http://www.boldsystems.org/). Genetic extracts are stored dehydrated in 96-well plates from the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. When eluted into 20 uL, concentrations of 5-30 ng/uL are expected. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products. Information about the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding can be found at https://ccdb.ca/.

This collection contains pinned Carabid adults from pitfall trapping (NEON sample class: bet_IDandpinning_in.individualID). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of propylene glycol). Four (pre-2018) or 3 (2018 and beyond) traps are deployed in each of 10 (pre-2023) or 6 (2023 and beyond) plots at all terrestrial NEON sites, with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Following trap collection, all beetles from the family Carabidae are sorted by NEON technicians and identified to species or morphospecies. A subset of collected Carabidae are pointed or pinned, while other specimens (non-pinned/non-pointed carabids, invertebrate bycatch, and vertebrate bycatch) are stored in 95% ethanol for archiving. Regardless of storage method, all collections data are reported at a per trap resolution. A subset of pinned ground beetles (up to 467 per site per year) are sent to an expert taxonomist for secondary identification. When multiple taxonomic determinations are available, expert taxonomy is used as the current determination. All other determination information is populated into the identification history for each specimen. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains subsamples of Carabid adults from pitfall sampling from a single trap (NEON sample class: bet_sorting_in.subsampleID.bet). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of propylene glycol). Four (pre-2018) or 3 (2018 and beyond) traps are deployed in each of 10 (pre-2023) or 6 (2023 and beyond) plots at each terrestrial NEON site, with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Following trap collection, all beetles from the family Carabidae are sorted by NEON technicians and identified to species or morphospecies. A subset of collected Carabidae are pointed or pinned, while other specimens (non-pinned/non-pointed carabids, invertebrate bycatch, and vertebrate bycatch) are stored in 95% ethanol for archiving. Regardless of storage method, all collections data are reported at a per trap resolution. A subset of pinned ground beetles (up to 467 per site per year) are sent to an expert taxonomist for secondary identification. Identifications performed on these individuals may be used to estimate uncertainty in parataxonomist identification by NEON technicians. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

Carnegie Museum of Natural History invertebrate holdings are worldwide in coverage, especially Afrotropical and Neotropical regions. Most specimens in the collection are in the Phylum Arthropoda, with greatest emphasis on insects, myriapods, arachnids, and crustacea. The insect collection of the Invertebrate Zoology collection contains an estimated 13 million specimens of which more than 7 million are prepared, labelled, and ready for study. Invertebrate Zoology’s overarching collection’s primary strengths are Lepidoptera and Coleoptera but with strong collections in Diptera, Odonata, Heteroptera, Homoptera, Hymenoptera, and Siphonaptera. These collections augment studies by staff, but they are also used for research by hundreds of specialists worldwide where they constitute the basis for numerous scientific publications. These collections benefit present and future generations, and in their immensity comprise a public trust as a unique record of the natural world. The specimens published in this portal are pinned Carabid vouchers collected at NEON terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: bet_IDandpinning_in.individualID). Vouchers published here are expert identified and retained at CMNH but derive from the same sampling protocols and are related to the same NEON data products as the NEON Carabid Collection (Pinned Vouchers) (NEON-CARC-PV).

This collection contains genetic extracts from select fish collected during fish sampling at aquatic sites (NEON sample class: mam_barcoding_in.dnaSubsampleID.fsh). Fish are sampled using a combination of electrofishing, gill-nets and mini-fyke nets in wadeable streams and lakes. Fin clips are collected from 5-10 individuals of a target species. Tissues are preserved in an appropriate tissue vial and shipped to an external lab. DNA is extracted and target sequences amplified via PCR. Barcodes of cytochrome oxidase are generated per specimen. Genetic extracts are stored dehydrated in 96-well plates from the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. When eluted into 20 uL, concentrations of 5-30 ng/uL are expected. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products. Information about the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding can be found at https://ccdb.ca/.

This collection contains fish vouchers collected from wadeable streams and lakes (NEON sample class: fsh_perFish_in.voucherSampleID). Fish are sampled twice per year at lakes and wadeable stream sites, during spring and fall. Ten sampling reaches or segments are established at each site; with 3 fixed reaches sampled during every sampling bout and a random subset of 3 additional reaches or segments selected for sampling each year. Fish are sampled using a combination of electrofishing, gill-nets and mini-fyke nets. Field technicians identify fish to the lowest practical taxonomic level and then weigh and measure a subset of captured individuals before releasing. Only mortalities and individuals that require euthanasia due to injuries are vouchered. Vouchers that are in good condition are fixed in 10% buffered formalin preservative and then transferred to 70% ethanol or isopropanol for long-term storage. Vouchers that are in poor condition are not fixed but preserved in 95% ethanol. Specimens are archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains whole ticks collected during tick drag cloth sampling (NEON sample class: tck_identification_in.subsampleID.tck). Tick abundance and diversity are sampled using drag or flag sampling every three weeks at sites where more than five ticks have been detected in the last year and every six weeks elsewhere. Following collection, samples are sent to a professional taxonomist where adult and nymphal ticks are identified to species and lifestage and/or sex, and larvae are enumerated. A portion of identified ticks are then destructively processed for pathogen analysis. Pathogen analysis samples are available through the NEON Biorepository collection titled Mosquito Collection (DNA Extracts [Pathogen Extracts]) (MOSC-PE). The collection outlined here includes tick vouchers preserved in 95% ethanol for final archiving at the U.S. National Tick Collection at Georgia Southern University.

