"id","parentIssueID","issueDate","resolvedDate","dateRangeStart","dateRangeEnd","locationAffected","issue","resolution"
15903,NA,"2020-10-02T00:00:00Z","2020-10-06T00:00:00Z","2016-01-01T00:00:00Z","2020-10-06T00:00:00Z","All terrestrial sites.","Data products not bundled: Until October 2020, litter biomass, chemistry, and stable isotopes were published as separate data products.","In October 2020, data tables for chemistry and isotopes were bundled with the sampling and biomass data tables in a single data product for improved usability. This applies to all existing and future data."
16609,NA,"2020-01-01T00:00:00Z","2020-06-08T00:00:00Z","2016-01-01T00:00:00Z","2020-01-01T00:00:00Z","BART, HARV, SCBI, SERC, JERC, TREE, UNDE, GRSM, ORNL, TALL","Sampling numbers reduced: Discontinued litterfall sampling as some plots.","In January 2020, litter traps were removed from a subset of plots at sites where data analyses indicated reliable site level estimates of litter production were possible with a reduced number of plots. Plots to continue sampling for litterfall were selected to maintain spatial balance across the Tower airshed. In June 2020, plot selection at these sites was revised to prioritize stratification across vegetation types."
16805,NA,"2020-11-19T00:00:00Z","2021-12-31T00:00:00Z","2020-03-23T00:00:00Z","2021-12-31T00:00:00Z","All terrestrial sites","Safety measures to protect personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in reduced or canceled sampling activities for extended periods at NEON sites. Data availability may be reduced during this time.","The primary impact of the pandemic on observational data was reduced data collection. Training procedures and data quality reviews were maintained throughout the pandemic, although some previously in-person training was conducted virtually.  Scheduled measurements and sampling that were not carried out due to COVID-19 or any other causes are indicated in data records via the samplingImpractical data field."
17198,NA,"2020-12-01T00:00:00Z","2020-11-10T00:00:00Z","2016-01-01T00:00:00Z","2020-08-15T00:00:00Z","All sites with litterfall chemistry measurements in this date range, with the exception of GUAN and PUUM whose tissues were re-dried for permitting/quarantine reasons.","Samples not re-dried: Due to a miscommunication, samples analyzed for carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations and stable isotopes were not re-dried prior to weighing and analysis at the external lab. While all NEON litterfall samples are dried at 65C in the domain labs, they are sometimes then stored in paper bags or coin envelopes for weeks to months before being ground, transferred to vials, and shipped. During this time they may accumulate moisture, especially in humid areas. Subsequent testing revealed that %C data are likely underestimated by 1.5-2.5% due to this lack of re-drying prior to analysis. As vegetation samples tend to have high %C (20% - 55%), this bias may have only minor impacts on many analyses, but is something for end users to keep in mind. For the other parameters (%N, C:N, d15N, d13C), testing suggests there were no detectable differences between re-dried samples and originals.","Affected data have been flagged with dataQF = dryingProtocolError in the `ltr_litterCarbonNitrogen` table. For sample analysis dates starting in November 2020, all carbon-nitrogen samples are re-dried at 65C prior to analysis to drive out any residual moisture and improve data accuracy for % C. Samples collected in 2020 may have been analyzed before or after the change; check dataQF to determine which individual samples are affected."
18695,NA,"2021-02-16T00:00:00Z","2021-02-16T00:00:00Z","2020-01-01T00:00:00Z","2021-01-01T00:00:00Z","GRSM","Limited trap collection: Severely limited elevated litter trap collection for the 2020 season. Because of extended litter collection periods due to sampling limitations during COVID restrictions, the incidence of litter trap disturbance by resident black bears was unusually high. Over 2 collection bouts (40 traps total), only 5 traps were successfully collected in both bouts. It is not recommended these data be used to calculate productivity for the 2020 sampling year at GRSM.","Litter collection frequency returned to more normal levels as of the 2021 field season."
