The SLATS star transect field dataset has been compiled as a record of vegetative and non-vegetative fractional cover as recorded in situ according to the method described in <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236022381_Field_measurement_of_fractional_ground_cover">Muir et al (2011)</a>. The datasets are a combination of vegetation fractions collected in three strata - non-woody vegetation including vegetative litter near the soil surface, woody vegetation less than 2 metres, and woody vegetation greater than 2 metres - at homogeneous areas of approximately 1 hectare. This dataset is compiled from a variety of sources, including available sites from the ABARES ground cover reference sites database.

The data set contains information on the Habitat structure of the Karawatha Peri-urban site, southeast Queensland. There are two data sets: 1) information on Canopy cover percentage from the study plots and 2) information on the Ground cover properties such as the number of hits/strikes of the 'bare ground', 'rock', 'herbs', 'grass', 'shrubs', 'trees' and 'cwd', along each transect in the core plot.

This data contains vegetation structure, species composition, cover and species basal area data collected at seven sites within the Samford Ecological Research Facility (SERF) in 2010

This data package comprises fire severity scores from Kakadu in 2014. A total of 220 permanent monitoring plots (40&nbsp;m x &nbsp;20 m) were established across three parks (Kakadu, Litchfield and Nitmiluk) in 1994-1995 to monitor biotic change. Of these, 132 plots are located in Kakadu. These sample a variety of landform and vegetation type/habitat conditions. A substantial proportion of plots were positioned deliberately at sites likely to reveal environmental dynamics, especially at ecotones and in patches of fire-sensitive vegetation. For example stands of <i>Callitris</i>, sandstone heaths. As well, many plots are located at, or in the near vicinity of, intensively managed sites such as camp-grounds and other tourist destinations. 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 <a href="http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/three-parks-savanna ">LTERN</a>

The TREND (PSRF)- Terrestrial Ecosystems project initiated a landscape-scale monitoring transect along the Adelaide Geosyncline region in southern Australia, initially spanning approximately 550 km. The aim was to examine spatial drivers of species composition and to isolate the influence of climate on whole vegetation community composition and therefore inform on-going monitoring of the impact of climate change. Specific questions were: 1. What are the most important spatial drivers of species and phylogenetic composition along landscape-scale environmental gradients? 2. Can the answer to Question 1. inform selection of suitable spatial analogues for climate change? 3. How can a framework for assessing spatial drivers be used to monitor and interpret shifts in species composition due to climate change? The dataset consists of site and species records (see attachments) for plots established along the Adelaide Geosyncline for the TREND project. Data consist of vascular plant species composition (presence-abundance/absence) within 900m² plots plus site data, including aspect and soil properties. Data have been used to analyze changes in composition with geographic and environmental differences and as a baseline for monitoring.

This dataset lists land surface characteristics observed in Rangeland sites across Australia by the TERN Ecosystem Surveillance team, using standardised AusPlots methodologies. <br /> Land surface observations are collected at each site as part of the AusPlots method. At each site, observations on ground cover, lithology, erosion (state, extent, and human accelerated), surface drainage, microrelief, aspect and angle are recorded as part of the Ausplots Ground cover and Plot description methods.<br />

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.

<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 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 150,000 vegetation and soil samples (and associated contextual environmental data) freely available to loan on request.</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> <p>Occurrence records can be accessed through the <a href="https://www.ala.org.au/">Atlas of Living Australia</a>.</p>