Eddy Covariance Flux Measurements in Australian Tropical Rainforest

Comprising eddy covariance measurements of energy and mass exchange between the surface and atmosphere in a tropical forest. The data originates from the Robson Creek flux station in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, an upland rainforest with an average tree height of 28 meters and mean annual precipitation of 2000mm. The site is part of a network including monitoring stations at Cape Tribulation and Cow Bay.

Use Cases

• Analyze carbon dioxide flux dynamics in a complex mesophyll vine forest to study carbon sequestration.
• Model the relationship between rainfall, temperature, humidity, and water vapor flux in a high-precipitation tropical environment.
• Investigate the impact of wind speed and wind direction on heat flux measurements from a 40-meter tower.
• Correlate incoming and reflected shortwave radiation with net radiation to understand the forest's energy balance.

Strengths

• Data is collected from a site within the biodiverse and carbon-dense Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
• Measurements are taken from a 40-meter tower, providing above-canopy data for fluxes and supplementary meteorological variables.
• The dataset is part of a broader monitoring network (FNQ Rainforest Site), allowing for comparative regional analysis.

Limitations

• Specific data volume (row count) and column structure are not provided, hindering assessment of analytical scope.
• A known data gap exists from February 14 to February 21, 2019, due to a power supply failure.
• The primary file formats listed (HTML, PNG) suggest the data may not be readily available in a standard, machine-readable tabular format.

Provenance

Source

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network's Data Discovery, with data also available at http://data.ozflux.org.au.

Collection Method

Measurements gathered using open-path eddy covariance techniques from a free-standing flux station.

Time Range

The description notes data corrections for 2015-2018 and a gap in 2019, indicating coverage at least from 2015 onward.

Freshness

Data was last updated in the system on March 20, 2026, and includes corrected records for 2015-2018.

Geography

Robson Creek site in the Lamb Range foothills, Atherton Tablelands, Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Queensland, Australia. Elevation is 711m.