67610,NA,"2022-09-13T00:00:00Z","2022-10-31T00:00:00Z","2022-06-12T00:00:00Z","2022-10-31T00:00:00Z","YELL","Severe flooding destroyed several roads into Yellowstone National Park in June 2022, making the YELL and BLDE sites inaccessible to NEON staff. Observational data collection was halted during this time. Canceled data collection events are indicated in data records via the samplingImpractical field.","Normal operations resumed on October 31, 2022, when the National Park Service opened a newly constructed road from Gardiner, MT to Mammoth, WY with minimal restrictions. For more details about data impacts, see Data Notification https://www.neonscience.org/impact/observatory-blog/data-impacts-neons-yellowstone-sites-yell-blde-due-catastrophic-flooding-0"
73204,NA,"2022-11-15T00:00:00Z","2022-02-23T00:00:00Z","2016-01-01T00:00:00Z","2022-02-22T00:00:00Z","All terrestrial sites","Functional groups, chemistry: The chemistry of litterfall material other than leaf and needle functional groups was not measured, even though in some sites these materials contribute a substantial amount to litter mass flux. Without knowing the chemistry of all material types, it is difficult to calculate mass-weighted fluxes of carbon, nitrogen, lignin, and stable isotopes without making significant assumptions.","Starting in the 2022 field season, all functional groups are analyzed for chemistry and stable isotopes. As before, leaf and needle materials are measured at the plot scale, whereas the other functional groups measure a site-level pooled sample combining material across plots. In both cases, material is from a single bout with high fluxes for the specific group. Chemistry measurements still occur once every five years per site."
78404,NA,"2023-04-12T00:00:00Z","2023-04-01T00:00:00Z","2016-07-01T00:00:00Z","2023-04-01T00:00:00Z","LENO_069","Subplot changed from 23 to subplot 39 at LENO_069.","Due to persistent flooding, it is no longer possible to sample subplot 23 in Tower plot LENO_069. All sampling in subplot 23 has been discontinued. Subplot 39 will be used for all sampling activities previously scheduled for subplot 23."
80406,NA,"2023-09-25T00:00:00Z","2023-12-31T00:00:00Z","2015-03-16T00:00:00Z","2023-08-18T00:00:00Z","All terrestrial sites","Lab summary correction for C-N data: The table `bgc_CNiso_externalSummary` reports the precision and accuracy of carbon and nitrogen concentration and stable isotope measurements of plant and soil samples, based on analysis of secondary reference materials treated as unknowns. The University of Wyoming Stable Isotope Facility had been reporting their summary statistics since 2015 but had mis-interpreted the definitions of some reported uncertainty fields.","The lab re-generated all summary statistics according to the formulas and definitions expected by NEON and uploaded these corrected values to the NEON data portal. This updated version of the `bgc_CNiso_externalSummary` table is available with download of provisional data and will appear in RELEASE-2024 and onward."
81905,NA,"2023-11-09T00:00:00Z","2023-12-31T00:00:00Z","2012-01-01T00:00:00Z","2023-12-31T00:00:00Z","All terrestrial sites","SubplotId change: The Base plot subplot naming convention was ambiguous with respect to location and scale, and not well differentiated from the identifiers of the points that spatially define Base plots.","The subplot naming convention is updated across all data products with observations and samples that originate from Base plots. The format consists of the identity of the plot point in the southwest corner of the subplot, the scale or size of the subplot, and, for those subplots smaller than 100 m2, the corner of the 100 m2 subplot in which the smaller subplot is located. For example, ‘21_400’ refers to point 21 in the southwest corner and is 400 m2 (20 m x 20 m), and ‘31_1_1’ is a subplot with point 31 in the southwest corner, is 1 m2, and is in corner 1 of the 100 m2 subplot with point 31 in the southwest corner. See the associated Data Notification for further detail: https://www.neonscience.org/impact/observatory-blog/neon-terrestrial-observation-system-tos-base-plot-subplot-renaming."
