This Victorian Alpine Plot Network Vegetation Data Package comprises spatial data for vegetation surveys (composition and life-form) in the South-East Highlands, Australia. Twenty 1 metre squared quadrats are situated along each of four varying length permanent transects established on mountain summits. The Alpine Summit plots study, which commenced in 2001, forms part of the collection of data packages by the Victorian Alpine Plot Network. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Victorian Alpine Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/victorian-alpine.

This data package contains spatial data and plot details for four sites situated on the Bogong High Plains that form the Australian Tundra Experiment (ATEX). Sites, which comprise multiple 1 square metre plots, are visited every second snow-free season. Responses in the growth and phenology of individual species and life forms, and changes to community composition and diversity are monitored according to internationally agreed-to protocols of the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX). Data collected from the plots can then be used to generate predictions, which can be across elevation (and thus temperature) gradients, and assess above ground effects on carbon storage. This is part of a larger dataset that spans from during data collected in 2003 to document long-term effects of climate change (see methods for more information). The Victorian Alpine Plot Network research plots are revisited on a biannual basis, though measurements taken during surveys differ from visit to visit. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Victorian Alpine Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/victorian-alpine.

The Victorian Alpine Plot Network Plot-data Package contains plot-data collected at eighty-nine sites situated in the Australian Alps. Randomly positioned transects are situated within sites rather than ‘plots’ sensu stricto. The number of transects within sites, and sampling frequency varies from annual to decadal, depending on site and purpose. This is part of a much larger dataset that spans from 1944, when plot were set up to document long-term changes in ecosystem composition and structure in relation to disturbance (see methods for more information). The Victorian Alpine Plot Network research plots are revisited on a 2-10 years basis. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Victorian Alpine Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/victorian-alpine

This dataset contains spatial information for plots established in the Royal National Park. These permanent plots, arranged in eight 30 metre transects, were originally established in 1990. This spatial data complements data collected from soil moisture, soil properties and floristics surveys conducted at these sites. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Upland Heath Swamps Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/upland-health-swamps.

This data package contains location data for 140 sites in the Jervis Bay Booderee National Park Plot Network. As such, it supplements the other Jervis Bay Booderee National Park Plot Network data packages, by providing spatial coordinates for each of the site codes recorded in their data tables. The study location is a floristically diverse area in which fire history has been well-documented over several decades. The plot network’s objectives involve quantifying the inter-relationships between natural disturbance and/or management intervention (including weed and feral animal control and prescribed burning) and the reciprocal changes in vegetation condition and biodiversity response. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Jervis Bay Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/jervis-bay-booderee-national-park.

This dataset contains spatial information for plots established in the Dharawal National Park. Sampling of soil is stratified along the soil moisture gradient and across the range of structural variability in the vegetation. Thus three categories of soil moisture and three categories of vegetation structure (based on the height and form of shrubs) are sampled in a factorial design at 60 sites in upland swamps scattered throughout the study area (Keith and Myerscough 1993). Each permanent swamp monitoring site consists of a belt transect of 30 contiguous 0.5x0.5 metre quadrats. Quadrats 1 and 30 are marked with steel star pickets, extending approximately 1.5 m above ground surface. This spatial data complements data collected from soil moisture, soil properties, vegetation and hydrological climate surveys conducted at these sites. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Upland Heath Swamps Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/upland-health-swamps.

The Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network Plot Details - Spatial Coordinates data package contains location data for 163 permanent 3 hectare plots in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. This is part of a much larger dataset that spans from 1983, when the Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network research plots commenced. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/victorian-tall-eucalypt-forest

This data package provides spatial co-ordinates for ninety-six 0.1 hectare sites in the Woodland Restoration Plot Network. These sites were located on retired farmland that includes a mosaic of restored vegetation (native plantings) of varying ages juxtaposed with patches of remnant vegetation and untreated, abandoned pasture. All sites were originally woodland prior to agricultural development about 200 years ago. The plantings monitored by the Woodland Restoration Plot Network research plots commenced in 1992 and have been revisited every 3-4 years since 2001. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Woodland Restoration Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/woodland-restoration

This data package contains location data for 220 sites in the Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network. As such, it supplements the other Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network data packages, by providing spatial coordinates for each of the plot identifiers recorded in their data tables. The Three Parks Savanna Fire-Effects Plot Network was established in 1994 with the primary aim of training management staff and assisting with the development of adaptive approaches to conservation-based fire management in regional savanna systems. The full program assesses fire regimes and their impacts on plant and vertebrate biodiversity components. The program comprises two complementary elements – mapping of fire histories based upon interpretation of satellite imagery, and assessment of vegetation and faunal components at a large series of permanent monitoring plots located across respective parks. The vegetation data comprises quantitative assessment of all species in three major strata undertaken every five years. Faunal assessments are undertaken in the immediate vicinity of respective plots on an irregular and less frequent basis. The occurrence of fire is assessed bi-annually on-ground and satellite derived fire mapping is conducted three times a year. *Note: Plots are located within a National Park and physical access to the plots is restricted. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Three Park Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network's full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/three-parks-savanna.

This package contains spatial data relating to the insect flower surveys conducted from 2009 to 2012. Sites were established as a natural experiment - to provide infrastructure to validate the findings from the ATEX manipulated, experimental plots. The aim is to describe the phonological responses of alpine plants to environmental variables and assess the usefulness of this measure to assess vulnerability to changing abiotic (e.g. climate) and biotic (e.g. invasive species) factors. This is part of a dataset that spans from during data collected in 2011 to document long-term effects directly through climate and indirectly through biotic interactions (see methods for more information). The Victorian Alpine Plot Network research plots are revisited 4 times per year. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Victorian Alpine Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/victorian-alpine