Flux Tower Measurements from a Loxton Almond Orchard in 2008-2009

Flux tower measurements of energy and mass exchange between an almond orchard surface and the atmosphere using eddy covariance techniques. Data were processed with PyFluxPro (v3.4.17) to produce a final, gap-filled product including Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE), Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), and Ecosystem Respiration (ER). The site was operational from August 2008 to June 2009.

Use Cases

• Analyze seasonal patterns in Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) to understand carbon dynamics of an irrigated almond orchard.
• Partition gap-filled NEE data into Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Ecosystem Respiration (ER) to model ecosystem carbon fluxes.
• Study the impact of orchard management practices, such as fertigation with specific nutrient rates, on measured energy and mass exchange.
• Use eddy covariance flux data to validate or calibrate land surface models for deciduous broadleaf forest ecosystems.

Strengths

• Data processed with a standardized methodology (PyFluxPro v3.4.17) to produce a final, gap-filled product.
• Provides specific site details including precise coordinates (34.47035 °S, 140.65512 °E), planting layout (7m x 5m spacing), and tree height (5.5m).
• Includes detailed agronomic context such as annual fertigation rates for KNO3 (551 kg/ha), Urea (484 kg/ha), KCl (647 kg/ha), and NH4NO3 (113 kg/ha).

Limitations

• Limited temporal coverage, with data collection spanning only 11 months from August 2008 to June 2009.
• Sample data and column schema are unavailable, making initial data exploration and format assessment difficult.
• The dataset's focus is a single, managed agricultural site, limiting generalizability to natural or other ecosystem types.

Provenance

Source

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network's Data Discovery

Collection Method

Flux tower measurements using eddy covariance techniques, processed with PyFluxPro software.

Time Range

August 2008 to June 2009

Freshness

Data last updated on the platform in March 2026, but the underlying measurements are from 2008-2009.

Geography

A specific almond orchard block near Loxton, South Australia (34.47035 °S, 140.65512 °E).