More than 300 scientists from across China have attended a training session on flux observation theory and technology in Shenyang from August 16 to 19, 2023.

The training was organised by ChinaFLUX, a research network that measures the exchanges of carbon dioxide, water vapour and energy between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere in China, using methods such as eddy covariance or chamber method. The training was also sponsored by several other institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Campbell Scientific Inc., and Campbell Smart Measurement Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.

The training combined offline and online sessions. The main venue was at the Institute of Applied Ecology of CAS (IAE), and the offline training was at the Liaoning Qingyuan Forest Ecosystem National Field Science Observation and Research Station (Qingyuan Forest Station). Nearly 300 trainees joined the online session, and more than 70 trainees participated in the offline training.

The training covered five aspects: the basic theory of boundary layer meteorology for flux observation, the technical methods and practical applications of flux observation instruments, the data processing methods and data quality control for flux observation, the operation and maintenance of eddy covariance systems, and the latest scientific progress in flux observation research.

On August 17, CHEN Zhi, director of ChinaFLUX General Office and researcher at IAE, chaired the opening ceremony of the training session. Sun Xiaomin, researcher at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of CAS, and ZHU Jiaojun, director of IAE, gave opening speeches. Afterwards, experts from Campbell Scientific Inc., and other institutions gave lectures on 14 topics related to the latest measurement technologies in the field of flux research.

On August 18, LI Shenggong, researcher at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of CAS, led an academic exchange session. Fang Yunting, deputy director of IAE, Wu Jiabing, researcher at IAE, Hu Zhongmin, dean of the School of Ecology and Environment at Hainan University, Gao Tian, researcher at IAE, and Zhu Xianjin, associate professor at the College of Agriculture at Shenyang Agricultural University, gave academic talks respectively.

During the two-day training session, both offline and online trainees actively communicated and discussed with experts on the problems they encountered in their work.

On August 19, the trainees visited Qingyuan Forest Station in Qingyuan Manchu Autonomous County of Fushun City. They learned about the flux observation technology based on complex terrain conditions and various vegetation types in mountainous areas.

The training session helped to cultivate young scientists in flux observation research, and promoted the learning and exchange among researchers in flux observation.