Data Reporting Formats

Make your data more discoverable and usable by selecting the type of data you collect from the list below. Then read documentation to learn how to follow the most up-to-date reporting formats.

The DOE's Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research program supported the development of the data reporting formats.
Each reporting format has documentation hosted on both GitBook and Github. Content is exactly the same on both platforms; however, the GitBook interface is generally more user-friendly, while on GitHub visitors can more easily submit comments and suggestions thorough GitHub issues. Additionally, for ease of access to the reporting format templates, links to the respective templates are linked with each reporting format table. 
Which type of data are you collecting or archiving?
Relevant Reporting Format
All data types
​File Level Metadata​
Data stored in Comma-Separated Value (CSV) files
​CSV Reporting Format​
Samples of any type
​Sample ID and Metadata Reporting Format​
Soil respiration
​Soil Respiration Reporting Format​
Leaf-level gas exchange
​Leaf-level Gas Exchange Reporting Format​
Hydrologic monitoring
​Hydrologic Monitoring Reporting Format​
Water and soil chemistry
​Water and Soil Chemistry Reporting Format​
16S amplicon sequencing
​Amplicon Sequencing Reporting Format​
Model data
​Model Data Archiving Guidelines​
Location metadata
​Location metadata Reporting Format​
Unoccupied Aerial System data
​UAS Reporting Format​
File Level Metadata
File Level Metadata
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Provide metadata for each data file uploaded to ESS-DIVE
Who should use
Anyone submitting files to ESS-DIVE, regardless of file type
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook; FLMD and DD Templates
Authors
Terri Velliquette; Ranjeet Devarakonda; Jessica N. Welch; Michael Crow; Susan Heinz
Institution
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
CSV File Structure
CSV File Structure
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Guidance for formatting CSV files submitted to ESS-DIVE
Who should use
Anyone submitting tabular data stored in CSV files to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook​
Authors
Terri Velliquette; Ranjeet Devarakonda; Jessica N. Welch; Michael Crow; Susan Heinz
Institution
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Sample ID Metadata
Sample ID Metadata
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Provide guidelines for assigning sample identifiers, describing sample collection details, and linking samples to related data in ESS-DIVE and elsewhere
Who should use
Anyone submitting biological and/or environmental sample data to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook; Template​
Authors
Joan Damerow
Institution
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Soil Respiration
Soil Respiration
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Guidance for structuring data and metadata for soil respiration observations
Who should use
Anyone submitting soil respiration data to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook; Templates​
Authors
Ben Bond-Lamberty and Stephanie Pennington
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Leaf-level Gas Exchange
Leaf-level Gas Exchange
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Provides guidance for leaf-level gas exchange data and metadata
Who should use
Anyone submitting leaf gas exchange data to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook; Templates​
Authors
Kim Ely and Alistair Rogers
Institution
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Hydrologic Monitoring
Hydrologic Monitoring
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Guidance for reporting metrics such as water level, temperature, conductivity and more.
Who should use
Anyone submitting hydrologic monitoring data to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook; Templates​
Authors
Amy Goldman
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Water and Soil Chemistry
Water and Soil Chemistry
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Provide guidance to format chemical concentration data for water, soil and sediment
Who should use
Anyone submitting water soil chemistry data to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook; Templates​
Authors
Kristin Boye
Institution
SLAC National Accelerator Lab
16S Amplicon Sequencing
Sample ID Metadata
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Provide guidance for scientists producing 16S abundance data products
Who should use
Anyone submitting 16S amplicon abundance tables to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook; Templates​
Authors
Pamela Weisenhorn
Institution
Argonne National Lab
Model Data Archiving
Sample 
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Provide guidance to structure model data submissions
Who should use
Anyone submitting model data to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook​
Authors
Maegen Simmons
Institution
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Location metadata
Location
Status: READY TO USE
Purpose
Provide recommendations about describing research locations
Who should use
Researchers submitting data about locations to ESS-DIVE
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook; Templates​
Authors
Rob Crystal-Ornelas
Institution
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Unoccupied Aerial System data
UAS Data
Status: IN DEVELOPMENT
Purpose
Data formatting recommendations for UAS
Who should use
Researchers collecting and formatting UAS data
Documentation
​GitHub or GitBook (Coming soon)
Authors
Kim Ely and Shawn Serbin
Institution
Brookhaven National Lab

Location	Status: READY TO USE
Purpose	Provide recommendations about describing research locations
Who should use	Researchers submitting data about locations to ESS-DIVE
Documentation	GitHub or GitBook; Templates
Authors	Rob Crystal-Ornelas
Institution	Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

UAS Data	Status: IN DEVELOPMENT
Purpose	Data formatting recommendations for UAS
Who should use	Researchers collecting and formatting UAS data
Documentation	GitHub or GitBook (Coming soon)
Authors	Kim Ely and Shawn Serbin
Institution	Brookhaven National Lab

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Which type of data are you collecting or archiving?	Relevant Reporting Format
All data types	File Level Metadata
Data stored in Comma-Separated Value (CSV) files	CSV Reporting Format
Samples of any type	Sample ID and Metadata Reporting Format
Soil respiration	Soil Respiration Reporting Format
Leaf-level gas exchange	Leaf-level Gas Exchange Reporting Format
Hydrologic monitoring	Hydrologic Monitoring Reporting Format
Water and soil chemistry	Water and Soil Chemistry Reporting Format
16S amplicon sequencing	Amplicon Sequencing Reporting Format
Model data	Model Data Archiving Guidelines
Location metadata	Location metadata Reporting Format
Unoccupied Aerial System data	UAS Reporting Format

File Level Metadata	Status: READY TO USE
Purpose	Provide metadata for each data file uploaded to ESS-DIVE
Who should use	Anyone submitting files to ESS-DIVE, regardless of file type
Documentation	GitHub or GitBook; FLMD and DD Templates
Authors	Terri Velliquette; Ranjeet Devarakonda; Jessica N. Welch; Michael Crow; Susan Heinz
Institution	Oak Ridge National Laboratory

CSV File Structure	Status: READY TO USE
Purpose	Guidance for formatting CSV files submitted to ESS-DIVE
Who should use	Anyone submitting tabular data stored in CSV files to ESS-DIVE
Documentation	GitHub or GitBook
Authors	Terri Velliquette; Ranjeet Devarakonda; Jessica N. Welch; Michael Crow; Susan Heinz
Institution	Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Sample ID Metadata	Status: READY TO USE
Purpose	Provide guidelines for assigning sample identifiers, describing sample collection details, and linking samples to related data in ESS-DIVE and elsewhere
Who should use	Anyone submitting biological and/or environmental sample data to ESS-DIVE
Documentation	GitHub or GitBook; Template
Authors	Joan Damerow
Institution	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Sample	Status: READY TO USE
Purpose	Provide guidance to structure model data submissions
Who should use	Anyone submitting model data to ESS-DIVE
Documentation	GitHub or GitBook
Authors	Maegen Simmons
Institution	Lawrence Berkeley National Lab