LTERN Data Portal

Desert Ecology Plot Network: Vegetation Plot-data, Simpson Desert, Western Queensland, 2016

Citation

Wardle, G; Dickman, C (): Desert Ecology Plot Network: Vegetation Plot-data, Simpson Desert, Western Queensland, 2016. Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://www.ltern.org.au/knb/metacat/ltern.335.10/html

Download EML
Identifier
docid
ltern.335.10
Data Creators
Individual
Professor Glenda Wardle
Position
Plot Leader
Organization
The University of Sydney
Individual
Professor Chris Dickman
Position
Plot Leader
Organization
The University of Sydney
Abstract

This vegetation data package comprises structure and floristic data for selected points across grids described in related data packages. Vegetation attributes were recorded in an area occupying 2.5 m radius around six traps on each trapping grid and have been aggregated to grid level data. Percentage cover of all plant species, flowering index and seeding index (from 0-5, where 0 is no flowering or seeding and 5 is maximal flowering/seeding) were recorded and are presented here as plot averages which represent the mean amount of flowering or seeding per species. The network program uses a core of 12 sites which are sampled every April-May. The trapping survey aims to quantitatively track long-term shifts in biodiversity and ecological processes in relation to key drivers, including unpredictable rainfall and droughts, fire, feral predators and grazing. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Desert Ecology's full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/desert-ecology.

Contacts for Questions on the Use and Interpretation of Data
Individual
Professor Glenda Wardle
Position
Plot Leader
Organization
The University of Sydney
Address
Heydon-Laurence Building A08
The University of Sydney
Sydney. NSW 2006
Australia
Phone
voice
02 9351 7113 or 0425 382 205
Email Address
glenda.wardle@sydney.edu.au
Individual
Professor Chris Dickman
Position
Plot Leader
Organization
The University of Sydney
Address
Heydon-Laurence Building A08
The University of Sydney
Sydney. NSW 2060
Australia
Phone
voice
02 9351 2318
Email Address
chris.dickman@sydney.edu.au
Individual
Dr Aaron Greenville
Position
Research Associate
Organization
The University of Sydney
Address
Heydon-Laurence Building A08
The University of Sydney
Sydney. NSW 2006
Australia
Phone
voice
02 9351 8577
Email Address
aaron.greenville@sydney.edu.au
Individual
Mr Bobby Tamayo
Position
Operational Manager
Organization
The University of Sydney
Address
Heydon-Laurence Building A08
The University of Sydney
Sydney. NSW 2060
Australia
Phone
voice
02 9351 8577
Email Address
bobby.tamayo@sydney.edu.au
Project Information and Data Owners
Title
Desert Ecology Plot Network
Personnel
Role
Data Owner
Individual
Professor Glenda Wardle
Position
Plot Leader
Organization
The University of Sydney
Role
Data Owner
Individual
Professor Chris Dickman
Position
Plot Leader
Organization
The University of Sydney
Role
Plot Network Contact
Individual
Dr Aaron Greenville
Position
Research Associate
Organization
The University of Sydney
Role
Plot Network Contact
Individual
Mr Bobby Tamayo
Position
Operational Manager
Organization
The University of Sydney
Funding

Since 2012 this project has been part of the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN). This work was supported by the Australian Government’s Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (www.tern.org.au) – an Australian research infrastructure facility established under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and Education Infrastructure Fund–Super Science Initiative through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

Methods and Sampling Information
Methods
Method Step 1
Description
Plot set-up

The network program uses a core of 12 sites which are spaced at least 15 km apart, each comprising two 1-ha trapping grids, or plots which are spaced between 0.5-2 km apart. Vegetation attributes (plant species occurrence and cover estimates) are recorded in a 2.5 m radius around six pitfall traps on each vertebrate trapping grid.

Instrument
  • pitfall traps capped with metal lids, fence droppers marking each trap
  • PVC stormwater pipe, 160 mm in diameter and 600 mm deep drift fence of aluminium wire mesh (flyscreen) 30 cm x 2.5 m
Method Step 2
Description
Data collection

Percentage cover of all species, flowering index and seeding index (from 0-5, where 0 is no flowering or seeding and 5 is maximal flowering /seeding) are recorded. This index represents the total amount of flowering or seeding per species. For example, a score of 5 is awarded if all plants are flowering or seeding at their greatest extent. Sampling intervals are usually in April-May and samples are taken at the same time as the animal trapping. Data are recorded on paper field sheets.

