FLUXNET2015 Paper Metadata: Canopy Height

(back to FLUXNET2015 Metadata Requirements)

Aim

Provide the canopy height of the vegetation in the tower footprint.

Instructions

Use the FLUXNET2015_GRP_HEIGHTC.csv file emailed to you (previously submitted information is pre-populated)
or download a blank file: FLUXNET2015_GRP_HEIGHTC.csv.
Safari and Chrome users: To download the file, control-click / right click the link, choose “Download Linked File As” or “Save Link As”, and specify a destination.
  • The file has three header rows: 1) Variable name; 2) Required / optional info; 3) Units. Do not change these rows.
  • For units indicated as “LIST( )”, find the options available in the tables below.
  • HEIGHTC, HEIGHTC_STATISTIC, and HEIGHTC_DATE are required. Other variables can also be reported.
  • Please note the definition of HEIGHTC in the table below.
  • Please report the HEIGHTC value for HEIGHTC_STATISTIC = Mean. Other statistics can also be reported.
  • If MS Excel is not being used to view / update the csv files, put quotation marks around entries with commas. MS Excel will automatically adds quotes to csv files when needed.
  • The canopy height metadata will be incorporated into AmeriFlux BADM holdings.

Notes:

  • If you are a PI of multiple sites, you can submit canopy height information for all of your sites in a single file. Submit the file with Site_ID = “other” via the Upload Data > BADM page.
  • The FLUXNET2015_GRP_HEIGHTC.csv file contains a subset of the GRP_HEIGHTC variables. If you would like to report metadata for additional canopy height metadata, like understory canopy height (e.g., HEIGHTC_U), contact ameriflux-support@lbl.gov.
  • Using Excel to edit the csv files will cause any timestamps to be saved in scientific notation.
    To prevent Excel from converting timestamps to scientific notation, follow these steps:

    1. Select the column containing the Timestamp data
    2. Under Format > Cells, select the Number tab
    3. Select “Number” from the list of options and decrease decimal to create a whole number
    4. Save file as a CSV file
    5. Open the CSV file in a text editor to verify the changes have been made and saved

Report the following BADM canopy height metadata (GRP_HEIGHTC):

Item Required Units Description
HEIGHTC_DATE Yes YYYYMMDDHHMM Canopy height measurement date
Please report the date at the precision known. Allowed reporting precisions are YYYY, YYYYMM, YYYYMMDD, and YYYYMMDDHHMM.
HEIGHTC Yes meters Canopy height
Height of the canopy. In a forest ecosystem, canopy height is the distribution of overstory trees that see light at the top of the canopy.
HEIGHTC_STATISTIC Yes LIST(STATISTIC) Canopy height statistic
The statistic for the measurement reported. Use predefined list (e.g., mean, min / max, standard deviation, etc).
HEIGHTC_STATISTIC_NUMBER Optional integer number Number of observations used to determine canopy height statistic
Number of observations (samples / replicates) used to calculate the STATISTIC for the reported measurement.
HEIGHTC_APPROACH Optional free text Canopy height measurement approach
HEIGHTC_DATE_UNC Optional days Uncertainty in the canopy height measurement date
HEIGHTC_COMMENT Optional free text Canopy height comments

 

STATISTIC Options (back to top)

Option Definition
Minimum Minimum value
1st Percentile Quantile at 1% of distribution
5th Percentile Quantile at 5% of distribution
10th Percentile Quantile at 10% of distribution
25th Percentile Quantile at 25% of distribution
Median – 50th Percentile Median – Quantile at 50% of distribution
75th Percentile Quantile at 75% of distribution
90th Percentile Quantile at 90% of distribution
95th Percentile Quantile at 95% of distribution
99th Percentile Quantile at 99% of distribution
Maximum Maximum value
Mean Average (mean) value of sample population
Standard Deviation Standard deviation may be reported from a sample population that consists of individual or aggregated samples (observations). If the distinction is important, specify in Comments.
Measurement Uncertainty Report uncertainty as a plus or minus value in the measurement units. For example, enter 1.5 for +/- 1.5 units. Uncertainty may be reported from the instrument’s specifications, determined empirically, or estimated by the tower team. Please describe such details in Approach. For uncertainty values that are better described by a range, a percent, or other, please enter information in Comments.
Single observation Single observation
Expert estimate Estimate made by expert familiar with site

(back to top)