> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ess-dive.lbl.gov/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ess-dive.lbl.gov/contributing-data/package-level-metadata.md). # Metadata Requirements ESS-DIVE’s dataset metadata requirements allow you to fully describe your dataset to FAIR standards so that others can more easily find and use relevant data from dataset searches. Metadata for each dataset submitted should meet the stated guidelines and requirements in the tables below. Metadata completeness will be assessed during the dataset publication process using both **automated** and **manual** review workflows. Ensuring that your dataset has complete metadata before requesting publication will expedite the publication process. #### Notice: Controlled and Prohibited Information ESS-DIVE will not accept any datasets that include [controlled and prohibited information categories](https://commons.lbl.gov/display/rpm2/Controlled+and+Prohibited+Information+Categories) (section D.2), such as Protected Information (i.e., Personally Identifiable Information \[PII] and Protected Health Information \[PHI]).

Examples of Protected Information (PII and PHI)

* Social Security numbers * Driver's license numbers * Health information with personal identifiers * The individual's past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition See [Section F. Definitions/Acronyms](https://commons.lbl.gov/display/rpm2/Controlled+and+Prohibited+Information+Categories#ControlledandProhibitedInformationCategories--1898802862) for a detailed list of examples.

{% columns %} {% column %} #### Submit *\* fields required to create a dataset* Create and save a new private dataset. Edit and collaborate with other contributors. {% endcolumn %} {% column %} #### Publish *† fields* *required to publish a dataset* The dataset is complete and ready for review and public release. This requires more fields to be completed. {% endcolumn %} {% endcolumns %} |

Overview

People

Dates

Start Date†
End Date

Locations

Methods†

| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

Automated Checks

A set of **automated checks** are performed whenever a dataset is submitted. The results of these checks are compiled into an [**Assessment Report**](/publish-data/check-dataset-metadata-quality.md) and used in the review process. Failed automated checks or warnings should be addressed by the dataset submitter before requesting publication. Please note that assessment reports can take minutes, or up to 24 hours, to generate.

JSON-LD Fields

Datasets that are created or edited using the [Dataset API](/programmatic-tools/ess-dive-dataset-api.md) must use the [JSON-LD](https://json-ld.org/) schema. The JSON-LD rows indicates what each metadata field looks like in the JSON-LD schema.

## Overview ### Title\*†


Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`name`
Description	A brief but meaningful title for the data package.
Guidelines	Title is between 7-40 words. Recommended to keep below 20 unless absolutely necessary. (Included in Automated Checks) Does not contain any acronyms that are not explained elsewhere (eg. in the abstract). Includes data's geographic location. Describes data's time frame.
Example	Raw sapflow and soil moisture data from January 2016-April 2016 in Manaus, Brazil
Requirement Level	Needed for both submission and publication.

### Alternate Identifier


Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`alternateName`
Description	If this dataset has been previously published elsewhere, enter the DOI or alternate identifier. Identifiers are used to locate the dataset within your project's data management system and can provide pertinent contextual information for users.
Guidelines	Any DOIs should direct to dataset and not manuscripts. Manuscripts should be put in Related References. Ensure the identifier correctly leads to the dataset that you are submitting
Example	spruce.055
Requirement Level	Optional

### Abstract\*†


Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`description`
Description	A concise description of the purpose and content of the data package.
Guidelines	More than 100 words. (Included in Automated Checks) Clear and concise, written in complete sentences. ¹Describe the content of the dataset, and provide all necessary scientific context. Includes adequate detail so that people who have not written related manuscripts could still understand the dataset. ²Includes statement about the purpose of the data's generation. Includes definitions of acronyms. ³Describes the files uploaded, including source of data, software needed to view the files, location descriptions, ecosystem type involved, measurement type, etc. Any mentioned publications are cited in Related References
Example	The superscripts located throughout the example below demonstrates successful application of applicable criteria listed in the guidelines
Requirement Level	Required for submission and publication.

Abstract Example

> This data package contains raw data, data output, and code of photosynthetic temperature response curves from tropical forests^**1**. Data are used in "Photosynthetic responses to temperature across the tropics: a meta-analytic approach". The research investigates how photosynthetic optimum temperatures and shapes of photosynthetic temperature response curves varies across tropical forest climates and growth conditions^**2**. Growth climate variables include mean annual temperature, max and max temperature, diurnal temperature range, and aridity index. Meta-analysis combines 18 datasets with representation from Africa, Oceana, North American, and South America. Growth conditions analyzed considers deciduousness, successional status, light conditions, and whether plants are grown in situ or ex situ. All files, except for the raw datafile (Tropical\_MetaAnalysis\_Master\_3.8.22\_Edit.csv), have been processed using R code, which is provided^**3**. Carter K ; Cavaleri M ; Atkin O ; Bloomfield K ; Bahar N ; Cheesman A ; Choury Z ; Crous K ; Doughty C ; Dusenge M ; Ely K ; Evans J ; Fonseca da Silva J ; Mau A ; Meir P ; Medlyn B ; Norby R ; Read J ; Reed S ; Reich P ; Rogers A ; Schwartz E ; Serbin S ; Slot M ; Tribuzy E ; Uddling J ; Vårhammar A ; Walker A ; Winter K ; Wood T ; Wu J (2025): Data for Photosynthetic responses to temperature across the tropics: a meta-analytic approach. Effects of Hurricane Disturbance and Increased Temperature on Carbon Cycling and Storage of a Puerto Rican Forest: A Mechanistic Investigation of Above- and Belowground Processes, ESS-DIVE repository. Dataset. doi:10.15485/2513897 accessed via on 2026-06-15

