TERN Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring
<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>
Simple
Identification info
- Date (Creation)
- 2013-01-29
- Date (Publication)
- 2025-06-16
- Date (Revision)
- 2025-12-11
- Edition
- 2.0
Publisher
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Tokmakoff, Andrew (Technical Lead)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Sparrow, Ben (Director - TERN Ausplots and Eco-informatics)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Leitch, Emrys (Senior Botanist and Field Lead)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Guerin, Greg ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - O'Neill, Sally (Scientific Officer)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Macdonald, Christina (Data Project Officer)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Lowe, Andy (Professor)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Flitton, Rick ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Saleeba, Tom (software developer/solution architect)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Coish, Caleb (Business Manager)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Starkey, Michael ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Irvine, Katie ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Francis, Nikki ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Finlayson, Tamara ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Pink, Lachlan ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Finn, Luke ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Martin-Fores, Irene ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Co-author
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
- Website
- https://www.tern.org.au/
- Purpose
- <p> TERN Ecosystem Surveillance undertakes field surveys implementing the AusPlots Survey Protocols across a national network of ecosystem observation and monitoring plots and transects. Standardised methodologies are across a one-hectare plot to collect baseline environmental monitoring data.</p> <p>The ecosystem research collected in the TERN land observatory are made openly available to the ecosystem studies, science and management community to:</p> <ul><li> Increase the understanding of the dynamics of plant species and soils </li><li>Progress knowledge on distribution, abundance and threats to ecosystems </li><li>Increase the knowledge of carbon and nutrient budgets of soils and vegetation </li><li>Input into DNA barcoding of Australian vegetation and soil communities </li><li>Determine the genetic and phylogenetic diversity and biogeography of the continent </li><li>Assist in the field validation of remote sensing products </li><li>Assist state and federal agencies to meet monitoring and reporting obligations </li><li>Create a photographic reference of key Australian bioregions, enhance existing State photo reference libraries. </li></ul></p>
- Credit
- We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
- Credit
- TERN is supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, NCRIS.
- Status
- On going
Point of contact
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Sparrow, Ben (Director - TERN Ausplots and Eco-informatics)
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite Road
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Point of contact
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Lewis, Donna ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite Road
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Point of contact
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance - Steen, Carly ()
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite Road
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
Point of contact
TERN Ecosystem Surveillance
Waite Road, Waite, South Australia, 5064, Australia
Waite Road
Waite
South Australia
5064
Australia
- Topic category
-
- Biota
- Environment
Extent
- Description
- Australia's major biomes
N
S
E
W
))
Temporal extent
- Time period
- 2010-10-30
- Title
- Ausplots Rangelands Survey Protocols Manual
- Website
-
Ausplots Rangelands Survey Protocols Manual
Related documentation
- Maintenance and update frequency
- As needed
- GCMD Science Keywords
- ANZSRC Fields of Research
- TERN Parameter Vocabulary
-
- abundance of coarse fragments
- Unitless
- abundance of segregations
- Unitless
- accelerated erosion
- Unitless
- angle count sampling hits
- Number
- aspect angle
- Degree
- climatic condition
- Unitless
- soil surface condition
- Unitless
- dead plant
- Unitless
- disturbance (event)
- Unitless
- outcrop lithology
- Unitless
- soil drainage type
- Unitless
- soil colour
- Unitless
- wind erosion extent
- Unitless
- fine earth bulk density
- Gram per Cubic Centimetre
- fine earth volume
- Cubic Centimetre
- fine earth weight
- Gram
- form of segregations
- Unitless
- fungi height
- Metre
- grade of pedality
- Unitless
- gravel bulk density
- Gram per Cubic Centimetre
- gravel volume
- Cubic Centimetre
- gravel weight
- Gram
- bare ground cover
- Percent
- cryptogam ground cover
- Percent
- coarse woody debris cover
- Percent
- gravel ground cover
- Percent
- green ground cover
- Percent
- litter ground cover
- Percent
- ground cover data not collected
- Percent
- outcrop ground cover
- Percent
- rock ground cover
- Percent
- unknown ground cover
- Percent
- growth form
- Unitless
- in-canopy sky
- Unitless
- individual count
- Number
- landform element
- Unitless
- landform pattern
- Unitless
- lithology of coarse fragments
- Unitless
- mass flowering event exists
- Unitless
- microrelief
- Unitless
- most dominant species
- Unitless
- mottle abundance
- Unitless
- mottle colour
- Unitless
- mottle size
- Unitless
- nature of segregations
- Unitless
- relative species abundance
- Percent
- scientific name
- Unitless
- second most dominant species
- Unitless
- second smallest peds pedality type
- Unitless
- second smallest peds size
- Unitless
- shape of coarse fragments
- Unitless
- size of coarse fragments
- Unitless
- size of segregations
- Unitless
- slope angle
- Degree
- smallest peds size
- Unitless
- smallest peds pedality type
- Unitless
- soil effervescence
- Unitless
- soil electrical conductivity
- Decisiemens per Metre
- soil fabric
- Unitless
- soil horizon
- Unitless
- soil oven-dried weight
- Gram
- soil pH
- Unitless
- soil texture grade
- Unitless
- soil texture modifier
- Unitless
- soil texture qualification
- Unitless
- wet soil weight
- Gram
- species richness
- Number
- state of erosion
- Unitless
- subdominant substrate lithology
- Unitless
- substrate
- Unitless
- surface strew lithology
- Unitless
- surface strew size
