LTERN Data Portal

Vegetation survey data was collected at a subset of 81 of the 175 permanent 3 hectare plots studied by Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest. The majority subset (60% - and the same subset each year) are surveyed annually, the remainder are surveyed every 2-3 years.

Standardized vegetation condition measurements were undertaken in 3 plots (1 x 1 m, 10 x 10 m)) nested within 1 ha plots. These measurements are taken annually.

Species diversity and abundance:

A record is taken whenever a species is observed within 5 m either side of the central transect (marked m‘T’) and additionally if the species is seen within any of the three 10x10 m plots a ‘1’, ‘2’ or ‘3’ are additionally listed in the box next to the species. (Example “T/1/3 Acacia dealbata” would mean A.d. was seen in plot 1 and plot 3 and on the transect). If a species is seen only within a 10x10 m plot, it is still recorded on the transect as the transect includes the three plots. If a species is identifiable but dead, it is not recorded. Immediately post fire, species were recorded as live, dead, or burnt. If a species is associated only with the roadside vegetation, the species is marked ‘R’. If the species is only observed elsewhere on the site outside the 10 x 100 m transect, it is listed with a diagonal slash across the box or ‘S’ to indicate it is present elsewhere on the site.

Height v Diameter matrix:

The HvD matrix records all the woody plants and tree ferns (no grasses, bracken, sedges, climbers etc.) over 2 m within the three 10x10 m plots. Every stem has Diameter Breast Height (DBH) and overall height measured and the species is entered in the matrix. Multiple stemmed plants generally have a count for each individual stem over 1.3 m high (DBH), so a single Correa or Olearia plant (for example) may be counted as multiple stems. Tree ferns with fronds that extend above 2 m are recorded in the diameter class of their trunk, even if this is below 1.3 m high. Tree ferns with trunks shorter than 1.3 m are still recorded as a single occurrence.

Stems are listed as either alive ‘L’, or dead ‘D’. For example “Adx3 (D)” denotes three dead Acacia dealbata.

The HvD matrix originally was a single table for each site, with all three plots entered into the one table. In 2012, this was split into three individual tables, one for each 10 x 10 m plot to help with identifying change over time in subsequent surveying, something that was very difficult with all three entered into a single table.

Basal wedge of Acacia:

A basal sweep is done in the middle of each 10 x 10 m plot, using the “bottle opener” type basal wedge, using the ‘BAF 1’ slot. The number of each species of Acacia is recorded, as well as whether the tree is alive or dead. Trees shorter than 2 m are not counted.

Trees on a lean greater than 45 degrees are not counted.

Seedling plots:

All species that are rooted within the 1 x 1 m plots (usually located in the centre of the 10 x 10 m plots), are alive and that are under 5 m are recorded by height increments in the table. Where the species is a sprawling ground cover (e.g. Stellaria, wire grass, geranium etc.), an estimate of rooting nodes is taken.

Field proformas were used.