This dataset consists of counts for multiple plant species obtained from the Ethabuka Station and Carlo Reserve in the Simpson Desert, Australia, from 2004-2013 by the Desert Ecology Research Group (DERG) in conjunction with LTERN. It also consists rainfall data obtained from 2004-2012. These datasets were used to perform a Dynamic Factor Analyses for the manuscript, "Life form explains consistent temporal trends across species: the application of dynamic factor analysis". For more information see: DERG; https://www.desertecology.edu.au.

The physical drivers of ecosystem formation – macroclimate, lithology and landform – along with vegetation structural formations are key determinants of current ecosystem type. Each combination of these ecosystem drivers – each ‘ecological facet’ – provides a unique set of opportunities and challenges for life. <br> Management and conservation should seek to understand and take in to account these drivers of ecosystem formation. By understanding the unique combinations of these drivers management strategies can plan for their full range of variation, and conservation efforts can ensure that unique ecosystems are not lost. Unfortunately, there is currently no Australia-wide standardized map of ecological facets at management-appropriate scales. <br> By understanding the magnitude and distribution of unique combinations of these drivers, management strategies can plan for their full range of variation, and conservation efforts can ensure that unique ecosystems are not lost. Additionally, by improving our understanding of the past and present conditions that have given rise to current ecological facets this dataset could facilitate future predictive environmental modelling. Finally, this data could assisting biodiversity conservation, climate change impact studies and mitigation, ecosystem services assessment, and development planning <br> Further information about the dataset can be found at <a href="https://ternaus.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/TERNSup/pages/2276130817/GEOSS+Ecosystem+Map">GEOSS Ecosystem Map,TERN Knowledge Base </a> .

This dataset consists of counts of plants and seeds for the ephemeral desert herb <i>Trachymene glaucifolia</i> obtained from the Ethabuka and Carlo Reserves in the Simpson Desert, Australia, from 2004-2011 by the Desert Ecology Research Group (DERG) in conjunction with LTERN. It also consists of monthly rainfall data obtained from 1995-2012. Collectively, the dataset was used to construct Multivariate Auto-regressive State-Space (MARSS) models for the manuscript "Reducing common sources of uncertainty in time series population data using MARSS models". For more information see: DERG : https://www.desertecology.edu.au

Fruit phenology and abundance was sampled at the Robson Creek Rainforest site between 2011 - 2017.

This data contains a list of all vascular plants surveyed in the Tumbarumba Wet Eucalypt site in 2015.

This data contains a list of all vascular plants surveyed in the Alice Mulga site in 2012.

This data contains a list of all vascular plants surveyed in the Wombat Stringybark Eucalypt site between 2014 and 2018.

The data set contains distance measures of primary (wind-borne) and secondary (on ground) seed dispersal during spring, summer and autumn, using empirical observations and detailed measurement of wind characteristics. Seeds were collected from populations of <i>Callitris verrucosa</i> within the reserve and was placed parallel to, and 100 m from the burn edge within the burnt site. For the empirical observation of seed dispersal we chose six release locations, three locations in each of the two sites, about 6 km apart that had both recently undergone a planned burn, one in spring 2009 and the other in autumn 2011. Within those two sites the three release locations were positioned 800 m apart from each other along a transect that was placed parallel to, and 100 m from the burn edge within the burnt site. To assess primary (wind-borne) seed dispersal, 20 randomly chosen seeds were released from each of three different heights (1 m, 2 m and 3 m) at each of the six sites, giving a total of 360 seeds released per season. Seeds were only released within a horizontal wind speed range of 8 - 25 km/h. At lower wind speeds seeds would not take-off and at higher wind speeds seeds could not be relocated. This data set could be reused in a similar study carried out for the same species in a different location. <br> To understand the effect of standing vegetation on the secondary (on-ground) seed dispersal, we established groups of 10 seeds on the ground within 10 m of each of the six previous release locations. Seed were left for 4 days before relocated and distances to the starting point were measured. This was repeated during all 3 seasons. Out of the 180 seeds released,161 (89%) seeds could be relocated. <br> Wind measurements were taken on a sand dune crest in the site that was burned during autumn 2011 using an ultrasonic anemometer (Model WindMaster (Part 1590-PK-020), Gill Instruments Ltd, Lymington, UK). Measurements continued for two weeks in spring, summer and autumn. The anemometer measured horizontal wind speed, horizontal wind direction, and vertical wind speed every 0.1 s, producing a dynamic, three dimensional wind speed vector. Measurements were taken at 2 m height. The data can be used for studies dealing with wind movements in mallee during Spring, Summer and Autumn as well as comparative seed dispersal studies using the same or other wind dispersed plant species.

Fruit phenology and abundance was sampled at the Samford Per-urban site between 2015 - 2016.

This data contains a list of all vascular plants surveyed in the Whroo Dry Eucalypt site in 2013.