Sturt Plains Flux Data Collection
This dataset consists of measurements of the exchange of energy and mass between the surface and the atmospheric boundary-layer in Mitchell Grass using eddy covariance techniques.<br /><br /> The site is located on a low lying plain dominated by Mitchell Grass (<em>gen. Astrebla</em>). Elevation of the site is close to 250m and mean annual precipitation at a nearby Bureau of Meteorology site is 640mm. Maximum temperatures range from 28.4°C (in June/ July) to 39.1°C (in December), while minimum temperatures range from 11.2°C (in July) to 24.4°C (in December).<br /><br />The instrument mast is 5 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 and net radiation are measured. Soil heat fluxes are measured and soil moisture content is gathered using time domain reflectometry.<br /><br />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. Biomass Harvest - mean live biomass: 0.00 gm-2 (standard error: 0.00) , mean standing dead biomass: 163.42 gm-2 (standard error: 16.73), mean litter biomass: 148.99 gm-2 (standard error: 21.32), total mean biomass: 312.40 gm-2 (standard error: 30.80), Soil- Clay: 14.47% (volume <1µm), Silt: 51.23% (volume <1µm), Sand: 34.30% (volume <1µm), Sand (>1 µm): 1.02% (total weight).<br /><br />This data is also available at http://data.ozflux.org.au .
Simple
Identification info
- Date (Creation)
- 2008-08-28
- Date (Publication)
- 2021-09-20
- Date (Revision)
- 2025-12-10
- Edition
- 1.0
Publisher
Author
University of Western Australia - Beringer, Jason (Professor)
35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
Crawley
Western Australia
6009
Australia
Author
Charles Darwin University - Hutley, Lindsay (Professor - Environmental Science)
Ellengowan Drive, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0810, Australia
Casuarina
Northern Territory
0810
Australia
Co-author
Charles Darwin University - Northwood, Matthew (Research Officer Land-Atmosphere Program)
Ellengowan Drive, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0810, Australia
Casuarina
Northern Territory
0810
Australia
- Website
- https://www.tern.org.au/
- Purpose
- The purpose of the Sturt Plains Flux Station is to: Provide information as part of a larger network of flux stations established along the North Australian Tropical Transect (NATT) gradient, which extends ~1000km south from Darwin 12.5°S. Examine spatial patterns and processes of land-surface-atmosphere exchanges (radiation, heat, moisture, CO2 and other trace gasses) across scales from leaf to landscape. Determine the climate and ecosystem characteristics (physical structure, species composition, physiological function) that drive spatial and temporal variations of carbon, water and energy fluxes. Determine if fluxes of carbon, water vapour and heat over the various ecosystems as derived from the various measurement techniques can be combined to form a comprehensive and consistent estimate of the regional fluxes and budgets across the landscape. Provide long-term consistent observations of energy, carbon and water exchange between the atmosphere and the ‘top end’ grassland.
- Credit
- We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
- Credit
- The site is managed by the University of Western Australia and Charles Darwin University. The flux station is part of the Australian OzFlux Network and contributes to the international FLUXNET Network.