This collection contains herptile specimens collected as bycatch during ground beetle sampling and pooled across traps within a plot (NEON sample class: bet_archivepooling_in.subsampleID.herp). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of propylene glycol). Four (pre-2018) or 3 (2018 and beyond) traps are deployed in each of 10 (pre-2023) or 6 (2023 and beyond) plots at each terrestrial NEON site, with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Vertebrate bycatch is stored in 95% ethanol and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains herptile specimens collected as bycatch during ground beetle sampling from a single trap (NEON sample class: bet_sorting_in.subsampleID.herp). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of propylene glycol). Four (pre-2018) or 3 (2018 and beyond) traps are deployed in each of 10 (pre-2023) or 6 (2023 and beyond) plots at each terrestrial NEON site, with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Vertebrate bycatch is stored in 95% ethanol and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains herptile bycatch collected during small mammal and fish sampling and opportunistically collected dead herptiles found during terrestrial data collection protocols (NEON sample class: mam_voucher_in.voucherSampleID.herp and fsh_nonTarget_in.voucherSampleID. Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA) and, at sites in Puerto Rico, larger wire traps suitable for catching Rattus spp. (model 201, Tomahawk Live Trap, Hazlehurst, WI, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Where used, wire traps are used only in alternate bouts of trapping and placed at every other trap station in the 10 x 10 grid, such that a total of 50 wire traps are set. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). Fish are sampled twice per year at lakes and wadeable stream sites, during spring and fall. Ten sampling reaches or segments are established at each site; with 3 fixed reaches sampled during every sampling bout and a random subset of 3 additional reaches or segments selected for sampling each year. Fish are sampled using a combination of electrofishing, gill-nets and mini-fyke nets. Vertebrate bycatch mortalities are stored in 70% ethanol and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains adult non-Carabid or larval invertebrates collected as bycatch during pitfall sampling at terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: bet_archivepooling_in.subsampleID.ib). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of propylene glycol). Four traps are deployed in each of 10 plots at each terrestrial NEON site (40 traps per site), with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot in each of the four cardinal directions. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Invertebrate bycatch is pooled into a single archive vial per plot and preserved in 95% ethanol. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains adult non-Carabid or larval invertebrates collected as bycatch during pitfall sampling at terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: bet_sorting_in.subsampleid.ib). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of propylene glycol). Four traps are deployed in each of 10 plots at each terrestrial NEON site (40 traps per site), with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot in each of the four cardinal directions. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Invertebrate bycatch is pooled into a single archive vial per plot and preserved in 95% ethanol. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

These samples are associated with NEON prototype dataset: NEON Decommissioned Site data: Root sampling, chemistry, and isotopes (Megapit) from D04 MAME site (a36e6ce2-d845-13e9-c881-c1d4e5881a53) DOI: 10.48443/j1hp-f273

See the NEON Terrestrial Plant Collection (Belowground Biomass [Megapit])(NEON-TPLC-BBM) description for more information on collection methods and archival conditions. 

This collection contains blood samples collected from small mammals during small mammal sampling (NEON sample class: mam_pertrapnight_in.bloodSampleID). Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). Blood is collected using the mandibular blood sampling technique, which involves collection from the submandibular and/or facial vein or artery. Only blood samples with volumes of at least 20 microliters are sent for pathogen analysis. The remaining samples are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. Blood samples are collected at a frequency of once per individual per bout. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains genetic extracts from ear punch (tissue) samples collected from select small mammals during small mammal sampling (NEON sample class: mam_barcoding_in.dnaSubsampleID.mam). Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). Up to 240 ear punches are collected from each target and opportunistic species per site per year. These tissues are preserved in an appropriate tissue vial and up to 95 tissue samples per domain will be shipped to an external lab. DNA will be extracted and target sequences amplified via PCR. Barcodes of cytochrome oxidase I will be generated per specimen.Genetic extracts are stored dehydrated in 96-well plates from the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. When eluted into 20 uL, concentrations of 5-30 ng/uL are expected. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products. Information about the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding can be found at https://ccdb.ca/.

