The Research Data Management (RDM) team within the WETSCAPES2.0 project is responsible for ensuring that environmental sensor and field data are systematically retrieved, securely stored, and made accessible for analysis and reuse. Data streams originating from heterogeneous sources—including in situ sensors, laboratory measurements, and external repositories—are harmonized and integrated into centralized infrastructures. Automated retrieval services and standardized interfaces enable efficient access to both real-time and historical datasets, supporting scientific workflows and facilitating cross-site and cross-disciplinary research.

A core responsibility of the RDM team is the implementation of robust data management policies that govern data quality, documentation, access, and sharing. These policies define procedures for metadata annotation, quality control, versioning, and user access rights, ensuring that datasets remain transparent, reproducible, and compliant with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. The team also enables controlled data sharing through web-based platforms and APIs, balancing open science objectives with project-specific requirements, ethical considerations, and data protection regulations.

In addition, the RDM team develops and maintains strategies for long-term data preservation and archiving. This includes the use of sustainable storage solutions, persistent identifiers, and standardized data formats to ensure continued usability beyond the project’s lifetime. By integrating long-term archiving frameworks with operational data systems, the RDM team safeguards the scientific value of WETSCAPES2.0 data assets and supports their reuse by the broader research community in the future.