84704,NA,"2024-01-02T00:00:00Z","2024-01-15T00:00:00Z","2013-01-01T00:00:00Z","2024-01-01T00:00:00Z","BART, HARV, BLAN, SCBI, SERC, JERC, OSBS, GUAN, STEI, TREE, UNDE, KONZ, UKFS, GRSM, MLBS, ORNL, LENO, DELA, TALL, RMNP, CLBJ, YELL, NIWO, SRER, ABBY, WREF, SJER, SOAP, TEAK, BONA, DEJU, HEAL, PUUM","No 'ltr_vegetationCover' table: Unable to scale mass from targeted trap placement to plot or site levels prior to 2024.","Initially, data for the Litterfall and fine woody debris production and chemistry data product (DP1.10033.001) were published without data on total cover of qualifying vegetation (woody individual > 2M height). For sites with targeted trap placement, this resulted in an inability to scale litter production to plot or site levels. RELEASE-2024 and releases and provisional data thereafter include a new table 'ltr_vegetationCover' that provides cover of qualifying woody vegetation at the scale of the subplot for all deployed traps at all sites (both targeted and random trap placement strategies)."
92806,NA,"2024-09-18T00:00:00Z","2024-12-31T00:00:00Z","2018-04-27T00:00:00Z","2020-10-07T00:00:00Z","GUAN, RMNP","Chemistry data errors: NEON discovered errors in 21 litterfall chemistry samples. Most of the issues were in the CNratio field while a few samples had carbonPercent errors.","Working with the analytical lab, these data errors were corrected and updated values will be available starting in RELEASE-2025. Note that the old, erroneous values will be present in earlier releases. Contact us for information on exactly what values changed for which samples."
92807,NA,"2024-09-18T00:00:00Z","2024-01-01T00:00:00Z","2016-10-10T00:00:00Z","2023-12-05T00:00:00Z","All","Analytical lab switch: NEON litter chemistry analyses are conducted by external laboratories. After working with the same lab for many years to analyze carbon and nitrogen concentrations and stable isotope, results of a competitive process resulted in selection of a new lab to conduct these analyses starting in 2024. In order to assess the possible data implications of this lab switch, a set of samples was analyzed by both labs.","While there were significant differences in observed chemistry values between the two labs according to paired t-tests, the differences were subtle and did not exceed the long-term analytical uncertainty except for delta 15N. For this analyte, values were higher (on the order of 0.5 per mill) when analyzed by the new lab compared to the previous lab; users should interpret the data in this context. For a more detailed look at the lab comparison results, see https://data.neonscience.org/api/v0/documents/CNiso_Lab_Change_2024_Results"
95304,NA,"2024-11-08T00:00:00Z","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","2017-08-23T00:00:00Z","2024-12-31T00:00:00Z","MLBS","Elevated trapSize incorrect at MLBS: Elevated traps at all plots at MLBS were constructed incorrectly causing the trapSize to be non-standard, 0.64 m versus the standard size of 0.5 m. In addition, the elevated trap located at MLBS_073_872 was fixed to the correct size on 11/09/2022, so data collected before this date only have the non-standard trapSize of 0.64. Data in releases prior to 2025 indicate the incorrect trap size for elevated traps at MLBS.","All data records have been corrected in the ‘ltr_perTrap’ data table to reflect the non-standard trap size. Affected records have a ""non-standard trap construction"" dataQF value and the trapSize field reflects the actual trap area. MLBS_073_872 had additional corrections for records collected after 11/09/2022 to indicate the trapSize of 0.5 m. During the first collection bout of 2025 at MLBS, all existing elevated traps will be re-established to new locations, with new trapIDs and with the correct trap dimensions. Edits will be present in provisional data and in the RELEASE-2025 and onward."
