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At least 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-xNW NEON Niwot Ridge Mountain Research Station (NIWO)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xNW NEON Niwot Ridge Mountain Research Station (NIWO). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xNW NEON Niwot Ridge Mountain Research Station (NIWO) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - The Niwot Ridge sits approximately 27 km west of Boulder, Colorado, and 6 km east of the Continental Divide. Topography, climate, and biota of the site are representative of Rocky Mountain alpine ecosystems, including extensive alpine tundra (mostly herbs, some shrubs and scree) and subalpine coniferous forests (Abies lasciocarpa and Picea engelmanii at higher elevations), talus slopes, wetlands and a variety of glacial landforms. Characterized by cold and relatively long winters, Niwot Ridge has an average annual temperature of 1.5°C and average annual precipitation of 800 mm. Most precipitation falls as snow and summer precipitation falls primarily during afternoon thunderstorms. Located on the eastern side of the Continental Divide at 3,000-3,500 m elevation, the site best captures chemical inputs produced along the Front Range and is well situated to observe other east/west flows across the Southern Rockies in conjunction with other NEON sites.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2025

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-xWR NEON Wind River Experimental Forest (WREF)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xWR NEON Wind River Experimental Forest (WREF). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xWR NEON Wind River Experimental Forest (WREF) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - Located in an old growth Pacific Northwest forest west of the Cascade Range, Wind River Experimental Forest has a rich history of research and timber management since the early 1900s. The area is best known for its old-growth forests of Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Data collected at this site provides an interesting comparison to NEON’s ABBY site which is located Yacolt Burn State Forest, a relatively young growth industrial timber production forest.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2025

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-xRN NEON Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xRN NEON Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xRN NEON Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is located at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation in Roane County, Tennessee. The ORNL reservation is situated within the borders of five parallel ridges and valleys to the north of the Clinch River that are part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians physiographic province (Environmental Sciences Division n.d.). The NEON tower site and Walker Branch aquatic site at ORNL are located within the Walker Branch Watershed, a 100 ha area that has served as the site for long-term environmental studies by the Environmental Sciences Division at ORNL, NOAA, and many visiting university researchers.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2025

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F PR-xLA NEON Lajas Experimental Station (LAJA)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site PR-xLA NEON Lajas Experimental Station (LAJA). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site PR-xLA NEON Lajas Experimental Station (LAJA) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - The NEON Lajas Experimental Station (LAJA) site is located on the southwest corner of the main island of Puerto Rico in a experimental range. This is a grassland site that is periodically grazed by cattle.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2025

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-xPU NEON Pu'u Maka'ala Natural Area Reserve (PUUM)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xPU NEON Pu'u Maka'ala Natural Area Reserve (PUUM). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xPU NEON Pu'u Maka'ala Natural Area Reserve (PUUM) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - NEON's PUUM field site is located in the Pu'u Maka'ala Natural Area Reserve (NAR) on the eastern side of Hawaii’s “Big Island,” managed by the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). More than 18,000 acres in size, the NAR is home to a rainforest with many native species, some of them endangered. It was established to protect some of the Big Island’s best wet native forest and unique geologic features.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2026

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-xLE NEON Lenoir Landing (LENO)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xLE NEON Lenoir Landing (LENO). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xLE NEON Lenoir Landing (LENO) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - This terrestrial field site is located in a hardwood bottomland with seasonal flooding each spring located in southwest Alabama. The meteorological/flux tower and tower sampling plots are located at Lenoir Landing and the distributed plots are located approximately 5 km south of the tower at Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge. The ecosystem at LENO is dominated by closed-canopy pine-oak mixed forest with a developed understory, and also includes a small fraction of meadows, wetlands, and smaller water bodies. Dominant plant species include American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge also provides a protected wintering area for waterfowl and wood duck brood habitat. This site is colocated with the Lower Tombigbee river aquatic site.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2026

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-xTE NEON Lower Teakettle (TEAK)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xTE NEON Lower Teakettle (TEAK). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xTE NEON Lower Teakettle (TEAK) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - The site encompasses 5,138 hectares (12,696 acres) of mixed conifer and red fir forest, ranging in elevation from 1,990 to 2,807 m (6,529 – 9,209ft). The varied terrain is typical of the Sierra Nevada, with rugged mountains, meadows and prominent granite outcrops. TEAK has been designated as one of two relocatable terrestrial sites for the Pacific Southwest domain. The core aquatic site, Teakettle Creek, is just south of the terrestrial site.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2026

