<p>This dataset listed landform characteristics (i.e. visible features of a land area) observed in Rangeland sites across Australia by the TERN Surveillance Monitoring team, using standardised AusPlots methodologies. </p> <p>Landform observations are recorded at each site as part of the AusPlots Plots and Physical Descriptions method. Observations on the landform elements and their patterns are recorded as part of this protocol.</p>

<p>This dataset comprises a comprehensive archive of soil subsite samples collected from TERN Ecosystem Surveillance monitoring plots across Australia. In addition to the 1-meter soil pit, soil subsite samples are taken from nine locations across the 1-hectare monitoring plot from three depths (0-10cm, 10-20cm and 20-30cm). Each of the nine subsites are selected to represent the variation in micro habitats across the monitoring plot. Collected following the standardised Ecosystem Surveillance methodology, the dataset includes over 33,600 soil subsite samples archived in the TERN Australia Soil and Herbarium Collection, located at the University of Adelaide's Waite Campus.</p> <p>Each record includes detailed metadata such as voucher barcode for soil collected from the three depths at each of the nine subsites, site and visit information and sampling details. Soil subsite samples are accessible and available for loan upon request through the EcoPlots Samples portal via an Expression of Interest.</p>

<p>This dataset comprises a comprehensive archive of soil metagenomic samples collected from TERN Ecosystem Surveillance monitoring plots across Australia. In addition to the nine subsite locations across the 1-hectare monitoring plot, soil metagenomic samples are collected from the top layer of soil. These samples can support microbial DNA analysis, including assessments of soil biodiversity, microbial function and ecological responses to environmental change. Each of the nine subsites are selected to represent the variation in micro habitats across the monitoring plot. Collected following the standardised Ecosystem Surveillance methodology, the dataset includes over 10,400 soil metagenomic samples archived in the TERN Australia Soil and Herbarium Collection, located at the University of Adelaide's Waite Campus. </p> <p>Soil metagenomic samples are preserved under climate-controlled conditions to maintain DNA integrity for future molecular analysis. These samples are openly available to researchers and support a broad range of ecological, agricultural, and microbiological studies. Each record includes detailed metadata such as voucher barcode, site and visit information and sampling details. Soil subsite samples are accessible and available for loan upon request through the EcoPlots Samples portal via an Expression of Interest.</p>

<p>The Biological Databases of South Australia (BDBSA) is South Australia's flora and fauna database that stores and manages specimen and observation records. This record is a subset, focusing on the methodology known as the 'Biological Survey of South Australia Vegetation Surveys' and forms an important component of the BDBSA. This dataset includes vegetation structural attributes, observations on individual plants such as stem diameter, growth form, plant height, and plant community measures such as crown density, canopy cover, as well as plant occurrence data. Preliminary data associated with site description that include soil and landform related parameters are also included in this record. The resulting dataset provides a comprehensive record of plant diversity across sites ground-truthed during a diverse range of biological survey projects undertaken in South Australia and provides a basis for future updating of mapping or other relevant work such as species modelling.</p> <p>Only validated BDBSA data is made publicly available and all records of sensitive taxa have been masked from the dataset. Data is accessible from the TERN Data Infrastructure, which provides the ability to extract subsets of vegetation data across multiple data collections and bioregions for more than 31 variables including stem diameter, tree crown extent, and number of individual plants.</p>

<p> TERN Ecosystem Surveillance is a plot-based field monitoring platform that tracks the direction and magnitude of change in Australia’s environments. Information on soils and vegetation is collected according to standardized, widely endorsed and consistent protocols across all plots, and includes the collection of soil and vegetation samples for subsequent analysis.</p> <p>Data collected by TERN is stratified across the entire continent to ensure adequate coverage of major Australian ecosystems, and measures are repeated at least once a decade, with the aim to establish replicate plots throughout the ecosystem types existing within Australia’s Major Vegetation Groups (MVG’s). Additional plots located in key environmental transition zones will be re-measured every five to ten years.</p> <p>TERN users include researchers, land managers and policy-makers who require access to terrestrial ecosystem attributes collected over time from continental scale to field sites at hundreds of representative locations. TERN provides model-ready data that enables users to detect and interpret changes in ecosystems. In addition, TERN curates The TERN Australia Soil and Herbarium Collection, with over 180,000 vegetation and soil samples (and associated contextual environmental data), available to loan through the EcoPlots Samples portal via an Expression of Interest.</p> <p>TERN’s world-class surveillance monitoring infrastructure will support long-term ecological inventory, environmental monitoring, environmental prediction, reporting and assessment, and underpin decisions about our greatest environmental challenges.</p>

The QBEIS survey database (formerly CORVEG) contains ecosystem physical and vegetation characteristics, including structural and floristic attributes as well as descriptions of landscape, soil and geologic features, collected at study locations across Queensland since 1982. The resulting survey database provides a comprehensive record of areas ground-truthed during the regional ecosystems mapping process and a basis for future updating of mapping or other relevant work such as species modelling.<br /><br /> Only validated survey data is made publicly available and all records of confidential taxa have been masked from the dataset. Data is accessible from the TERN Data Infrastructure, which provides the ability to extract subsets of vegetation, soil and landscape data across multiple data collections and bioregions for more than 100 variables including basal area, crown cover, growth form, stem density and vegetation height.