This collection contains ear punch samples collected from small mammals during small mammal sampling (NEON sample class: mam_pertrapnight_in.earSampleID). Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). A subset of captured small mammals have tissues sampled (ear punch) for DNA analysis. A subset of those tissue samples are sent either for pathogen testing, or to the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding. The remaining samples are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. Ear punches are collected once per life of an individual. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains fecal samples collected from small mammals during small mammal sampling (NEON sample class: mam_pertrapnight_in.fecalSampleID). Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). Fresh, uncontaminated feces are collected from an animal using either forceps or scooping the sample directly with the cryovial. Fecal samples are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains hair and whisker samples collected from small mammals during small mammal sampling (NEON sample class: mam_pertrapnight_in.hairSampleID). Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). Hair and whisker samples are archived at room temperature in moisture-excluding durable plastic containers. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains genetic extracts from blood samples that were collected from select small mammals during small mammal sampling and sent for testing for tick-borne pathogens (NEON sample class: rpt2_pathogentesting_in.bloodExtract). Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). Blood is collected using the mandibular blood sampling technique, which involves collection from the submandibular and/or facial vein or artery. Blood samples are placed on dry ice in the field and stored at - 80 degrees Celsius. Only blood samples with volumes of at least 20 microliters are sent for pathogen analysis. Blood samples are collected at a frequency of once per individual per bout. Blood samples are tested via PCR individually for a variety of tick-borne pathogens. Pathogen extracts from the University of Massachusetts Laboratory of Medical Zoology typically contain total nucleic acid concentrations of 0.5-8 ng/ul and are archived at the NEON Biorepository in 2 mL cryovials and stored at -80 degrees Celsius. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains genetic extracts from ear punch (tissue) samples that were collected from select small mammals during small mammal sampling and sent for testing for tick-borne pathogens (NEON sample class: rpt2_pathogentesting_in.earExtract). Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). A subset of captured small mammals have tissues sampled (ear punch) for archive, DNA analysis or pathogen testing. Ear punches are collected once per life of an individual. Ear samples are placed on dry ice in the field and stored at -80 degrees Celsius. Ear tissue samples are tested via PCR individually for a variety of tick-borne pathogens. Pathogen extracts from the University of Massachusetts Laboratory of Medical Zoology typically contain total nucleic acid concentrations of 0.5-8 ng/ul and are archived at the NEON Biorepository in 2 mL cryovials and stored at -80 degrees Celsius. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains small mammals collected as bycatch during ground beetle sampling from a single trap within a plot (NEON sample class: bet_sorting_in.subsampleID.mam). Ground beetles are sampled using pitfall traps (16 oz deli containers filled with 150 or 250 mL of propylene glycol). Four (pre-2018) or 3 (2018 and beyond) traps are deployed in each of 10 (pre-2023) or 6 (2023 and beyond) plots at each terrestrial NEON site, with traps arrayed approximately 20 meters from the center of the plot. Sampling occurs biweekly throughout the growing season (when temperatures are above 4 degrees C). Vertebrate bycatch is stored in 95% ethanol and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains small mammal vouchers collected opportunistically at NEON sites outside of small mammal sampling activities (NEON sample classes: mam_voucher_in.voucherSampleID.mam). Only mortalities that are found at a NEON site during the course of other NEON sampling activities are included in this collection. The NEON Biorepository receives whole frozen specimens and stores these samples as whole specimens in 70-95% ethanol or as skulls/skeletons. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains small mammal vouchers collected during small mammal sampling (NEON sample classes: mam_pertrapnight_in.voucherSampleID). Small mammal sampling is based on the lunar calendar, with timing of sampling constrained to occur within 10 days before or after the new moon. Typically, core sites are sampled 6 times per year, and relocatable sites 4 times per year. Small mammals are sampled using box traps (models LFA, XLK, H.B. Sherman Traps, Inc., Tallahassee, FL, USA). Box traps are arrayed in three to eight (depending on the size of the site) 10 x 10 grids with 10m spacing between traps at all sites. Small mammal trapping bouts are comprised of one or three nights of trapping, depending on whether a grid is designated for pathogen sample collection (3 nights) or not (1 night). Only mortalities and individuals that require euthanasia due to injuries are vouchered. The NEON Biorepository receives whole frozen specimens and prepares vouchers as either study skins with skulls (or full skeletons) or in 70-95% ethanol. Standard mammalian measurements are taken during specimen preparation (in mm; total length, tail length, hind foot length, ear length; and in g: mass) and are accessible in downloaded records (note: field measurements are listed in parentheses after preparation measurements, when available). Additional notes about parasites and reproductive condition are also accessible in downloaded records. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains endo- and ectoparasites removed from small mammal vouchers during preparation. Specimens are preserved in 80-95% ethanol.

This collection contains vials of identified mosquitoes stored in bulk (not pathogen tested) from CO2 trapping at terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: mos_archivepooling_in.archiveVialIDList). When adult mosquitoes are active, sampling occurs (via CDC light traps) every two weeks at core sites and every four weeks at relocatable sites. A sampling bout consists of one trapping night and the following day for up to ten plots per site. Following collection, samples are sent to a professional taxonomist where a subsample of each catch generated from each trap is identified to species and sex. Vials containing identified mosquitoes are archived in 2, 5, 10, or 15 mL cryovials in liquid nitrogen, or at -80 for samples collected before 2020. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains genetic extracts derived from select mosquito vouchers (Diptera: Culicidae; NEON sample class: mos_barcoding_in.geneticSampleID). When adult mosquitoes are active, sampling occurs (via CDC light traps) every two weeks at core sites and every four weeks at relocatable sites. A sampling bout consists of trapping at up to ten plots per site (pre-2018, approximately 40 hours per plot; 2018 onward, decrease to 24 hours per plot). Annually, up to 10 individuals of each taxon and sex (where available) per domain are pointed or pinned, receive morphology-based identification by a taxonomist, and have genetic sequences produced at the cytochrome oxidase I barcode region. Barcodes of cytochrome oxidase I are generated per specimen and are cross-posted on the Barcode of Life Data Portal (http://www.boldsystems.org/). Genetic extracts are stored dehydrated in 96-well plates from the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. When eluted into 20 uL, concentrations of 5-30 ng/uL are expected. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products. Information about the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding can be found at https://ccdb.ca/.