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F US-xSP NEON Soaproot Saddle (SOAP)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xSP NEON Soaproot Saddle (SOAP). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site US-xSP NEON Soaproot Saddle (SOAP) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - The Soaproot Saddle is a complex terrain of coarse hills, steep slopes and narrow drainages. With an elevation of 3274 - 4537’ this site encompasses 1438 acres of mixed conifer forests that are experiencing high levels of mortality due to native Pine beetles. At the core of this site stands a 171’ tall flux tower that collects physical and chemical properties of atmosphere and related process. Soaproot Saddle also hosts an array of sensor measurements along with field observations collected by highly trained NEON staff. The automated instrument measurements and some of the terrestrial observational safor this field site are colocted with NEON's aquatic site, Upper Big Creek, which is located just north of Soaproot Saddle's site boundaries.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2026

AmeriFlux FLUXNET-1F PR-xGU NEON Guanica Forest (GUAN)

This is the AmeriFlux Management Project (AMP) created FLUXNET-1F version of the carbon flux data for the site PR-xGU NEON Guanica Forest (GUAN). This is the FLUXNET version of the carbon flux data for the site PR-xGU NEON Guanica Forest (GUAN) produced by applying the standard ONEFlux (1F) software. Site Description - The Guanica Forest (GUAN) site is located on the southwest corner of the main island of Puerto Rico in a protected forest with primary phenological species of Gymnanthes lucida, Pisonia albida, and Bursera simaruba. The mean canopy height is approximately 10 m.

Network), NEON (National Ecological Observatory [N↗
DOE OSTI2025

Competition and cooperation: The plasticity of bacterial interactions across environments

Bacteria live in diverse communities, forming complex networks of interacting species. A central question in bacterial ecology is whether species engage in cooperative or competitive interactions. But this question often neglects the role of the environment. Here, we use genome-scale metabolic networks from two different open-access collections (AGORA and CarveMe) to assess pairwise interactions of different microbes in varying environmental conditions (provision of different environmental compounds). By computationally simulating thousands of environments for 10,000 pairs of bacteria from each collection, we found that most pairs were able to both compete and cooperate depending on the availability of environmental resources. This modeling approach allowed us to determine commonalities between environments that could facilitate the potential for cooperation or competition between a pair of species. Namely, cooperative interactions, especially obligate, were most common in less diverse environments. Further, as compounds were removed from the environment, we found interactions tended to degrade towards obligacy. However, we also found that on average at least one compound could be removed from an environment to switch the interaction from competition to facultative cooperation or vice versa. Together our approach indicates a high degree of plasticity in microbial interactions in response to the availability of environmental resources.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology↗
DOE OSTI2022

Multiplicative Shot-Noise: A New Route to Stability of Plastic Networks

Fluctuations of synaptic weights, among many other physical, biological, and ecological quantities, are driven by coincident events of two “parent” processes. Here we propose a multiplicative shot-noise model that can capture the behaviors of a broad range of such natural phenomena, and analytically derive an approximation that accurately predicts its statistics. We apply our results to study the effects of a multiplicative synaptic plasticity rule that was recently extracted from measurements in physiological conditions. Using mean-field theory analysis and network simulations, we investigate how this rule shapes the connectivity and dynamics of recurrent spiking neural networks. The multiplicative plasticity rule is shown to support efficient learning of input stimuli, and it gives a stable, unimodal synaptic-weight distribution with a large fraction of strong synapses. The strong synapses remain stable over long times but do not “run away.” Our results suggest that the multiplicative shot-noise offers a new route to understand the tradeoff between flexibility and stability in neural circuits and other dynamic networks.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Soil organic carbon is not just for soil scientists: measurement recommendations for diverse practitioners

Soil organic carbon (SOC) regulates terrestrial ecosystem functioning, provides diverse energy sources for soil microorganisms, governs soil structure, and regulates the availability of organically bound nutrients. Investigators in increasingly diverse disciplines recognize how quantifying SOC attributes can provide insight about ecological states and processes. Today, multiple research networks collect and provide SOC data, and robust, new technologies are available for managing, sharing, and analyzing large data sets. Here, we advocate that the scientific community capitalize on these developments to augment SOC data sets via standardized protocols. We describe why such efforts are important and the breadth of disciplines for which it will be helpful, and outline a tiered approach for standardized sampling of SOC and ancillary variables that ranges from simple to more complex. We target scientists ranging from those with little to no background in soil science to those with more soil-related expertise, and offer examples of the ways in which the resulting data can be organized, shared, and discoverable.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tracking animal movements via collaborative acoustic telemetry networks: Multiscale habitat use, phenology, and management insights