- Status
- On going
Point of contact
University of Western Australia - Beringer, Jason (Professor)
35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
35 Stirling Highway
Crawley
Western Australia
6009
Australia
Point of contact
Charles Darwin University - Hutley, Lindsay (Professor - Environmental Science)
Ellengowan Drive, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0810, Australia
Ellengowan Drive
Casuarina
Northern Territory
0810
Australia
Point of contact
Charles Darwin University - Northwood, Matthew (Research Officer Land-Atmosphere Program)
Ellengowan Drive, Casuarina, Northern Territory, 0810, Australia
Ellengowan Drive
Casuarina
Northern Territory
0810
Australia
- Topic category
-
- Climatology, meteorology, atmosphere
Extent
- Description
- In Mitchell Grass approximately 280km north of Tennant Creek, Northern Territory
N
S
E
W
))
Temporal extent
- Time period
- 2008-08-28
- Title
- Beringer, Jason et al., 2016. An introduction to the Australian and New Zealand flux tower network – OzFlux. Biogeosciences, 13(21). doi:10.5194/bg-13-5895-2016
- Website
-
Beringer, Jason et al., 2016. An introduction to the Australian and New Zealand flux tower network – OzFlux. Biogeosciences, 13(21). doi:10.5194/bg-13-5895-2016
Related documentation
- Title
- Isaac, Peter et al., 2017. OzFlux data: network integration from collection to curation. Biogeosciences, 14(12). doi:10.5194/bg-14-2903-2017
- Website
-
Isaac, Peter et al., 2017. OzFlux data: network integration from collection to curation. Biogeosciences, 14(12). doi:10.5194/bg-14-2903-2017
Related documentation
- Maintenance and update frequency
- Biannually
- GCMD Science Keywords
-
- BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
- LAND PRODUCTIVITY
- EVAPOTRANSPIRATION
- TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
- ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS
- TURBULENCE
- WIND SPEED
- WIND DIRECTION
- TRACE GASES/TRACE SPECIES
- ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE
- PHOTOSYNTHETICALLY ACTIVE RADIATION
- LONGWAVE RADIATION
- SHORTWAVE RADIATION
- INCOMING SOLAR RADIATION
- HEAT FLUX
- AIR TEMPERATURE
- PRECIPITATION AMOUNT
- HUMIDITY
- SOIL MOISTURE/WATER CONTENT
- SOIL TEMPERATURE
- ANZSRC Fields of Research
- TERN Platform Vocabulary
- TERN Instrument Vocabulary
- TERN Parameter Vocabulary
-
- air temperature
- Degree Celsius
- downward heat flux at ground level in soil
- Watt per Square Metre
- eastward wind
- Metre per Second
- ecosystem respiration
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- gross primary productivity of biomass expressed as carbon
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- magnitude of surface downward stress
- Kilograms per metre per square second
- mass concentration of carbon dioxide in air
- Milligram per Cubic Metre
- mass concentration of water vapor in air
- Gram per Cubic Metre
- mole fraction of carbon dioxide in air
- Micromole per Mole
- mole fraction of water vapor in air
- Millimole per Mole
- Monin-Obukhov length
- Metre
- net ecosystem exchange
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- net ecosystem productivity
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- northward wind
- Metre per Second
- relative humidity
- Percent
- soil temperature
- Degree Celsius
- specific humidity
- Kilogram per Kilogram
- specific humidity saturation deficit in air
- Kilogram per Kilogram
- surface air pressure
- Kilopascal
- surface downwelling longwave flux in air
- Watt per Square Metre
- surface downwelling shortwave flux in air
- Watt per Square Metre
- surface friction velocity
- Metre per Second
- surface net downward radiative flux
- Watt per Square Metre
- surface upward flux of available energy
- Watt per Square Metre
- surface upward latent heat flux
- Watt per Square Metre
- surface upward mole flux of carbon dioxide
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- surface upward sensible heat flux
- Watt per Square Metre
- surface upwelling longwave flux in air
- Watt per Square Metre
- surface upwelling shortwave flux in air
- Watt per Square Metre
- thickness of rainfall amount
- Millimetre
- upward mole flux of carbon dioxide due inferred from storage
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- vertical wind
- Metre per Second
- volume fraction of condensed water in soil
- Cubic Metre per Cubic Metre
- water evapotranspiration flux
- Kilograms per square metre per second
- water vapor partial pressure in air
- Kilopascal
- water vapor saturation deficit in air
- Kilopascal
- wind from direction
- Degree
- wind speed
- Metre per Second
- QUDT Units of Measure
-
- Degree Celsius
- Watt per Square Metre
- Metre per Second
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- Kilograms per metre per square second
- Milligram per Cubic Metre
- Gram per Cubic Metre
- Micromole per Mole
- Millimole per Mole
- Metre