This collection contains pathogen extracts from mosquitoes collected during CO2 trapping at terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: mos_pathogenpooling_in.testingVialID, mos_pathogenresults_in.dnaExtract). When adult mosquitoes are active, sampling occurs (via CDC light traps) every two weeks at core sites and every four weeks at relocatable sites. A sampling bout consists of one trapping night and the following day for up to ten plots per site (before 2018 mosquitoes were trapped for two nights per bout). A set of up to 1000 individual mosquitoes per species per site per year are targeted for pathogen testing of arboviruses within the families Bunyaviridae, Alphaviridae, and Flavivirdae. Prior to 2020, individuals identified to the species-level within the genera of Aedes and Culex were tested. After 2020, the subset of species tested for pathogens was narrowed to include: Culex tarsalis, Culex restuans, Culex pipiens, Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex erraticus, Culex nigripalpus, Culex salinarius, Aedes japonicus, Aedes triseriatus, Culiseta melanura, Culiseta morsitans, Psorophora columbiae, Coquillitidia perturbans, Aedes dorsalis, Aedes trivittatus, Aedes canadensis mathesoni. Mosquitoes that meet pathogen-testing criteria collected within the same site and sampling bout are homogenized into a large pool of female conspecifics and then subdivided into testing vials of appropriate pool sizes for pathogen testing. Each vial is tested one or more times using a variety of methods which may include RT-PCR, Vero cell culture, and melt curve assays. Pathogen extracts from the University of Massachusetts Laboratory of Medical Zoology typically contain total nucleic acid concentrations of 0.5-8 ng/ul and are archived at the NEON Biorepository in 2 mL cryovials and stored at -80 degrees Celsius. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains pinned mosquito vouchers from CO2 trapping (NEON sample class: mos_identification_in.individualIDList). When adult mosquitoes are active, sampling occurs (via CDC light traps) every two weeks at core sites and every four weeks at relocatable sites. Before 2018, a sampling bout consisted of two trapping nights and the intervening day for up to ten plots per site. Beginning in 2018, a sampling bout consists of approximately 24 hours of trapping (one night and one daytime interval) at up to ten plots per site. Following collection, samples are sent to a professional taxonomist where a subsample of each catch generated from each trap is identified to species and sex. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains pinned Carabid beetle specimens housed at NEON Domain facilities where they are used for reference and teaching of carabid beetle identifications.

This collection contains Invertebrate Vouchers derived from NEON samples. These vouchers typically come from bulk samples such as the Invertebrate Bycatch from the NEON Carabid trapping protocol. Specimens are individually prepared (generally as pinned insects) and housed within the NEON Biorepository at the Arizona State University Biocollections.

Samples in this collection are not currently available for research. Please contact the NEON Biorepository for more information if you are interested in using these samples. This collection contains samples collected during periodic soil sampling and frozen at ultra-low temperatures in order to provide material for microbial sequencing or other microbial analyses (NEON sample classes: sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample1ID, sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample2ID, sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample3ID, sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample4ID, sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample5ID,sls_metagenomicsPooling_in.compositeSampleID). Archive samples are collected during each soil sampling bout and are promptly frozen. Three unique locations are sampled per plot, with ten plots per site. Bouts occur three times per year in order to capture the prevailing conditions at the site during different seasons, except in Alaska where only 1 bout is possible. Soil sampling is conducted to a maximum depth of 30 ± 1 cm, and when organic (O) and mineral (M) horizons are present within a single profile, they are separated prior to analysis and archiving. However, other sub-horizons are not separated. During the majority of bouts, only the top horizon (O if present, else M) is collected and archived. Soils are homogenized and non-soil material is removed by hand in the field, then subsamples are immediately frozen on dry ice. They are maintained in ultra-low temperature freezers until shipment to the Biorepository. See links below for NEON data products that provide physical, chemical, and biological measurements for these same soils (soil pH and moisture are always measured; chemical properties as well as microbial community composition and biomass are determined only for a subset of collection bouts). In addition, a more detailed characterization of the dominant soil types at each site, including taxonomy, texture, bulk density, and geochemical properties, occurred during the construction period of NEON through two projects. These data are available in NEON data products Soil physical and chemical properties, distributed initial characterization (DP1.10047.001) and Soil physical and chemical properties, Megapit (DP1.00096.001).

This collection contains quartz microfiber particulate mass filters (NEON sample class: dpm_fieldData_in.sampleID and dpm_filterBlank_in.sampleID). Particulate mass sampling is executed at six of NEON's terrestrial sites, located in Domains 10, 13, and 15. The subset of sites included for sampling are those in the Basin and Range, Eastern and Western slopes of the Rocky Mountains, and the Eastern plains of Colorado. This selection of sites enables focus on transportation of particulate matter from the Great Basin and the Colorado Plateau by prevailing westerly winds over the Colorado Rocky Mountains, to receptor sites in the Rockies and Great Plains. Samples are collected by an automated assembly that pulls air through a quartz microfiber filter with a porosity of 10 micrometers, to collect PM10. Filters are weighed at high precision pre- and post-deployment at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Air Resources Laboratory to determine dust deposition mass. Filters are then shipped to the Biorepository to be archived at 4 degrees Celsius in air-tight plastic sleeves. Subsamples of the filters are available to the science community upon request to enable the assessment of chemical and nutrient inputs in the region. Additionally, 5 filter blanks from each box of filters are archived and available upon request. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains a number of samples distributed across sample types. These samples are variously out-of-place due to prototype protocols and data generation practices. In general, these samples refer to data found within the NEON prototype data sets available here: https://data.neonscience.org/en/web/neondata/prototype-search