Abstract Estuaries support diverse fish and invertebrate communities, including resident species that rely on estuarine habitats year‐round and transient migratory species. The unique movement patterns of these animals connect habitats within and far beyond the estuary and are integrally linked to fisheries management objectives. With a focus on Chesapeake Bay, this study leveraged data from collaborative acoustic telemetry networks in the northwest Atlantic to assess habitat use and phenology of movements for seven species of fish (cownose rays, dusky sharks, smooth dogfish, alewife, striped bass, common carp, and blue catfish) and one invertebrate (horseshoe crabs). A total of 288 acoustically tagged individuals were detected >3.2 million times (6,743 to 2,095,717 detections per species) on receivers across ~20.5 degrees of latitude spanning the North American Atlantic seaboard from Florida, USA, to New Brunswick, Canada. Common metrics of movement and phenology grouped these species as resident (common carp, blue catfish, horseshoe crabs), primarily resident in estuaries (juvenile striped bass), and coastal migrant (cownose rays, dusky sharks, smooth dogfish, alewife); maximum distance traveled varied by three orders of magnitude among these species. Further analysis of phenology for coastal migrants elucidated the timing and duration of these species' use of Chesapeake Bay. Collectively, movements linked habitats within Chesapeake Bay and connected the estuary to coastal ecosystems both to the north (e.g., alewife) and south (e.g., cownose rays), creating networks of fisheries management jurisdictions that varied in complexity and identified opportunities for enhancement to current management or co‐management of some species. Our results elucidate the importance of estuaries to species with diverse movement behaviors, identify scales and pathways of habitat connectivity via animal movements, and highlight the utility of collaborative acoustic telemetry networks for quantifying movements relevant to both ecological research and fisheries management.

Livernois, Mariah C.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Solutions Network Formulation Report. Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite and Landsat Data Continuity Mission Simulated Data Products for the Great Lakes Basin Ecological Team

The proposed solution would simulate VIIRS and LDCM sensor data for use in the USGS/USFWS GLBET DST. The VIIRS sensor possesses a spectral range that provides water-penetrating bands that could be used to assess water clarity on a regional spatial scale. The LDCM sensor possesses suitable spectral bands in a range of wavelengths that could be used to map water quality at finer spatial scales relative to VIIRS. Water quality, alongshore sediment transport and pollutant discharge tracking into the Great Lakes system are targeted as the primary products to be developed. A principal benefit of water quality monitoring via satellite imagery is its economy compared to field-data collection methods. Additionally, higher resolution satellite imagery provides a baseline dataset(s) against which later imagery can be overlaid in GIS-based DST programs. Further, information derived from higher resolution satellite imagery can be used to address public concerns and to confirm environmental compliance. The candidate solution supports the Public Health, Coastal Management, and Water Management National Applications.

Estep, Leland↗
DOE OSTI2022

Riparian vegetation shade restoration and loss effects on recent and future stream temperatures

River temperatures are expected to increase this century harming species requiring cold-water habitat unless restoration activities protect or improve habitat availability. Local shading by riparian vegetation can cool water temperatures, but uncertainty exists over the scaling of this local effect to larger spatial extents. Here, we evaluate this issue using a regional spatial stream network temperature model with covariates representing shade effects to predict mean August stream temperatures across 78,195 km of tributaries flowing into the Columbia River in the northwestern United States. We evaluate nine scenarios predicting stream temperatures for three riparian shade conditions (current, restored, and no riparian vegetation) within three different climate periods (2000s, 2040s, and 2080s). Results suggest riparian shade restoration (2000s climate) could decrease mean August stream temperatures by 0.62°C across the study network. Under the same restored shade conditions, temperature predictions for tributaries at their confluence with the Columbia River range from 0.02 to 2.08°C cooler than under current shade conditions. The climate warming effect predicted for the 2040s and 2080s, however, is greater than the cooling effect from restoring riparian shade. Streams less than 10-m bankfull width cooled more frequently with riparian shade restoration. In Oregon, the proportion of fish habitat for salmon and trout rearing and migration that meet temperature numeric water quality criteria could be increased by 20% under restored shade conditions although net habitat declines may still occur in the future. We conclude riparian vegetation restoration could partially mitigate future warming and help maintain cold-water habitats that function as thermal refuges if implemented strategically.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Real-time optimization of multi-cell industrial evaporative cooling towers using machine learning and particle swarm optimization