- Unitless
- third most dominant species
- Unitless
- tree basal area
- Square Metre per Hectare
- vegetation community extent
- Metre
- vegetation condition
- Unitless
- plant height
- Metre
- wet soil colour
- Unitless
- IUCN Red List category
- Unitless
- EPBC Act conservation status
- Unitless
- QUDT Units of Measure
-
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Number
- Degree
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Gram per Cubic Centimetre
- Cubic Centimetre
- Gram
- Unitless
- Metre
- Unitless
- Gram per Cubic Centimetre
- Cubic Centimetre
- Gram
- Percent
- Percent
- Percent
- Percent
- Percent
- Percent
- Percent
- Percent
- Percent
- Percent
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Number
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Percent
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Degree
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Decisiemens per Metre
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Gram
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Gram
- Number
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Square Metre per Hectare
- Metre
- Unitless
- Metre
- Unitless
- Unitless
- Unitless
- GCMD Horizontal Resolution Ranges
- GCMD Temporal Resolution Ranges
- Keywords (Discipline)
-
- TERN Surveillance Monitoring
- TERN Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring
Resource constraints
- Use limitation
- The Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license allows others to copy, distribute, display, and create derivative works provided that they credit the original source and any other nominated parties. Details are provided at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- File name
- 88x31.png
- File description
- CCBy Logo from creativecommons.org
- File type
- png
- Title
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
- Alternate title
- CC-BY
- Edition
- 4.0
- Access constraints
- License
- Use constraints
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
- TERN services are provided on an "as-is" and "as available" basis. Users use any TERN services at their discretion and risk. They will be solely responsible for any damage or loss whatsoever that results from such use including use of any data obtained through TERN and any analysis performed using the TERN infrastructure. <br />Web links to and from external, third party websites should not be construed as implying any relationships with and/or endorsement of the external site or its content by TERN. <br /><br />Please advise any work or publications that use this data via the online form at https://www.tern.org.au/research-publications/#reporting
- Other constraints
- Please cite this dataset as {Author} ({PublicationYear}). {Title}. {Version, as appropriate}. Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network. Dataset. {Identifier}.
- Other constraints
- <p> TERN provides data, samples and site-based research infrastructure freely to Australian and international scientific communities. In recognition of these research services, we ask that when you use them, you acknowledge NCRIS-enabled TERN. </p><p> Reporting on the use of digital assets and research infrastructure is a key performance indicator for TERN. The simple step of acknowledging TERN enables us to record that the infrastructure is being used, and helps TERN to continue to be funded to deliver long term ecological monitoring data and samples.</p>
- Other constraints
- <p><strong>Acknowledging TERN and NCRIS in publications</strong></p> <p>Data was sourced from Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) infrastructure, which is enabled by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).</p> <p>If you have any questions about TERN or NCRIS acknowledgements or would like copies of logos or branding guidelines please contact us tern@uq.edu.au.</p> <p>Please send TERN copies of papers, books, book chapters, and conference papers etc. that have been created using any of our data as soon as possible after their acceptance. This allows us to easily track the use of our infrastructure and enables us to list your publication on our website increasing the exposure of your research.</p>
- Other constraints
- <p>These data have been released in the spirit of open scientific collaboration. Data users are encouraged to consider consultation with tern@adelaide.edu.au to minimise duplication of research.</p>
Resource constraints
- Classification
- Unclassified
Distribution Information
- Distribution format
-
Distributor
Distributor
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, Queensland, 4068, Australia
Indooroopilly
Queensland
4068
Australia
- OnLine resource
- TERN Ecosystem Surveillance Data
- OnLine resource
- TERN EcoPlots API
- OnLine resource
- ro-crate-metadata.json
Resource lineage
- Statement
- The methods used for TERN Ecosystem Surveillance are based on the <a href="https://swift.rc.nectar.org.au/v1/AUTH_05bca33fce34447ba7033b9305947f11/static-web-assets/ausplots-rangelands-manual/v1.2.9/manual.pdf">'AusPlots Rangelands Manual</a>. A summary of Observations from the AusPlots manual are available of the <a href="http://linked.data.gov.au/def/ausplots-cv/3ee6feb4-20aa-4dd8-9f15-48bbbebbac7a">TERN Linked Data AusPlots Methods</a> section.
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
- Title
- AusPlots Rangelands Survey Protocols Manual
- Website
-
https://ternaus.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/TERNSup/pages/1193738270/AusPlots+Rangelands+Manual+v1.2.9
Method documentation
Reference System Information
- Reference system identifier
- EPSG/EPSG:4326
- Reference system type
- Geodetic Geographic 2D
Metadata
- Metadata identifier
-
urn:uuid/9210c331-ba96-4e0c-9554-f029d61534be
- Title
- TERN GeoNetwork UUID
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
Point of contact
Type of resource
- Resource scope
- Dataset
- Metadata linkage
-
https://geonetwork.tern.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/9210c331-ba96-4e0c-9554-f029d61534be
Point-of-truth metadata URL
- Date info (Creation)
- 2013-01-29T00:00:00.000000+00:00
- Date info (Revision)
- 2025-12-11T22:44:20.479673+00:00
Metadata standard
- Title
- ISO 19115-1:2014/AMD 1:2018 Geographic information - Metadata - Fundamentals
- Edition
- 1
Metadata standard
- Title
- ISO/TS 19115-3:2016
- Edition
- 1.0
Metadata standard
- Title
- ISO/TS 19157-2:2016
- Edition
- 1.0
- Title
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) Metadata Profile of ISO 19115-3:2016 and ISO 19157-2:2016
- Date (published)
- 2021
- Edition
- 1.0
Identifier
Overviews
Spatial extent
N
S
E
W
Provided by
Associated resources
Not available