Instrument
  • None
Method Step 3
Description
Trip Report

Data are entered electronically into an Excel spreadsheet using a customised template that allows for data validation. Data are rechecked for errors in transcribing and for consistency in species names and outlier values. Once verified, data sheets are imported into a database for ease of queries and long-term archive (MS Access). After every field trip, a ‘trip report’ is written to document the activities, and events in the survey. The trip reports can be found at http://www.desertecology.edu.au/

Instrument
  • None
Sampling
Study Extent Description

The name Mukia maderaspatana has changed to Cucumis maderaspatanus, but the data uses the name Cucumis maderaspatanus for consistency with previous data packages in the same time series. The network program uses a core of 12 sites which are spaced at least 15 km apart, each comprising two 1-ha trapping grids, or plots which are spaced between 0.5-2 km apart. The project involved sampling vegetation structure and plant species composition on the live-trapping grids (used for mammal and reptile sampling) in the Simpson Desert since 1990. Vegetation attributes (plant species occurrence and cover estimates) are recorded in a 2.5 m radius around six pitfall traps on each vertebrate trapping grid (one trap/line, selected at random - see Figure 6.5). The same traps on each grid are re-surveyed each trip; in general, these surveys are conducted around two traps each on the swale, side and crest of the dune.

Sampling Description

The core of 12 sites are sampled every April-May. Other elements of the plot network’s full program share the sampling structure and core sites/plot/grid configuration of the study design.

Keywords and Subject Categories
GCMD
  • Earth Science > Biosphere > Vegetation
ANZSRC-FOR
  • 0501
  • 0602
LTERN Monitoring Themes
  • Vegetation structure
  • Plant species composition
  • Plant species abundance
Geographic Coverage
Geographic Description
Simpson Desert, Western Queensland.
Bounding Coordinates
West
137.86511 degrees
 
East
138.6059 degrees
 
North
-23.20549 degrees
 
South
-23.99417 degrees
 
Temporal Coverage
Date
2016
Taxonomic Coverage and Classification
Taxonomic System
Classification Citation
Title
Wildflowers & plants of inland Australia
Creators
Organization
Urban A
Publication Date
2001
Wildflowers & plants of inland Australia Urban A 2001
Type
BOOK
Publisher
Organization
Paul Fitzsimons, Alice Springs, NT.
ID Name
Organization
Unknown
Procedures
Unknown
Classification
  • Species
    Abutilon otocarpum
  • Species
    Abutilon spp
  • Species
    Acacia dictyophleba
  • Species
    Acacia ligulata
  • Species
    Acacia melleodora
  • Species
    Acacia stenophylla
  • Species
    Aristida contorta
  • Species
    Aristida holathera
  • Species
    Boerhavia coccinea
  • Species
    Bonamia media
  • Species
    Brunonia australis
  • Species
    Calandrinia balonensis
  • Species
    Calotis erinacea
  • Species
    Cleome viscosa
  • Species
    Corchorus sidoides
  • Species
    Corymbia terminalis
  • Species
    Corynotheca micrantha
  • Species
    Crotalaria cunninghamii
  • Species
    Crotalaria eremaea
  • Species
    Dactyloctenium radulans
  • Species
    Dicrastylis costelloi
  • Species
    Dodonaea viscosa
  • Species
    Enneapogon polyphyllus
  • Species
    Eragrostis eriopoda
  • Species
    Eremophila longifolia
  • Species
    Eremophila obovata
  • Species
    Eremophila willsii
  • Species
    Eriachne aristidea
  • Species
    Eucalyptus gamophylla
  • Species
    Eucalyptus pachyphylla
  • Species
    Euphorbia drummondii
  • Species
    Euphorbia tannensis
  • Species
    Evolvulus alsinoides
  • Species
    Fimbristylis dichotoma
  • Species
    Goodenia cycloptera
  • Species
    Grevillea stenobotrya
  • Species
    Grevillea striata
  • Species
    Halgania cyanea
  • Species
    Haloragis gossei
  • Species
    Heliotropium spp
  • Species
    Indigofera spp
  • Species
    Lechenaultia divaricata
  • Species
    Maireana spp
  • Species
    Mukia maderaspatana
  • Species
    Newcastelia spodiotricha
  • Species
    Oldenlandia pterospora
  • Species
    Paractaenum refractum
  • Species
    Petalostylis cassioides
  • Species
    Portulaca intraterranea
  • Species
    Ptilotus latifolius
  • Species
    Ptilotus polystachyus
  • Species
    Rhagodia spinescens
  • Species
    Rulingia loxophylla
  • Species
    Scaevola depauperata
  • Species
    Scaevola parvibarbata
  • Species
    Scaevola parviflora
  • Species
    Senna artemisioides
  • Species
    Senna pleurocarpa
  • Species
    Setaria surgens
  • Species
    Sida fibulifera
  • Species
    Sida spp
  • Species
    Sida trichopoda
  • Species
    Stylobasium spathulatum
  • Species
    Tephrosia rosea
  • Species
    Trachymene glaucifolia
  • Species
    Tragus australianus
  • Species
    Trianthema pilosum
  • Species
    Tribulopis angustifolia
  • Species
    Tribulus hystri
  • Species
    Trichodesma zeylanicum
  • Species
    Triodia basedowii
  • Species
    Triumfetta winneckeana
  • Species
    Yakirra australiensis
  • Species
    Zygochloa parado
Intellectual Rights, Licence and Usage Conditions

