Introduction | Contacts | Purpose | Site Description | Measurements | DEM | Pictures

Site Description

The Daly River Uncleared flux tower site is located in the Douglas River Daly River Esplanade Conservation area, approximately 60 km south west of Pine Creek, Northern Territory (GPS coordinates: -14.1592, 131.3881).

The flux tower site is classified as a Woodland savanna. The overstory is co dominated by tree species E. tetrodonta, C. latifolia, Terminalia grandiflora, Sorghum sp. and Heteropogon triticeus. Average canopy height measures 16.4 m. Elevation of the site is close to 110m and mean annual precipitation at a nearby Bureau of Meteorology site is 1170mm.

Maximum temperatures range from 37.5°C (in October) to 31.2°C (in June), while minimum temperatures range from 12.6°C (in July) to 23.8°C (in January). Maximum temperatures range seasonally by 6.3°C and minimum temperatures by 11.2°C.

The instrument mast is 23 meters tall. Heat, water vapour and carbon dioxide measurements are taken using the open-path eddy flux technique. Temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, incoming and reflected shortwave radiation and net radiation are measured above the canopy.

Ancillary measurements taken at the site include LAI, leaf-scale physiological properties (gas exchange, leaf isotope ratios, N and chlorophyll concentrations), vegetation optical properties and soil physical properties. Airborne based remote sensing (Lidar and hyperspectral measurements) was carried out across the transect in September 2008.