A major new global data system is transforming how scientists access ecosystem flux data — and Australia’s OzFlux community, through TERN, is at the heart of it. The FLUXNET Shuttle gives researchers worldwide seamless, FAIR access to standardised eddy covariance data from more than 700 sites across six continents, representing a threefold increase on the landmark FLUXNET2015 dataset.
The global FLUXNET community has launched the FLUXNET Shuttle, a new tool within the FLUXNET Data System that consolidates data from participating regional eddy covariance networks across North America, South America, Europe, Australasia, Asia and Africa into a single access point. The system was built through close collaboration across the international community, with particularly strong contributions from AmeriFlux, ICOS and TERN, and data collection and preparation led by ChinaFLUX, European Fluxes Database, KoFlux, JapanFlux and SAEON.
The new system moves away from the model of infrequent, large-scale data releases — a process that relied on a small number of individuals and could only happen occasionally — towards a more inclusive approach in which hubs around the world share responsibility for continuous updates. The result is a living, growing dataset that is more robust, current and globally representative than ever before.
All this builds on the legacy of FLUXNET2015 and on common processing approaches, including ONEFlux — an open-access code family developed over the past decade through collaboration and exchange among networks.
“A dataset like this, which now includes three times as many sites as FLUXNET2015 — more than 700 sites and almost 6,000 site-years of data — covers the world much better. This really allows analysis at a global scale and helps reduce bias in the observations.”
Dario Papale
Director, ICOS Ecosystem Thematic Centre
Regional clusters feed the FLUXNET Shuttle
Each regional FLUXNET cluster maintains its own data portal for local users while curating a FLUXNET basket of standardised data that flows into the global Shuttle, producing a single citable dataset.
Adapted fromThe FLUXNET Shuttle has been in the planning for many years and follows the line presented by Dario Papale in 2020. Papale, D. (2020). Ideas and perspectives: Enhancing the impact of the FLUXNET network of eddy covariance sites. Biogeosciences, 17, 5587–5598. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-5587-2020
What can researchers do with this data?
The FLUXNET Shuttle opens up an unprecedented volume of standardised, quality-checked flux data for a wide range of scientific and applied uses. Researchers can:
Evaluate and calibrate land-surface and climate models against observed carbon, water and energy fluxes at ecosystem scale.
Validate satellite remote sensing products for vegetation productivity, evapotranspiration and carbon exchange.
Conduct global and continental meta-analyses of ecosystem responses to climate variability and extreme events.
Support emerging fields such as carbon farming, nature-based solutions and biodiversity science with long-term observational data.
Use real-world flux data in education and training for the next generation of ecosystem scientists.
“We hope to reach the remote sensing community, all kinds of modellers, ecologists, and emerging communities such as those working with carbon farming or nature-based solutions. Of course, we hope this data will also be found by the education community, as well as scientists working on biodiversity.”
Dario Papale
Expanding data access for global and regional communities
For users, the FLUXNET Shuttle and existing regional data portals serve complementary purposes.
Remain the primary access point for users who need data from a specific geographical area, who want detailed site information and contact details, or who wish to get in touch with their regional network directly.
Provides broader global coverage, spanning far more sites and regions than any individual network.
The FLUXNET Data System, first introduced at the end of 2025, became fully operational in April 2026. Development is ongoing: more sites are expected to be added, processing will continue to improve, and outreach to new user communities is actively underway.
Data citation: recognising the people behind the data
When using FLUXNET data in scientific publications, users are required to cite and acknowledge both the FLUXNET Shuttle and the contributing regional networks, in the same way they would when downloading data directly from regional portals. The Shuttle makes this easy by providing a ready-made citation that can be copied directly into technical and scientific manuscripts.
Proper citation is a critical part of recognising the work of data providers and sustaining the wider community and its infrastructure.
“It is important that the efforts of data producers are recognised through proper citation. As a community, we must be very careful to check journals and make sure that this is respected.”
Dario Papale
TERN and the OzFlux community: Australia’s contribution
Australia’s participation in the FLUXNET Shuttle has been made possible through TERN’s Ecosystem Processes capability, led by TERN’s key operating partner James Cook University. The following TERN – OzFlux staff deserve special recognition for their work in preparing Australian and New Zealand data for the global system:
Flux data processing
Peter Isaac
Flux data processing
Cacilia Ewens
Flux data processing
Ian McHugh
Flux data processing
Metadata
Yoko Ishida
Metadata processing
FLUXNET representation
Caitlin Moore
Australian representative on the FLUXNET publication team
Stefan Arendt
Australian representative to the FLUXNET committee
Data contributors
All TERN flux site personnel (since 2015)
Contributed flux data
OzFlux community
Contributed flux data
The TERN Data Services and Analytics capability has also supported the FLUXNET Shuttle, particularly through the provision of technical expertise.
Is your network ready to join the FLUXNET Shuttle?
The FLUXNET community is actively inviting other regional networks to participate in the FLUXNET Shuttle. Joining the system means your network’s data becomes part of the world’s most comprehensive eddy covariance archive, discoverable and accessible by researchers globally. If your network is interested in contributing, please reach out to the FLUXNET coordination team to start the conversation.
Email data@fluxnet.orgTERN Australia acknowledges ICOS for its generosity in providing the core text of this story and inviting us to share it with our community.