CC-BY-4_0 Special Conditions Data users must request permission from the Data Provider (Glenda Wardle or Chris Dickman) before access to latitudinal and longitudinal data is granted.

Data Table
derg_vegetation_data_2016_p702t944.csv
Name
derg_vegetation_data_2016_p702t944.csv
Description
Desert Ecology vegetation data for 2016
Attribute Information
year
Name
year
Definition
Year of survey
Measurement Type
dateTime
Measurement Domain
Format
YYYY
month_year
Name
month_year
Definition
Month and year of survey identifier
Measurement Type
dateTime
Measurement Domain
Format
Mmm.YY
trip_no
Name
trip_no
Definition
Arbitary trip identifer
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
site_name
Name
site_name
Definition
Name of site
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
site_grid
Name
site_grid
Definition
Site and trapping grid code e.g. KSE1 Kunnamuka Swamp East, Grid 1.
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
flora_descriptor
Name
flora_descriptor
Definition
Scientific name and comments
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
avg_of_cover
Name
avg_of_cover
Definition
Mean percentage of vegetation cover across grid, calculated from 6 surveys around traps
Measurement Type
interval
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
number
Number Type
real
avg_of_fl
Name
avg_of_fl
Definition
Mean flowering across grid, calculated from 6 surveys around traps (scored on a scale from 0 (none) to 5 (abundant))
Measurement Type
interval
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
number
Number Type
real
avg_of_seed
Name
avg_of_seed
Definition
Mean seeding across grid, calculated from 6 surveys around traps (scored on a scale from 0 (none) to 5 (abundant))
Measurement Type
interval
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
number
Number Type
real
dead_alive
Name
dead_alive
Definition
Plant dead or alive
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Enumerated Domain
Code Definition
Alive
Plant is alive
Dead
Plant is dead
Number Of Records
387
Physical Structure Description
Object Name
derg_vegetation_data_2016_p702t944.csv
Size
32279 byte
Text Format
Number of Header Lines
1
Record Delimiter
#x0A
Attribute Orientation
column
Simple Delimited
Field Delimiter
,
Distribution
Online
URL
ltern.336.1
Access
Access Control
Auth System
knb
Order
allowFirst
Allow:
PermissionPrincipal
[all] cn=submitters,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] cn=pn_desert_ecology,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] cn=allusers,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
Additional Metadata Links
additionalLinks
Additional Metadata : additionalLinks
Metadata
additionalLinks
url
@name
Desert Ecology Plot Network
http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/desert-ecology
Access
Access Control
Auth System
knb
Order
allowFirst
Allow:
PermissionPrincipal
[read] public
[all] cn=submitters,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] cn=pn_desert_ecology,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org