Cumberland Plain Flux Data Collection

This dataset consists of measurements of the exchange of energy and mass between the surface and the atmospheric boundary-layer in dry sclerophyll forest at Cumberland Plain using eddy covariance techniques. The eddy covariance data collected in 2012-2013 includes measurements of turbulent fluxes but not the storage flux of CO2, and the micrometeorological data does not include soil moisture or soil temperature recordings. Beginning in January, 2014, a canopy profile system was implemented, allowing for calculation of the storage term, which is added to the turbulent flux of CO2 to calculate the net ecosystem exchange accurately in records from 2014 onwards. Prior to 2014, the net ecosystem exchange includes only the turbulent flux, and no soil moisture or soil temperature data are available.

The Cumberland Plain flux station is located in a dry sclerophyll forest. The Cumberland Plain Woodland is now an endangered ecological community that encompasses distinct groupings of plants growing on clayey soils. The canopy is dominated by Eucalyptus moluccana and Eucalyptus fibrosa, which host an expanding population of mistletoe. Average canopy height is 23m, the elevation of the site is 20m and mean annual precipitation is 800mm.

Fluxes of water vapour, carbon dioxide and heat are quantified with the open-path eddy flux technique from a 30 m tall mast. Additional measurements above the canopy include temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, rainfall, incoming and reflected shortwave and longwave radiation and net, diffuse and direct radiation and the photochemical reflectance index. In addition, profiles of humidity and CO2 are measured at eight levels within the canopy, as well as measurements of soil moisture content, soil heat fluxes, soil temperature, and 10-hr fuel moisture dynamics. In addition, regular monitoring of understory species abundance, mistletoe infection, leaf area index and litterfall are also performed.
For additional site information, see https://www.tern.org.au/tern-observatory/tern-ecosystem-processes/cumberland-plain-supersite/ .

This data is also available at http://data.ozflux.org.au .

Credit
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 flux station is managed by the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University and was funded by the Education Investment Fund and TERN.

Purpose
The purpose of the Cumberland Plain flux station is:
to quantify the exchanges of carbon dioxide, water vapour and energy in a dry sclerophyll forest.
to characterize the functional behaviour and sensitivity of the different components contributing to the ecosystem carbon balance from sub-daily to multi-annual temporal scales and under climatic variability.
to identify the role of hydraulic limitations on constraining ecosystem productivity.
to quantify the impact of mistletoe on plant physiological processes and whole ecosystem water vapour and carbon dioxide exchange.
to validate remote sensing estimates of different radiation components to obtain accurate regional predictions of fuel moisture.
to understand how wood traits and microbial diversity interact to determine rates of wood decay.