Flow-MER Metabolism BASE Model Estimates

Volumetric estimates of organic carbon being created by photosynthesis or consumed by ecosystem respiration. Flow-MER deploys data loggers to record changes in dissolved oxygen, light and temperature over the course of 24 hours with continuous recording every 5 minutes. The data is analysed using the statistical model ‘BASEv2’ (BAyesian Single-station Estimation). The model (Grace et al. 2015) was updated during 2016 in accordance with methodological recommendations contained within Song et al. (2016). Flow-MER converts these BASE volumetric estimates (this data set) into reach-scale estimates with the appropriate hydraulic information (cross-sectional area) to estimate the amount of organic carbon being created by photosynthesis or consumed by ecosystem respiration in a nominal 1 kilometre (km) stream reach at the gauging site.

The CEWH’s Flow-MER program examines the contribution of Commonwealth environmental water to the environmental objectives of the Basin Plan 2012 (Basin Plan) and is assisting the CEWH to demonstrate environmental outcomes and adaptively manage the water holdings. Monitoring and evaluation is focused in seven Selected Areas: the Junction of the Warrego and Darling rivers, Gwydir river system, Lachlan river system, Murrumbidgee river system, Edward/Kolety-Wakool river system, Goulburn River and Lower Murray River.

This Flow-MER data set includes and extends the long-term data collected at the same sites during the Long Term Intervention Monitoring (LTIM) project (2014-2019).

Grace MR, Giling DP, Hladyz S, Caron V, Thompson RM, Mac Nally R (2015) Fast processing of diel oxygen curves: estimating stream metabolism with BASE (BAyesian Single-station Estimation). Limnology & Oceanography: Methods, 13, 103-114

Song C, Dodds WK, Trentman MT, Rüegg J, Ballantyne F (2016) Methods of approximation influence aquatic ecosystem metabolism estimates. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods 14(9), 557–569.

Acknowledgement

The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and Flow-MER program acknowledge the First Nations peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands, waterways and skies of the Murray-Darling Basin. We respect their continuing connection to culture and Country, and we thank them for their knowledge and science and the values reflected in these data.

Citation

CEWH Flow-MER (2023) Metabolism BASE Model. Flow-MER Program. Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Sourced on from https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/flow-mer-metabolism-base-model on [date-sourced].