Field Notes

Bouldin Alfalfa: 2024-01-18 15:20:00 (DOY 18)
Author: Daphne Szutu
Others: Arman

Summary: Sheep have come and gone, cleaned undercanopy PAR sensor spectra emasurements, muddy interior roads

2024-01-18
Bouldin Alfalfa

Arman and I arrived at 15:20 PST. There was a big mud puddle where we usually make a sharp right turn onto the interior road we usually take on the south side of the ditch. The road itself also looked mushy. I decided to follow Joe's route from his previous visit to drive along the north side of the ditch, then cross over and come back from the other direction to enter our alfalfa field. The field itself was still firm enough to drive to the tower.

It was cool and overcast and we couldn't see Mt. Diablo at all. We could see groups of ducks/geese flying low on the western sides of the island and hear hunting sounds.

The alfalfa on our field has been completely eaten by sheep (I didn't notice any sheep on our drive here). The field to our east hasn't been eaten yet, although the alfalfa plants there didn't look so good, from frost damage maybe. We started with trimming the alfalfa under the tower. I briefly knocked over the FD chamber. It's missing its fourth anchor. Trimming today was way easier and faster than summertime trimming! Veg height is 0 all around.

Arman took spectral measurements and cleaned flux and rad sensors. I downloaded met, cam, USB GHG, and FD data.
The undercanopy PAR sensor was about half covered with wet litter. I cleaned it off.

The 7500 read: 461ppm CO2, 526mmol/m3 H2O, 14.6C, 101.8kPa, 98SS -- 98 after cleaning

We left at 15:45 PST. We were able to exit the field and make the sharp left turn onto the interior road without problem.

Next Mowing: 2024-02-03

1 photos found

bouldinalfalfa_2024_01_18_151505.jpg ( 2024-01-18 23:16:02 ) Full size: 1296x960
Arman on site