The Symbiota Collections of Arthropods Network (SCAN) serves specimen occurrence records and images from over 100 North American arthropod collections for all arthropod taxa. The focus is on North America but global in scope. SCAN is built on Symbiota, a web-based collections database system that is used for other taxonomic data portals, including (Symbiota Portals). SCAN is the primary repository for occurrence data produced by the three continuing Thematic Collections Networks (TCNs), the Southwest Collections of Arthropods Network (SCAN TCN), the Lepidoptera of North America Network (LepNet TCN), and arthropod data produced by InvertEBase TCN. InvertEBase serves occurrence data for mollusk and other non-arthropod taxa. We also host observational data, the largest data provider is iNaturalist. Each collection is primarily responsible for their data and we have structured the database to make it easy to include collections of interest when querying the database.

This collection contains air-dried soil samples collected during periodic soil sampling at NEON terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: sls_bgcSubsampling_in.bgcArchiveID). Soil biogeochemical samples are collected once every 5 years, with three unique sampling locations per plot and ten plots per site. Soil sampling is conducted to a maximum depth of 30 ± 1 cm where possible. When organic (O) and mineral (M) horizons are present within a single profile they are separated prior to analysis and archiving. However, other sub-horizons are not separated. Soil from the O horizon is homogenized and non-soil material is removed by hand (no sieving), whereas soil from the M horizon is homogenized and sieved to 2 mm. Prior to archiving, all soil samples are air-dried, then placed into glass jars and stored at room temperature. See links below for NEON data products that provide various physical, chemical, and biological measurements (pH, moisture, carbon and nitrogen content and stable isotopes, inorganic nitrogen pools and net transformation rates, microbial community composition and biomass) for these same soils. In addition, a more detailed characterization of the dominant soil types at each site, including taxonomy, texture, bulk density, and geochemical properties, occurred during the construction period of NEON through two projects. These data are available in NEON data products Soil physical and chemical properties, distributed initial characterization (DP1.10047.001) and Soil physical and chemical properties, Megapit (DP1.00096.001).

This collection contains samples collected during periodic soil sampling and frozen at ultra-low temperatures in order to provide material for microbial sequencing or other microbial analyses (NEON sample classes: sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample1ID, sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample2ID, sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample3ID, sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample4ID, sls_soilCoreCollection_in.geneticArchiveSample5ID, sls_metagenomicsPooling_in.compositeSampleID). Archive samples are collected during each soil sampling bout and are promptly frozen. Three unique locations are sampled per plot, with ten plots per site. Bouts occur three times per year in order to capture the prevailing conditions at the site during different seasons, except in Alaska where only 1 bout is possible. Soil sampling is conducted to a maximum depth of 30 ± 1 cm, and when organic (O) and mineral (M) horizons are present within a single profile, they are separated prior to analysis and archiving. However, other sub-horizons are not separated. During the majority of bouts, only the top horizon (O if present, else M) is collected and archived. Soils are homogenized and non-soil material is removed by hand in the field, then subsamples are immediately frozen on dry ice. They are maintained in ultra-low temperature freezers until shipment to the Biorepository. See links below for NEON data products that provide physical, chemical, and biological measurements for these same soils (soil pH and moisture are always measured; chemical properties as well as microbial community composition and biomass are determined only for a subset of collection bouts). In addition, a more detailed characterization of the dominant soil types at each site, including taxonomy, texture, bulk density, and geochemical properties, occurred during the construction period of NEON through two projects. These data are available in NEON data products Soil physical and chemical properties, distributed initial characterization (DP1.10047.001) and Soil physical and chemical properties, Megapit (DP1.00096.001). These samples are archived as replicates in either liquid nitrogen within 5 mL or 2 mL vials or -80 C in whirl-paks, depending on the sampling bout.

This collection contains genetic extracts from soil microbes collected during periodic soil sampling at NEON terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: mic_dnaExtraction_in.soilDnaSampleID). Three unique locations are sampled per plot with ten soil plots per site. Bouts occur three times per year in order to capture the prevailing conditions at the site during different seasons, except in Alaska where there only 1 bout is possible. However, the frequency of genetic analysis and thus DNA archiving varies by site type. Soil sampling is conducted to a maximum depth of 30 ± 1 cm, and when organic (O) and mineral (M) horizons are present within a single profile, they are separated prior to analysis and archiving. However, other sub-horizons are not separated. During the majority of bouts, only the top horizon (O if present, else M) is analyzed for genetic content. Soils are homogenized and non-soil material is removed by hand in the field, then subsamples are immediately frozen on dry ice. They are maintained in ultra-low temperature freezers until they are shipped to an analytical facility for DNA extraction, sample preparation and sequencing. During peak greenness bouts, subsamples from each of the 3 sampling locations per plot are combined to form a plot-level composite that is used for metagenomics analysis. Laboratory metadata are delivered to NEON for QC testing and acceptance, and then formatted for upload to public sequence repositories. Genetic extracts are shipped from the analytical facility in 96-well plates to the NEON Biorepository to be archived at -80 degrees Celsius. See links below for NEON data products that provide physical, chemical, and biological measurements for these same soils (soil pH, moisture, and microbial properties are always measured; chemical properties are determined only for a subset of collection bouts). Archived extracts range from about 20 to 100 uL. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products, which include information on the concentration of the DNA. The DNA extraction and sequencing protocols used by Battelle Applied Genomics are available in the NEON document library (https://data.neonscience.org/documents).

