Since 2004, we continue with the established studying of soil-atmosphere C and N exchanges at varying spatial and temporal scales, most activities taking place at the James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve. The prototype of the automated minirhizotron (AMR) is built, and are deployed coupled with soil sensor arrays at the James Reserve, Sevilleta LTER (U. of New Mexico), and La Selva OTS (Costa Rica). Also at the James Reserve, our work continues with the UCLA Center for Embedded Network Sensing, Networked Infomechanical Systems, and Terrestrial Ecology Observing Systems in providing core infrastructure for the deployment and remote operation of experimental networked instruments and environmental sensor arrays. Spring 2007 marked the initiation of the James Reserve diagnostic testbed as part of the NEON cyberinfrastructure. This entailed the field‐testing and deployment of environmental sensors, a NEON wireless platform, communications, and power systems.

Current projects

Automated mini-rhizotron and arrayed rhizosphere-soil sensors.
Project PIs: Michael F. Allen, Edith B. Allen, James Borneman, Michael P. Hamilton (UC Blue Oak Reserve), & Tom C. Harmon (UC Merced)
Funding Agency: NSF Emerging Frontier (2004-2010)
[Reports and Publications]

Center for Embedded Networked Sensing
Project PIs: Michael F. Allen, John Rotenberry, & G. Darrel Jenerette
Funding Agency: UC Los Angeles/NSF Science & Technology Center (2008-2012)

Soil metabolic variability across a 3000 meter topographic gradient: Understanding the long term consequences of short duration dynamics.
Project PIs: G. Darrel Jenerette & Michael F. Allen
Funding Agency: UC Kearney Foundation of Soil Science (2009-2012)

Past projects

Center for Embedded Networked Sensing
Project PIs: Michael P. Hamilton, Michael F. Allen, & John Rotenberry 
Funding Agency: UC Los Angeles/NSF Science & Technology Center (2005-2008)

NEON Diagnostic Testbed and ECI and CI Technology Evaluation
Project PI: Michael P. Hamilton
Funding Agency: NEON/AIBS