National Ecological Observatory Network

Supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by Battelle, the National Ecological Observatory Network (NSF NEON) provides high-quality, open and free data to enable research on the impacts of climate and land-use change, water availability and invasive species on the nation's living ecosystems.

What is NSF NEON?

NEON is a continental-scale observation facility designed to collect long-term open-access ecological data to better understand the complexities of Earth's ecosystems and how they are changing.

NEON uses cutting-edge sensor networks, instrumentation, observational sampling, natural history archive facilities and remote sensing methods and technologies to collect data on plants, animals, soil, nutrients, freshwater and the atmosphere.

Two biologists stand on top of a research tower above a forest.

NSF NEON sites

NEON has 81 sites, including rivers, wadeable streams, lakes and various terrestrial ecosystems, freshwater and terrestrial field sites across 20 ecoclimatic Domains of the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. From tropical forests and desert habitats to tiny streams and lake environments, each Domain represents a region with distinct landforms, vegetation, climate and ecosystem dynamics. Where possible, aquatic and terrestrial sites in the same Domain have been located near one another to support an understanding of the linkages between the two ecosystems and their interactions with the atmosphere.

All archived samples are available upon request, and related data are publicly available through the NEON Data Portal [neonscience.org].

U.S. map showing 2023 NEON field sites.
NEON collects data from sites across the United States strategically selected to represent 20 eco-climatic domains, which include distinct landforms, vegetation, climate and ecosystem processes.

Credit: NEON operated by Battelle

Resources available to researchers

NEON collects over 180 data products, including biological, atmospheric, hydrologic and geographic measurements and observations. In addition to the data and samples, NEON provides several resources to enable communities to use those data and samples and to add their measurements to complement those provided by NEON.

Biorepository

Find data on archived physical samples and information on requesting a loan from NEON Biorepository at Arizona State University, NEON's primary sample and specimen collection.

Data Portal

Access all of NEON's data products, including physical samples, water quality, energy fluxes and more. Data are free and open to all.

Code Hub

Find software and code from both NEON and the NEON community that can make working with NEON data easier.

Learning Hub

Explore self-paced data tutorials, teaching modules and NEON-related code resources. 

Research Support Services

Use NEON infrastructure, site coordination, and a labor pool of field ecologists, engineering and science staff for research projects and other activities. See how other scientists have leveraged NEON in their funded proposals here at neonscience.org.

NEON Document Library

Explore documents that provide reference information about NEON sites, sensors, data collection and processing methods.

Workshops and Courses

Participate in NEON-facilitated workshops and find short courses led by the NEON community that provide in-depth training in a particular field.

Internship opportunities

NEON partners with colleges, universities and other organizations to provide on-site and remote internship opportunities for students and recent graduates to work with NEON technologies and data.

Interns can also receive hands-on training in field collection methods and participate in NEON data collection alongside field scientists.

Eight smiling interns posing in and on a white pickup truck in a field of yellow flowers with a bright blue sky overhead.

The Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) encourages proposals that leverage NEON resources, including publicly available data through NEON's data portal, biological specimens and soil samples.

Program
Next Required Due Date: Proposals Accepted Anytime
Supports research and training on evolutionary and ecological processes acting at the level of populations, species, communities, ecosystems, macrosystems and biogeographic extents.
Posted February 14, 2024
Program
Next Required Due Date: Proposals Accepted Anytime
Supports research and training on the structure and function of organisms. Core areas supported include development, behavior, neuroscience, physiology, biomechanics and morphology, microbiology, virology and immunology, and plant and animal genomics.
Posted February 16, 2024
Program
Next Required Due Date: Proposals Accepted Anytime
Supports research on living systems at the molecular, subcellular and cellular levels. Core areas supported include cellular dynamics and function, genetic mechanisms, molecular biophysics, and systems and synthetic biology.
Posted February 13, 2024
Dear Colleague Letter
Next Required Due Date: See letter for details
Encourages research that uses/reuses long-term environmental data to advance understanding of ecological and evolutionary questions.
Posted April 24, 2024
Dear Colleague Letter
Next Required Due Date: See letter for details
Encourages projects that leverage scientific collections and collections-associated data to maximize the research, training and education opportunities within and across STEM disciplines.
Posted March 18, 2024
Program
A new track in the PRFB program supports postdoctoral fellows using large data, such as those from the National Ecological Observation Network, and innovative approaches, including AI, machine learning and modeling.
Posted August 8, 2024
Program
Next Required Due Date: Proposals Accepted Anytime
Supports networks that foster communication and new collaborations among scientists, engineers and educators who share a common interest in a new or developing area of science or engineering.
Posted December 12, 2022