### Keywords\*†


Format	GCMD Keywords, CF Variables, OR Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`keywords`
Description	Keywords should be associated with its data package to enable thematic searches. As you begin typing in the web form field, GCMD controlled vocabulary terms will appear in a dropdown list. Selecting from the GCMD controlled keywords where possible is encouraged but not required. You can also enter your own keywords.
Guidelines	At least three keywords or variables that improve findability (Included in Automated Checks) Keywords are different from the terms in the dataset title (Included in Automated Checks)
Example	Earth Science Land Surface EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS > RESPIRATION RATE EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > SOILS > SOIL DEPTH
Requirement Level	Needed for both submission and publication.

### Data Variables


Format	GCMD Keywords or Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`variableMeasured`
Description	Add variables present in the data package to increase the findability of your dataset in searches. Similarly to the keywords field, selecting variable terms from GCMD controlled vocabulary where possible is encouraged but not required.
Guidelines	At least three keywords or variables that improve findability (Included in Automated Checks) Variables are different from the terms in the dataset title
Example	Soil Moisture EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE > SURFACE TEMPERATURE
Requirement Level	Optional, combined with Keywords

### Publication Date†


Format	YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD
JSON-LD Field	`datePublished`
Description	The year or date that the dataset is published. If this is not specified, it will default to the current date. This metadata field does not influence the actual timeline of publication. If your dataset has been published elsewhere, specify the date or year it was originally published.
Guidelines	Publication date included (Included in Automated Checks) Date reflects actual year of publication For existing publications, matches original publication date
Example	2019 2019-04-19
Requirement Level	Required for publication

### Usage Rights\*†


Format	Controlled list
JSON-LD Field	`license`
Description	Choose how you wish your data to be shared and reused. Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) requires that the dataset be cited by anyone using the data. Creative Commons Public Domain (CC BY 1.0) dedicates the data to the public domain without restriction. When using the API, enter the URL for the selected CC BY license.
Guidelines	Select one of the two options Usage rights is set to Creative Commons CC-BY license by default (Included in Automated Checks)
Example	Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) Creative Commons Public Domain (CC BY 1.0)
Requirement Level	Required for submission and publication

### Project\*† #### Online Form only


Format	Controlled List
JSON-LD Field	`provider`
Description	The DOE project that funded the generation of this data. Only one project is allowed. If multiple projects were involved, enter the project that had the largest contribution to this dataset.
Guidelines	Select the DOE project name from the drop down list, which will appear when you start typing in the project name or Principal Investigator (PI) name. The project name in within ESS-DIVE's controlled list (Included in Automated Checks)
Example	Soil Carbon Biogeochemistry
Requirement Level	Required for submission and publication

#### API Only


Format	Value
Description	Enter the project ID into the JSON-LD field. Written project names will not be accepted. Look up your project ID using ESS-DIVE's Project List. If multiple projects were involved, enter the project that had the largest contribution to this dataset.
Example	`1e6d50d3-9532-43fb-a63f-bdcb4350bf0c`
JSON-LD Field	`provider = { "identifier": { "@type": "PropertyValue", "propertyID": "ess-dive", "value": "<Project ID>" }`

### Funding Organization\*†


Format	Controlled List or Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`funder`
Description	List the organizations that funded the work.
Guidelines	When using the web form, you can choose from the drop down list as you begin to enter the funding organization. Funding organization "U.S. DOE > Office of Science > Biological and Environmental Research (BER)" is present, if applicable (Included in Automated Checks)
Example	U.S. DOE > Office of Science > Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Requirement Level	Required for submission and publication

### DOE Contracts


Format	Controlled List or Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`award`
Description	List the numbers of any DOE contract under which the data in the package was funded.
Guidelines	Select the relevant DOE contract from the drop down list, which will appear when you start typing in the contract number Or write in the applicable DOE contract number If the dataset is a result of a joint effort between two or more DOE Site/Facility Management Contractors, etc., additional DOE contract numbers may be entered.
Example	AC0205CH11231
Requirement Level	Optional