This collection contains genetic extracts from surface water microbes collected during aquatic microbial sampling (NEON sample class: mic_dnaExtraction_in.amcDnaSampleID,mic_dnaExtraction_in.amcDnaOnlySampleID). Surface water metagenomic samples are collected at the same time and location as surface water chemistry samples once per month in wadeable streams (12 times per year) and every-other month in lakes and rivers (6 times per year). In wadeable streams, samples are collected near the downstream S2 sensor location. In lakes, samples are collected near the the 'buoy', 'littoral 1', and 'littoral 2' sensors, and sampling depth(s) is dependent on lake stratification. In rivers, samples are collected near the buoy sensor. The filters are frozen on dry ice in the field, and later are shipped on dry ice to an analytical facility for DNA extraction, sample preparation, and shotgun metagenomic sequencing (only for samples collected during July or August), marker gene sequencing (and subsequent analysis of community composition), and microbial abundance (qPCR). Laboratory metadata are then delivered to NEON for QC testing and acceptance, and then are formatted for upload to public sequence repositories. Details on sampling locations and timing are provided in the NEON document Surface Water Chemistry Sampling in Aquatic Habitats (https://data.neonscience.org/documents). Genetic extracts in 96-well plates from Battelle Applied Genomics are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. Archived extracts range from about 20 to 100 uL. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products, which include information on the concentration of the DNA. The DNA extraction and sequencing protocols used by Battelle Applied Genomics are available in the NEON document library (https://data.neonscience.org/documents).

This collection contains surface water microbe samples collected on 67 mm long, 1.7 cm diameter, 0.22 um Sterivex capsule filters (NEON sample class: amc_fieldCellCounts_in.archiveID, amc_fieldCellCounts_in.geneticSampleID, amc_fieldCellCounts_in.cellCountSampleID). Surface water microbe samples are collected at the same time and location as surface water cell count samples and surface water chemistry samples once per month in wadeable streams (12 times per year) and every-other month in lakes and rivers (6 times per year). Details on sampling locations and timing are provided in the NEON document titled Surface Water Chemistry Sampling in Aquatic Habitats (https://data.neonscience.org/documents). In wadeable streams, surface water microbe samples are collected near the downstream S2 sensor location. In lakes, microbial samples are collected near the the 'buoy', 'littoral 1', and 'littoral 2' sensors, and sampling depth(s) is dependent on lake stratification. In rivers, microbial samples are collected near the buoy sensor. Water samples are filtered on 0.22 um Sterivex capsule filters, capped and flash-frozen in the field. Sterivex filters are archived at the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. See related links below for protocol.

This collection contains belowground biomass samples collected from the megapit at each terrestrial site (NEON sample class: mpr_perrootsample_in.archiveID). Each site is sampled a single time at the initiation of the site. At each site, a soil pit is dug in the dominant soil type to a maximum depth of 2 m. On the exposed face of the soil pit, a tape measure visually divides the soil profile into 10 cm depth increments. Each soil pit has three vertically-oriented sampling profiles, roughly corresponding to the left, center, and right of the pit sampling face. These profiles are referred to as profiles number 1, 2 and 3, respectively. From each profile, a block of soil is removed from each 10 cm depth increment, starting from the surface down to 100 cm. Once a depth of 100 cm is reached, each profile is divided into 20 cm depth increments. By the end of sampling, up to 45 soil samples are collected. Roots are sieved and then divided into four categories distinguishing between status (alive or dead) and size (> 2mm and < 2 mm, unless otherwise noted). After oven-drying at 65 degrees Celsius for at least 48 hours, dry mass is recorded, then samples are ground and sent for analysis of carbon and nitrogen concentrations and stable isotopes. If there is any material leftover, sample biomass is archived in 20 mL scintillation vials (glass or HDPE) and stored at room temperature. See link below for the NEON data product that provides mass as well as carbon and nitrogen concentrations and stable isotopes of these same root samples.

This collection contains oven-dried belowground biomass samples from Tower plots (NEON sample class: bbc_chemistryPooling_in.bgcArchiveID). At each terrestrial NEON site, roots are sampled from base plots (20-30) within the tower airshed (Tower plots) every five years. In each Tower plot, one or two clip cells (depending on plot size) are randomly chosen out of the pre-determined clip cell locations for root coring. The same clip cells are also used for annual aboveground Herbaceous Biomass sampling. In 20m x 20m Tower plots, two soil cores are sampled from one clip cell per bout. In 40m x 40m Tower plots soil core sampling occurs in two (out of four) randomly assigned 20m x 20m subplots, and two soil cores are sampled from one clip cell per subplot per bout. A root core is taken to 30 cm maximum depth from both the northern and southern end of the clip cell. Samples are cored to 30 cm depth in order to be consistent with the sampling depth used for soil biogeochemistry and microbe sampling. All roots are sorted into three size category bins: <1 mm, 1-2 mm, and 2-10 mm, and dry mass is recorded. Sorting to live/dead was initially attempted but suspended in early 2019; sorting to species is not attempted. Biomass per size category is pooled by clip strip prior to chemistry analysis and archive. If there is enough root sample to archive, the material is oven-dried at 65 degrees Celsius for at least 48 hours, ground in a Wiley mill to 20 mesh size (sieve opening size = 0.0331 in), then transferred to a 20 mL HDPE scintillation vial and stored at room temperature. See link below for the NEON data product that provides mass as well as carbon and nitrogen concentrations and stable isotopes of these same root samples.

