Australian Canopy Crane Research Facility
Site information
Climate and rainfall information
Forest typesSite goals/objectives
History
Spatial data set
Current research projects
Facilities
Research and data management
Contact details
Site description
The site was established in 1998 as a rainforest research facility based around a 50m tower crane placed in the rainforest. The crane provides enhanced access to the rainforest canopy for researchers.
Estimated timespan for research on the site:
From 1998 to 2010.
Site information
Cape Tribulation (16° 06' 145° 27') Far North QueenslandSite Area:
1 Hectare (within arc of canopy crane) + 20 ha of surrounding tropical lowland rainforest.
Site elevation:
31 to 55m
Annual rainfall
3600mm per year
Average rainfall:
Wettest Month: 550mm (March)
Driest Month: 80mm (August)
Annual average minimum temperature 19° C
Annual average maximum temperature 30° C
Mean daily temperature January 28° C
Mean daily temperature July 22° C
Native Forest Types
Rainforest
Principal Biome (main communities)
Tropical Lowland Rainforest
Site goals/ objectives
The central aim in establishing the site was to facilitate rainforest canopy research.
Site deliverables
- BSc. Honours and PhD
- Research publications in refereed journals
- Databases
- Maps, and
- Collaborative research.
History of the site
The area in which this site is located was selectively logged in the late 1950's and early 1960's. There are however standing specimens of Toona ciliata (Red Cedar) in the area, which suggests that this logging was probably not intensive.
Extreme disturbance due to storm damage (tropical cyclones) is common in the area on a cycle of approximately 50 years. On 11 February 1999, cyclone Rona crossed the Queensland coast just to the South of the site. Several large trees fell at the research facility in this event and many of the remaining trees were stripped of leaves. The regrowth and recovery of the forest canopy at the facility is being monitored using a quarterly series of hemispherical photos.
Spatial Data Sets
Mapping of the site (point coverage at 1:5000 is in progress)
1. Hydrology and climate
- No hydrological data has been collected to date
- Meteorological data from the site is being collected on an ongoing basis. Meteorological instruments have been installed on the crane tower and in a clearing adjacent to the rainforest. Vertical micro-meteorological instrumentation is attached to the crane tower at heights of 50m, 30m and 10m. This instrumentation takes half-hourly readings of the following meteorological parameters at the 3 heights:
- photosynthetically active radiation
- air temperature, and
- relative humidity.
- Wind velocity and direction will also be measured at a height of 50m.The automatic weather station located in the clearing measures wind velocity and direction, rainfall, air temperature, soil temperature at 10cm, soil moisture at 10cm, relative humidity, solar radiation, and leaf wetness. These data are made available to all researchers.
2. Forest productivity
- Forest productivity is not measured at present.
3. Biodiversity
- All trees greater than 10cm DBH within the arc of the crane have been tagged and identified
- Liverworts and mosses have been sampled and are at present being identified, and
- Arthropods on the site are being collected and identified on an ongoing basis.
Current research projects
- Interactions between reproductive dynamics of trees and arthropod biodiversity in the rainforest canopy; (Mullen, Kitching & Stork)
- Longitudinal changes of horizontal and vertical microclimate distribution in the first 5 months following tropical cyclone Rona at the Cape Tribulation canopy crane research facility; (Siegenthaller & Turton)
- Diurnal and seasonal energetics above and within a lowland tropical rainforest canopy in NE Australia (Turton & Tapper)
- Monitoring Changes in Rainforest Vegetation Structure, Condition and Drainage Systems (Phinn).
Facilities
Access to site:
The journey from Cairns to the site takes approximately 2.5 hours. The road from Cairns to the Daintree River ferry crossing (approximately 80km) is sealed and open all year. Between the Daintree River ferry crossing and Cape Tribulation (approximately 40km) there are two short unsealed sections of road (around 2km each). Many small creeks cross the road to the north of the Daintree River and these often flash-flood in the peak of the wet season. The road may be closed for several hours at a time while these waters subside. Once in the Cape Tribulation area, visitors will find a graded but unsealed road immediately to the north of Coconut Beach Rainforest Resort . This road leads from the Cape Tribulation road approximately 1km west to the research facility.
On site facilities:
The only facility on site at present is the crane itself. There are however very firm plans to construct additional facilities early in 2000. These will include a 6 berth bunkhouse, toilet, shower and laundry facilities, a kitchen area, on site laboratory, site office and caretakers accommodation unit, with telephone and modem facilities.
The crane company currently rents a house near the research facility (ie. less than 1km away) at Coconut Beach Rainforest Resort. This is available to researchers at the rate of $10 per head per night. Facilities at the house include two bedrooms, a large kitchen /dining area with a gas stove and a large refrigerator, shower, toilet and laundry facilities and access to a nearby swimming pool. Telephone and email access are also available at the house.
Laboratory facilities:
At present laboratory facilities are limited to a stereo-microscope (+ lightsource) and a computer which are set up in the house at Coconut Beach. As noted above, these facilities will be expanded in early 2000.
Research and data management
The site is managed by The Australian Canopy Crane Company Pty Ltd.
Contact details
Prof. Nigel StorkAustralian Canopy Crane Company
Rainforest CRC
James Cook University
Smithfield Qld 4878
Phone: +61 7 4042 1243
Fax: +61 7 4042 1246
E-Mail: Nigel.Stork@jcu.edu.au
Researchers working at the Canopy Crane site in Queensland
Malaise trap - Photo by Paul Sutherland
