Alpine Peatland Flux Data Release 2024_v1 

This release consists of flux tower measurements of the exchange of energy and mass between the surface and the atmospheric boundary-layer using eddy covariance techniques. Data were processed using PyFluxPro (v3.4.17) as described by Isaac et al. (2017). PyFluxPro produces a final, gap-filled product with Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) partitioned into Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Ecosystem Respiration (ER).

The Alpine Peatland flux station was established in 2017 at Heathy Spur I, an alpine sphagnum bog on the Bogong High Plains recognised by Parks Victoria as a reference ecosystem for this endangered ecological community. The vegetation is dominated by the peat-forming moss Sphagnum cristatum, as well as typical peatland species including candle heath (Richea continentis), alpine baeckea (Baeckea gunniana) and rope rush (Empodisma minus). The Alpine Peatland tower typically experiences a mild growing season from October to June and 2-3 months of snow cover from July to September. 

We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
The Alpine Peatland Flux site is managed collaboratively by RMIT University and La Trobe University. Infrastructure at the site is on loan from CSIRO and was installed with assistance from Eva van Gorsel, Steve Zegelin and Parks Victoria staff. This site is part of OzFlux Australia. 

The purpose of the Alpine Peatland flux station is to:

• measure the exchange of carbon dioxide, water vapour and energy between an alpine peatland ecosystem and the atmosphere using micrometeorological techniques
• support an understanding of the ecohydrology of a little-studied wetland ecosystem
• support national parks land managers to better understand peatland ecosystem function, specifically in relation to soil carbon sequestration processes, catchment hydrology and evaporation
• support an understanding of the impacts of global warming on ecosystem processes (such as photosynthesis, respiration or changes in ecohydrology)
• provide a contextual basis for understanding patterns of alpine plant and animal biodiversity (e.g. abiotic factors)
• utilise the measurements for parameterising and validating remote sensing measurements over mountain ecosystems
• utilise the measurements for parameterising and validating the Earth System models to better understand the effects of climate change.

 

All flux raw data is subject to the quality control process OzFlux QA/QC to generate data from L1 to L6. Levels 3 to 6 are available for re-use. Datasets contain Quality Controls flags which will indicate when data quality is poor and has been filled from alternative sources. For more details, refer to Isaac et al. (2017).