This collection contains oven-dried canopy foliage collected from NEON terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: cfc_chemistrySubsampling_in.archiveSampleID). Each NEON site conducts canopy foliage sampling once every 5 years and is scheduled to begin sampling close in time to the Aerial Observation Platform (AOP) airborne remote sensing collection at the site. Because of the links with AOP, strong emphasis is placed on collecting sunlit vegetation only. A subset of the Distributed and Tower Base Plots located across the study area are used for canopy foliage sampling. In sites dominated by woody cover (e.g., forests and shrubland), the goal is to sample at least one individual of each species found in the site-level, sunlit canopy. For more common species, replicates are taken spanning whatever gradients are relevant to a site (topography, aspect, stand age, etc.). In high-diversity sites, rare species are sampled only where feasible (e.g., target taxa with sunlit foliage present in a foliar sampling plot). Each site has a target sample number proportional to its canopy diversity. In systems dominated by herbaceous vegetation, bulk herbaceous plant biomass is harvested from a set of assigned plots using randomly positioned clip strips, and the material is analyzed or archived in bulk, meaning not sorted to species. Subsamples for archive are oven-dried at 65 degrees Celsius for at least 48 hours then ground in a Wiley mill to 20 mesh size (sieve opening size = 0.0331 in). Archived samples are stored at room temperature in 20 mL HDPE scintillation vials. See link below for the NEON data product that provides various physico-chemical measurements of these same foliar samples.

This collection contains terrestrial plant vouchers collected from select species during plant diversity sampling (NEON sample class: div_voucher_in.voucherSampleID.pla). Plant species diversity is measured once or twice annually in the field. The plot-based method yields plant species data at multiple scales that provide an understanding of changes in composition, distribution, and abundance of native and non-native plant species. The data is comparable within and across NEON sites and to other continental plant diversity efforts to allow for a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of the drivers of change on the diversity of plant species and the functional role they play in ecological systems. A subset of observed plant species is collected and archived. These vouchers are housed at NEON facilities for reference and archived in the NEON Biorepository's herbarium. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains plant tissue collected from select plant species during plant diversity sampling (NEON sample class: div_geneticarchive_in.geneticSampleID). Plant species diversity is measured once or twice annually in the field. The plot-based method yields plant species data at multiple scales that provide an understanding of changes in composition, distribution, and abundance of native and non-native plant species. A subset of observed plant species is collected and archived. Leaf tissue is also collected and curated for analysis of plant genetic diversity over space and time. Leaf tissue collected in the field is immediately placed in coin envelopes, then into resealable plastic bags filled with desiccant to begin the air-drying process. Once dry, leaf tissue is shipped to the NEON Biorepository where it is archived in its original coin envelope at -80 degrees Celsius or transferred to a cryo-safe vial for archival in liquid nitrogen. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products. 

This collection contains oven-dried terrestrial litterfall samples (NEON sample class: ltr_chemistrySubsampling_in.archiveSampleID). Litterfall is defined as shed leaves and needles, reproductive parts (i.e. flowers, fruits, cones, seeds, etc.), and fine woody debris with butt-end diameter < 2 cm. Up to two trap-pairs (ground + elevated) are deployed per plot in forested ecosystems. Elevated litter traps are designed to be large enough that the average size of abundant foliage and fine woody debris elements are easily intercepted by the trap. Ground traps are intended to intercept particularly large foliage elements that will not fit in elevated traps (e.g. palm fronds), and fine woody debris pieces that are too long to be sampled in elevated traps including small diameter branches. Both elevated and ground traps are established in Tower Plots. The timing and frequency of sampling for elevated traps depends on the dominate vegetation type at the site. Ground traps are sampled once annually at Tower Plots (± 2 weeks); archived samples correspond to sampling events associated with chemical analyses (once every five years). The sampling interval of elevated litter traps is variable by dominant overstory vegetation. Deciduous forests are sampled once in the spring then multiple times during fall senescence; evergreen and coniferous forests are sampled year round. Traps are consistent with those used by the Smithsonian Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS). Mass data for each collection event are measured separately for functional groups: Leaves, Needles, Twigs/branches, Woody material, Seeds, Flowers and other non-woody reproductive structures, Other, and Mixed (unsorted). Once every five years, elevated litter trap sampes from a single collection are analyzed for total C, N, stable isotopes of C and N, and lignin. Chemistry samples for leaves and needles are pooled at the plot level, where there are two traps per plot. Other functional group samples are pooled at the site level. Subsamples for archive are oven-dried at 65 degrees Celsius for at least 48 hours then ground in a Wiley mill to 20 mesh size (sieve opening size = 0.0331 in) then transferred to a 20 mL HDPE scintillation vial. Archived samples are stored at room temperature. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains pathogen DNA extracts collected from tick plots (NEON sample class: tck_pathogenresults_in.testingID, tck_pathogenresults_in.dnaExtract). Tick abundance and diversity are sampled using drag or flag sampling every three weeks at sites where more than five ticks have been detected in the last year and every six weeks elsewhere. Following collection, samples are sent to a professional taxonomist where adult and nymphal ticks are identified to species and lifestage and/or sex, and larvae are enumerated. A subset of nymphal ticks are then tested for the presence of bacterial and protozoan pathogens. The NEON Biorepository receives genomic DNA extracts from individual nymphs of Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum which include tick and any associated pathogen DNA. The extracts have already been analyzed for pathogen presence and are stored in -80 degree Celsius freezers. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains air-dried soil samples collected during distributed initial soil characterization at NEON terrestrial sites (NEON sample class: spc_perbiogeosample_in.archiveID). Sampling was conducted by the Soil Science Division of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with the USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) on behalf of NEON. At each site, up to 4 Tower and 30 Distributed plots were sampled, based on site variability and number of soil map units present. In most Distributed base plots, a single 1 m x 1 m x 1 m soil pit was excavated. In Tower plots and sites where pit sampling was not permitted, several 10 cm diameter, 1 m deep cores are collected from within a 1 m x 1 m square (where possible). Upon excavating a pit or collecting cores, the NRCS described the profile and all major horizons, assessed coarse fragment volumes, collected bulk density samples (most often by the clod method), then collected enough material to conduct all physical and geochemical laboratory analyses. If sufficient air-dried material was available upon completion of all measurements, it was placed into archive for community use. See link below for the NEON data product that provides soil taxonomy, physical, and geochemical measurements, and website links for how to request these soils from the external collection as they are not stored at the NEON Biorepository.

