SuperSites

Daintree Rainforest SuperSite

TERN’s affiliate Daintree Rainforest SuperSite is comprised of two field sites.  The primary site is at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory (DRO) at Cape Tribulation. It comprises a long-term monitoring site, canopy crane and extensive researcher and teaching infrastructure. Nearby is the Daintree Discovery Centre site at Cow Bay, an ecotourism interpretive centre featuring a canopy tower, flux tower, aerial walkway and scientific monitoring. The sites are located about 120 km north of Cairns, Queensland.

Site Infrastructure & Characteristics

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SuperSite Research Infrastructure

Daintree Rainforest Observatory

  • Canopy crane
  • Weather station
  • 1 ha core plot
  • Gauging station
  • Soil water content, soil water potential, soil temperature sensors
  • Logging dendrometer bands
  • Faunacams
  • Sap flow system
  • Groundwater logging bores (3)
  • Rainout shelter
  • Comprehensive herbarium and insect collections for identifications

 

Daintree Discovery Centre

  • Eddy covariance flux tower
  • Weather station
  • 1 ha core plot
  • Phenocams (1 above canopy)
  • Soil water content, soil temperature sensors
  • Sap flow system
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SuperSite Details

Daintree Rainforest Observatory

  • Vegetation type: Complex Mesophyll Vine Forest (CMVF) 20 – 35 m canopy
  • Elevation: 65 m
  • Rainfall: ~5143 mm/yr
  • Mean Temperature: 24.4°C
  • Soils: acidic, dystrophic, brown dermosol and colluvial gravels

 

Daintree Discovery Centre

  • Vegetation type: Complex Mesophyll Vine Forest (CMVF) 20 – 35 m canopy
  • Elevation: 86 m
  • Rainfall:~4425 mm/yr
  • Mean Temperature: 24.0 °C
  • Soils: acidic, dystrophic, brown dermosol

Site Research

Research using the Daintree Rainforest SuperSite aims to:

Site Partners

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Research Publications

Since its inception, TERN’s infrastructure has enabled the publication of more than 1600 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles or books.