Almond Orchard Energy and Mass Flux Measurements in South Australia

Aggregating measurements of energy and mass exchange between the surface and atmosphere from an Almond Orchard in South Australia's Riverland, collected using eddy covariance techniques. The data was recorded from a site established in August 2008 and decommissioned in June 2009, with the orchard planted in 2000 and specific nutrient application rates documented.

Use Cases

• Analyze the relationship between energy flux measurements and orchard characteristics like tree height (5.5 m) and planting spacing (7 m inter-row, 5 m within-row).
• Model mass exchange dynamics using site-specific variables such as topography (slope <1.5°), geographic coordinates (34.47035°S, 140.65512°E), and block size (10 ha).
• Study the impact of documented nutrient application rates (e.g., 551 kg/ha KNO3) and fertigation schedules on surface-atmosphere flux patterns.
• Investigate seasonal flux variations correlated with ground cover management timelines, such as herbicide application in late November.

Strengths

• Data collection spans a defined 10-month period from August 2008 to June 2009.
• Site specifications are detailed, including precise coordinates, block dimensions (200 m by 500 m), and tree planting configurations.
• Agricultural management practices are quantified, such as annual nutrient application rates for four different compounds.

Limitations

• The dataset's temporal coverage is limited to less than one full year.
• Sample data and column structure are unavailable, hindering immediate analysis of specific flux variables.
• Data is from a single geographic site, limiting generalizability to other agricultural or climatic regions.

Provenance

Source

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network's Data Discovery

Collection Method

Measurements collected using eddy covariance techniques from a flux tower.

Time Range

August 2008 to June 2009

Freshness

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Geography

Almond Orchard in South Australia's Riverland at coordinates 34.47035°S, 140.65512°E