Department of Biological Sciences and the Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46656, USA.
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
Sensors (Basel). 2021 Dec 27;22(1):148. doi: 10.3390/s22010148.
Soil temperatures play an important role in determining the distribution and function of organisms. However, soil temperature is decoupled from air temperature and varies widely in space. Characterizing and predicting soil temperature requires large and expensive networks of data loggers. We developed an open-source soil temperature data logger and created online resources to ensure our design was accessible. We tested data loggers constructed by students, with little prior electronics experience, in the lab, and in the field in Alaska. The do-it-yourself (DIY) data logger was comparably accurate to a commercial system with a mean absolute error of 2% from -20-0 °C and 1% from 0-20 °C. They captured accurate soil temperature data and performed reliably in the field with less than 10% failing in the first year of deployment. The DIY loggers were ~1.7-7 times less expensive than commercial systems. This work has the potential to increase the spatial resolution of soil temperature monitoring and serve as a powerful educational tool. The DIY soil temperature data logger will reduce data collection costs and improve our understanding of species distributions and ecological processes. It also provides an educational resource to enhance STEM, accessibility, inclusivity, and engagement.
土壤温度在决定生物的分布和功能方面起着重要作用。然而，土壤温度与空气温度解耦，并且在空间上变化很大。要描述和预测土壤温度，需要大量昂贵的数据记录器网络。我们开发了一个开源的土壤温度数据记录器，并创建了在线资源，以确保我们的设计是可访问的。我们在实验室和阿拉斯加的野外测试了由几乎没有电子经验的学生构建的数据记录器。DIY 数据记录器与商业系统相比具有相当的准确性，在-20-0°C 范围内的平均绝对误差为 2%，在 0-20°C 范围内的平均绝对误差为 1%。它们能够捕获准确的土壤温度数据，并在野外可靠地运行，第一年部署的失败率不到 10%。DIY 记录器的价格比商业系统便宜 1.7-7 倍左右。这项工作有可能提高土壤温度监测的空间分辨率，并成为一种强大的教育工具。DIY 土壤温度数据记录器将降低数据收集成本，并提高我们对物种分布和生态过程的理解。它还提供了一个教育资源，以增强 STEM、可及性、包容性和参与度。