This collection contains wet deposition samples collected during precipitation events at NEON terrestrial and aquatic sites (NEON sample class: wdp_collection_in.chemSubsampleID). Samples are collected in a climate controlled wet deposition collector located at the tower top of terrestrial sites, and at the meteorologic tower of select aquatic sites. The automated assembly detects precipitation with an optical sensor and opens to collect wet deposition during all rain events. This allows for all types of precipitation to enter the glass collection bottles located within the enclosure. Once precipitation has ceased (as detected by the optical precipitation detector), the retractable lid closes until the next precipitation event is detected. Every two weeks samples are retrieved. A portion of the sample is filtered and sent to an analytical facility for analysis of major ions, pH, and conductivity. The remaining (unused) portion of the sample is not filtered and archived at 4 degrees Celsius for five years. Samples are stored in plastic Nalgene bottles, either PP or HDPE. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products. Please note that associated datasets include important remarks and notes from the analysis laboratory about the condition of each sample (for example, if debris or contaminants were observed in the sample).

This collection contains genetic extracts from homogenized zooplankton samples collected during zooplankton sampling in lakes (NEON sample class: zoo_dnaExtraction_in.dnaSampleID). Zooplankton DNA metabarcoding samples are collected and sequenced once per year in mid-summer. Samples are collected using either a tow net (water deeper than 4 m) or a Schindler-Patalas trap (water shallower than 4 m) depending on the depth at the sampling location. Samples are collected near the NEON profiling buoy as well as the littoral sensor sets. Zooplankton are preserved in ethanol in the field. The samples are shipped to an external facility for homogenization and high-throughput sequencing (metabarcoding). Genetic extracts in 2 mL cryovials are archived in the NEON Biorepository at -80 degrees Celsius. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products. The metabarcoding analysis protocols used by external facilities are available in the NEON document library (https://data.neonscience.org/documents).

This collection contains the remaining unsorted bulk zooplankton samples after taxonomic subsampling and identification (NEON sample class: zoo_fieldData_in.sampleID). Zooplankton samples are collected three times per year at lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Samples are collected using either a tow net (water deeper than 4 m) or a Schindler-Patalas trap (water shallower than 4 m) depending on the depth at the sampling location. Samples are collected near the NEON profiling buoy as well as the littoral sensor sets. Samples are preserved in ethanol in the field and shipped to a taxonomy lab for sorting and identification, including count of each taxon, summary length and width measurement for each taxon per sample (to nearest mm), and identification to lowest practical taxon (genus or species). The samples in this collection include the remainder of the unsorted sample that was collected for morphological taxonomy. Samples are preserved in 70% ethanol and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

This collection contains unsorted bulk zooplankton samples (NEON sample class: zoo_fieldData_in.sampleID.dna). Bulk zooplankton samples are collected using field sterile methods at lake sites during biology bout windows in spring and fall. Samples are collected using either a tow net (water deeper than 4 m) or a Schindler-Patalas trap (water shallower than 4 m) depending on the depth at the sampling location. Samples are collected near the NEON profiling buoy as well as the littoral sensor sets. During each sampling bout, three samples are collected for morphological taxonomy and three samples for DNA/bulk archiving. The DNA metabarcoding samples from bout 2 (summer) are sent to an external laboratory for metabarcoding. The unsorted bulk samples collected using field sterile methods from bout 1 (spring) and bout 3 (autumn) are archived for future research. Unsorted bulk zooplankton samples are preserved in 30-40% ethanol (prior to 2020) or 95% ethanol (2020 and beyond) and archived in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.