Monitoring Restored Ecosystems with Eddy Covariance

07/22/2024


  • Blog Post

    • By Audrey Habron

    As anthropogenic impacts to the environment continue to be widely studied, new research methods are becoming more accepted and pivotal within the global scientific community. The EU-funded project "Renaturierung Untere March-Auen," for instance, has employed the eddy covariance technique as part of its initiative to restore the Morava River in Austria after human-centric changes caused drastic ecological damage.

    installation of an eddy covariance tower station in a flooded field
    Installing the floating EC tower station in the Morava River wetland.
    PHOTOGRAPH BY REWET, @rewet_he on X (formally Twitter)

    An Ecosystem Restoration Project in Austria

    According to REWET’s article “Eddy Covariance Tower has been set up in OL2 in Austria,” the Morava River was extensively regulated in the twentieth century. The decision to transform its natural course into a canalized path led to significant ecological degradation–including a major loss of floodplain meadows and nearby habitats..

    eddy covariance tower station on a floating platform in a partially flooded field
    Floating EC tower station positioned in a flooded meadow to measure the area.
    PHOTOGRAPH BY REWET, @rewet_he on X (formally Twitter)

    Because of this, the "Renaturierung Untere March-Auen" worked from 2011 to 2019 on restoring the area and protecting the variety of animals and plants within the floodplain meadows. Today, the river and meadow have been successfully restored.

    The Eddy Covariance Technique for Ongoing Research

    The team’s work, however, is far from complete. As part of ongoing monitoring efforts, an eddy covariance tower was installed nearby. Its floating platform allows the tower to withstand floods while measuring continuous fluxes of CO2 and H2O with a LI-COR CO2/H2O analyzer as well as CH4 with the LI-7700 Open Path CH4 Analyzer. The eddy covariance tower even records meteorological parameters (e.g., wind speed and direction, solar radiation, air temperature, humidity, soil heat flux and temperature, and precipitation).

    two women kayaking in the flooded field to check on the floating ec tower station
    The team kayaking in the flooded Morava River wetland, monitoring the floating EC station.
    PHOTOGRAPH BY REWET, @rewet_he on X (formally Twitter)

    Together, these analyzers and the tower’s flux processing software have enabled REWET researchers to learn more about the restored ecosystem’s carbon balance and measure nearby cattle’s impact on these fluxes as well.

    Getting Started with Ecosystem Restoration Research

    For those with similar interests in ecosystem restoration research and the eddy covariance technique, LI-COR offers a comprehensive line of products and software for every research discipline. To learn more about customizing an eddy covariance tower for your specific ecosystem restoration needs or to learn more about our product offerings, visit the website or contact us at licor.com/contact.

    References

    REWET. Eddy Covariance Tower has been set up in OL2 in Austria. [online] Available at: https://www.rewet-he.eu/news/eddy-covariance-tower-has-been-set-ol2-austria.

    Audrey Habron is a freelance and contract scientific writer in the environmental, biotech, healthcare, medical, and pharmaceutical industries. She has over six years of experience in scientific communication, digital marketing, and content management and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology. In her free time, Audrey enjoys exploring national parks, advocating for sustainability, and discovering new ways to merge her passions with her professional endeavors.

    Audrey Habron
    www.audreyhabron.com | audreyhabron@gmail.com

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