### Related References


Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`citation`
Description	Include the full citations and DOIs of datasets or publications associated with your dataset and those that are directly mentioned in the metadata (such as in the Abstract or Methods). These related materials allow users to learn more about the dataset, processing methods, or how the data were used.
Guidelines	Citations to related manuscripts located anywhere in the metadata should be entered in this field DOIs should resolve Leave placeholders for incomplete manuscripts and ensure they are updated later
Example	Crystal-Ornelas, R., Varadharajan, C., O’Ryan, D. et al. Enabling FAIR data in Earth and environmental science with community-centric (meta)data reporting formats. Sci Data 9, 700 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01606-w
Requirement Level	Optional

## People ### Contact\*†


Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`editor`
Description	List the singular person who should be contacted by users seeking further information for the data. Only one contact is allowed. If no contact is provided, the person creating the dataset will be listed as the contact by default.
Guidelines	Contact is present (Included in Automated Checks) Contact ORCID and email are required (Included in Automated Checks)
Example	John, Doe, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, jdoe@lbl.gov, https://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0000
Requirement Level	Required for submission and publication

### Creators\*†


Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`creator`
Description	Include the main researchers involved in producing the data such as authors, owners, originators, and principal investigators.
Guidelines	Include all researchers involved with the data production Researchers are listed in the order they appear in the citation Author emails are required Author ORCIDs are highly encouraged, but not required
Example	John, Doe, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, jdoe@lbl.gov, https://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0000
Requirement Level	Required for submission and publication

### Contributors


Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`contributor`
Description	List any additional contributors involved in producing the data. These may include people who assisted in creating the dataset but are not considered authors. Contributors will not appear in the data citation.
Guidelines	Contributor emails are required Contributor ORCIDs are highly encouraged, but not required
Example	John, Doe, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, jdoe@lbl.gov, https://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0000
Requirement Level	Optional

## Dates ### Start Date†


Format	YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD
JSON-LD Field	`temporalCoverage`
Description	Earliest date of data collection included in the dataset.
Guidelines	Start date is present (Included in Automated Checks)
Example	2017-04-16
Requirement Level	Required for publication

### End Date


Format	YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD
JSON-LD Field	`temporalCoverage`
Description	Last date of data collection included in the dataset.
Guidelines	End date is present (Included in Automated Checks) This field can be left blank if your dataset is open ended
Example	2019-07-13
Requirement Level	Optional, strongly recommended if relevant

## Locations ### Geographic Description†


Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`spatialCoverage/description`
Description	A short description of the location(s) where data was collected. A complete geographic description will increase the findability of your dataset, as all terms entered are searchable through the data portal.
Guidelines	This may include the location name, known identifiers if associated with a specific project (e.g. Ameriflux site name), and ecosystem type involved. Multiple geographic descriptions can be added if necessary.
Example	Br-Ma2, Manaus, Brazil: ZF2 K34 Tower. Eddy covariance site established in 1999 on kilometer 34 of the ZF2 highway. It was later expanded into an atmospheric and soil sampling hub. It is a 1.5m x 2.5 m- section aluminum tower, 50 m tall, on a medium-sized plateau (Araujo et al., 2002).
Requirement Level	Required for publication

### Bounding Box Coordinates†


Format	Latitude and Longitude in WGS 84 decimal degrees
JSON-LD Field	`spatialCoverage`
Description	Latitude (-90 to 90) and Longitude (-180 to 180) of the location(s) this data represent in WGS84 decimal format.
Guidelines	Latitude should be between -90 and 90, while Longitude is between -180 and 180. At least one coordinate pair present. Enter only one coordinate pair for a single point and bounding box coordinates for non-point locations. If the data location is better represented by a shape, you may additionally include a KML file in the file uploads. Coordinates describing the point location or geographic area of the dataset are present and match the data, if applicable (Included in Automated Checks)
Example	North: 9.28087 degrees South: 9.09918 degrees East: -79.821 degrees West: -79.9747 degrees
Requirement Level	Required for publication

## Methods†

Title	Title
Format	Free Text
JSON-LD Field	`measurementTechnique`
Description	Methods for a dataset should focus on all aspects of dataset production and should be thorough enough for your work to be reproduced. A complete methods section will improve findability of your data, as all text entered into methods will also be searchable for users through the data portal filters. When referring to methods published elsewhere, the dataset methods should include the methodology specific to data collection, processing, and QA/QC.
Guidelines	Include descriptions of the experimental design, laboratory and/or field collection methods (e.g. observations and/or devices used), source data for synthesis studies, data processing, and QA/QC procedures, and known issues or limitations of data where applicable More than 7 words (Included in Automated Checks) Explain all acronyms if not defined elsewhere in the metadata (e.g. abstract) Any mentioned publications are cited in Related References
Example	An example of a complete methods section can be viewed at: Del Vecchio J ; Thaler E ; Shelef E ; Fratkin M ; Lathrop E ; Thomas L ; Farley M ; Rowland J (2026): Radiocarbon age at Teller and Kougarok field sites, Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE) Arctic, ESS-DIVE repository. Dataset. doi:10.15485/3363470 accessed via https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/datasets/doi:10.15485/3363470 on 2026-07-24
Requirement Level	Required for publication