Existing electrical generating stations must operate with greater flexibility due to increasing renewable energy penetration on the electrical grid, and many coal-fired power stations have transitioned away from baseload operation to load-following operation to aid in grid stability. In cases where multiple independently controlled cooling tower cells are used in parallel for the cooling purposes of such stations, there is an opportunity to increase plant efficiency through data-driven optimization across their full load ranges. This work presents a novel application of real-time optimization using machine learning and particle swarm optimization on a multi-cell induced-draft cooling tower servicing a coal-fired power station under variable load. This is the first work to demonstrate simultaneous optimization of a multi-cell cooling tower, in addition to using machine learning for closed-loop control on a cooling tower. A novel control configuration is presented that ensures original control logic is not adversely affected and that the overall plant process is not disrupted using only existing hardware and operational data. To verify this methodology, the 12 independent cooling tower cells are simulated in parallel using historic operating data to demonstrate the effectiveness of real-time optimization compared to current practice. An artificial neural network is trained to predict overall cooling tower power consumption using only operational data and ambient conditions with an R2 value of greater than 0.96. The real-time optimization using particle swarm yields 6.7% annual energy usage savings compared to current practices, although the extent of the real-time savings varies greatly with both plant load and environmental conditions. This is particularly significant for a variable load situation because frequent ramping typically results in reduced overall efficiency. Furthermore, this proposed AI-based solution presents an opportunity to improve the overall heat rate of a load-following coal-fired power plant without the need to perform extensive first-principles modeling or add additional hardware to the cooling tower, resulting in more resources conserved and less overall emissions per unit of electricity generated.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1998

Predicting lettuce canopy photosynthesis with statistical and neural network models

An artificial neural network (NN) and a statistical regression model were developed to predict canopy photosynthetic rates (Pn) for 'Waldman's Green' leaf lettuce (Latuca sativa L.). All data used to develop and test the models were collected for crop stands grown hydroponically and under controlled-environment conditions. In the NN and regression models, canopy Pn was predicted as a function of three independent variables: shootzone CO2 concentration (600 to 1500 micromoles mol-1), photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) (600 to 1100 micromoles m-2 s-1), and canopy age (10 to 20 days after planting). The models were used to determine the combinations of CO2 and PPF setpoints required each day to maintain maximum canopy Pn. The statistical model (a third-order polynomial) predicted Pn more accurately than the simple NN (a three-layer, fully connected net). Over an 11-day validation period, average percent difference between predicted and actual Pn was 12.3% and 24.6% for the statistical and NN models, respectively. Both models lost considerable accuracy when used to determine relatively long-range Pn predictions (> or = 6 days into the future).

Non-NASA Center↗
DOE OSTI2022

Alternative stable states of the forest mycobiome are maintained through positive feedbacks

Most trees on Earth form a symbiosis with either arbuscular mycorrhizal or ectomycorrhizal fungi. By forming common mycorrhizal networks, actively modifying the soil environment and other ecological mechanisms, these contrasting symbioses may generate positive feedbacks that favour their own mycorrhizal strategy (that is, the con-mycorrhizal strategy) at the expense of the alternative strategy. Positive con-mycorrhizal feedbacks set the stage for alternative stable states of forests and their fungi, where the presence of different forest mycorrhizal strategies is determined not only by external environmental conditions but also mycorrhiza-mediated feedbacks embedded within the forest ecosystem. Here, in this work, we test this hypothesis using thousands of US forest inventory sites to show that arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal tree recruitment and survival exhibit positive con-mycorrhizal density dependence. Data-driven simulations show that these positive feedbacks are sufficient in magnitude to generate and maintain alternative stable states of the forest mycobiome. Given the links between forest mycorrhizal strategy and carbon sequestration potential, the presence of mycorrhizal-mediated alternative stable states affects how we forecast forest composition, carbon sequestration and terrestrial climate feedbacks.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