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- Metre per Second
- Percent
- Degree Celsius
- Kilogram per Kilogram
- Kilogram per Kilogram
- Kilopascal
- Watt per Square Metre
- Watt per Square Metre
- Metre per Second
- Watt per Square Metre
- Watt per Square Metre
- Watt per Square Metre
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- Watt per Square Metre
- Watt per Square Metre
- Watt per Square Metre
- Millimetre
- Micromole per Square Metre Second
- Metre per Second
- Cubic Metre per Cubic Metre
- Kilograms per square metre per second
- Kilopascal
- Kilopascal
- Degree
- Metre per Second
- GCMD Horizontal Resolution Ranges
- GCMD Temporal Resolution Ranges
- Keywords (Discipline)
-
- Eddy Covariance
- Mitchell grassland
- AU-Stp
Resource constraints
- Use limitation
- The Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license allows others to copy, distribute, display, and create derivative works provided that they credit the original source and any other nominated parties. Details are provided at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- File name
- 88x31.png
- File description
- CCBy Logo from creativecommons.org
- File type
- png
- Title
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
- Alternate title
- CC-BY
- Edition
- 4.0
- Access constraints
- License
- Use constraints
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
- TERN services are provided on an “as-is” and “as available” basis. Users use any TERN services at their discretion and risk. They will be solely responsible for any damage or loss whatsoever that results from such use including use of any data obtained through TERN and any analysis performed using the TERN infrastructure. <br /><br />Web links to and from external, third party websites should not be construed as implying any relationships with and/or endorsement of the external site or its content by TERN.<br /><br />Please advise any work or publications that use this data via the online form at https://www.tern.org.au/research-publications/#reporting
Resource constraints
- Classification
- Unclassified
Distribution Information
- Distribution format
-
Distributor
Distributor
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, Queensland, 4068, Australia
Indooroopilly
Queensland
4068
Australia
- OnLine resource
- Catalog for NetCDF files
- OnLine resource
- ro-crate-metadata.json
Data quality info
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
- Other
- If the data quality is poor, the data is filled from alternative sources. Filled data can be identified by the Quality Controls flags in the dataset. Quality control checks include (i) range checks for plausible limits, (ii) spike detection, (iii) dependency on other variables and (iv) manual rejection of date ranges. Specific checks applied to the sonic and IRGA data include rejection of points based on the sonic and IRGA diagnostic values and on either automatic gain control (AGC) or CO2 and H2O signal strength, depending upon the configuration of the IRGA. For more details, refer to Isaac et al (2017) in the Publications section, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2903-2017. For further information about the software (PyFluxPro) used to process and quality control the flux data, see https://github.com/OzFlux/PyFluxPro/wiki .
Resource lineage
- Statement
- All flux raw data is subject to the quality control process OzFlux QA/QC to generate data from L1 to L6. Levels 3 to 6 are available for re-use. Datasets contain Quality Controls flags which will indicate when data quality is poor and has been filled from alternative sources. For more details, refer to Isaac et al (2017) in the Publications section, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2903-2017 .
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
Reference System Information
- Reference system identifier
- EPSG/EPSG:4326
- Reference system type
- Geodetic Geographic 2D
Metadata
- Metadata identifier
-
urn:uuid/5ab3f01b-5923-41ea-af27-ce1af58718e6
- Title
- TERN GeoNetwork UUID
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
Point of contact
Type of resource
- Resource scope
- Dataset
- Metadata linkage
-
https://geonetwork.tern.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/5ab3f01b-5923-41ea-af27-ce1af58718e6
Point-of-truth metadata URL
- Date info (Creation)
- 2008-08-28T00:00:00.000000+00:00
- Date info (Revision)
- 2025-12-10T10:24:30.067439+00:00
Metadata standard
- Title
- ISO 19115-1:2014/AMD 1:2018 Geographic information - Metadata - Fundamentals
- Edition
- 1
Metadata standard
- Title
- ISO/TS 19115-3:2016
- Edition
- 1.0
Metadata standard
- Title
- ISO/TS 19157-2:2016
- Edition
- 1.0
- Title
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) Metadata Profile of ISO 19115-3:2016 and ISO 19157-2:2016
- Date (published)
- 2021
- Edition
- 1.0
Identifier
Overviews
Spatial extent
N
S
E
W
Provided by
Associated resources
Not available