Establishing Open Access to Near Real-Time Environmental Sensor Data in Two Distinct, Coastal Regions

The Science

The Coastal Observations, Mechanisms, and Predictions Across Systems and Scales: Field, Measurements, and Experiments (COMPASS-FME) project established a network of observational field sites across the Chesapeake Bay and western Lake Erie regions. Hundreds of sensors that record soil, vegetation, and weather data every 15 minutes were installed at study sites within these regions. This sensor network is designed to monitor ecological, biogeochemical, and hydrological shifts in response to changing water levels and subsequent salt- and fresh-water inundation. All data go through a standardized, open-source processing workflow to produce quality-controlled and analysis-ready datasets. These data are now available to the broader research community through the Environmental System Science Data Infrastructure for a Virtual Ecosystem (ESS-DIVE) repository.

The Impact

To understand and predict impacts on coastal systems in a changing climate, researchers need observational data to monitor ecosystems and understand drivers of change. This research provides a valuable new dataset from environmental sensors in the Lake Erie and Chesapeake Bay regions, offering high-frequency data on weather, soil, and water conditions. This dataset is unique in its range and near real-time detail. By enabling scientists to monitor ecosystems, understand drivers of change, and predict future shifts, this dataset supports efforts to understand and anticipate climate impacts on coastal systems. Its quality and volume facilitate fine-scale analysis, promote data reuse, accelerate scientific progress, and enhance access across research several fields.

Summary

The first set of Level 1 (L1) data were released from the COMPASS-FME project with quarterly updates scheduled for the duration of the project. These data were collected using environmental sensors deployed at field sites in the Lake Erie and Chesapeake Bay regions. Coastal ecosystems, critical to the carbon cycle, are rapidly changing, making this dataset a valuable tool for monitoring environmental shifts in real-time. Coastal forests, in particular, face threats to tree health and wetland migration from seawater inundation and increased storm activity. High-resolution sensor networks allow for monitoring these changes as they occur, capturing subtle ecosystem shifts that can help researchers predict future impacts on coastal areas.

This dataset is organized into site- and year-specific folders with up to 12 monthly files, each containing metadata on data units and expected ranges. The sensors capture environmental metrics including weather conditions, soil properties, groundwater variables, and tree sap velocity, with data logged every 15 minutes. This comprehensive dataset is a crucial resource for understanding environmental dynamics and supports ongoing research efforts under the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental System Science Program. It is accessible through the ESS-DIVE repository, an open platform for managing, sharing, and analyzing Earth and environmental science data.

Contacts

Funding

This research is supported by Coastal Observations, Mechanisms, and Predictions Across Systems and Scales, Field, Measurements, and Experiments (COMPASS-FME), a multi-institutional project supported by the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research as part of the Environmental System Science Program. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory leads this project, operating under contract through Battelle Memorial Institute for the DOE. This work was also supported by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the University of Toledo.