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

Site Description

The Cumberland Plains flux station is located in the Hawkesbury Valley in central New South Wales (GPS coordinates: -33.6153, 150.7236).

The forest is classified as dry sclerophyll. The canopy is dominated by Eucalyptus moluccana and Eucalyptus fibrosa, which host an expanding population of mistletoe, and maximum tree height is 23m.

Elevation of the site is 200m and mean annual precipitation is 800mm. The Cumberland Plain Woodland is now an endangered ecological community that encompasses distinct groupings of plants growing on clayey soils.

The instrument mast is 30m tall. Fluxes of water vapour, carbon dioxide and heat are quantified with the open-path eddy flux technique. 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.

Profiles of humidity and CO2 are measured at eight levels within the canopy. Regular monitoring of leaf area index and 10-hr fuel moisture is also performed. Soil moisture content heat fluxes and temperature are also measured.