LTERN Data Portal

Victorian Alpine Plot Network (Alpine Summit Plots): Lowland-to-highland Roadside Transects Walking Track Data, South-East Highlands, Australia, 2015

Citation

University of Melbourne; Morgan, J; Hoffmann, A (): Victorian Alpine Plot Network (Alpine Summit Plots): Lowland-to-highland Roadside Transects Walking Track Data, South-East Highlands, Australia, 2015. Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://www.ltern.org.au/knb/metacat/ltern6.299.6/html

Download EML
Identifier
docid
ltern6.299.6
Data Creators
Position
Data Owner
Organization
University of Melbourne
Individual
Dr John Morgan
Organization
La Trobe University
Individual
Professor Ary Hoffmann
Position
Plot Leader
Organization
The University of Melbourne
Abstract

This Victorian Alpine Plot Walking Track data package comprises transect-based vegetation data for Lowland-to-highland Roadside Walking Track Transects in the South-East Highlands, Australia. Plots are numbered chronologically along the transects. The transects follow three walking tracks in the Victorian Alps. Each track is divided into 200 m long, 3-4 m wide plots. Within each plot, exotic species are identified and are assigned abundance scores. The distance point of the first occurrence of each species is also noted within each plot. 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.

Contacts for Questions on the Use and Interpretation of Data
Individual
Dr John Morgan
Organization
La Trobe University
Address
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environment
La Trobe University
Bundoora. Vic 3086
Phone
voice
03 9479 2226
Email Address
J.Morgan@latrobe.edu.au
Project Information and Data Owners
Title
Victorian Alpine Plot Network
Personnel
Role
Data Owner
Organization
University of Melbourne
Role
Principal Investigator
Individual
Professor Ary Hoffmann
Position
Plot Leader
Organization
The University of Melbourne
Role
Content Provider
Individual
Dr John Morgan
Organization
La Trobe University
Role
Content Provider
Individual
Dr Henrik Wahren
Organization
Department of Botany, La Trobe University
Funding

Parks Victoria, Mt Hotham Alpine Resort. Since 2012 this project has been part of the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN). LTERN is a Facility within the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). TERN is supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.

Methods and Sampling Information
Methods
Method Step 1
Description
Plot Setup

The sampling regime consists of three walking tracks transects with 200 m long, 3-4 m wide plots located along the transects. The three road-side transects are:

1) Heathy Spur foot-track (~5.4 km)

2) Fitzgerald's Track. (~3.5 km, from Big River Fire Trail to Fitzgeralds hut)

3) Alpine Walking Track from Basalt Temple to Cope Saddle (~9.7 km, transect went 1.2 km past Cope Saddle)

(Weed transect temporarily stopped at 9800 m which is the old Cope Hut-Mt Cope junction (metal sign-post). Pole 478 is at 9815 m.)

Method Step 2
Description
Data Collection

Within each plot, two people walk in a single file, approximately 5 m apart. Observers identify exotic species within 2 m either side of the walking line and assign an abundance score, which are:

• 1 = < 10 individuals per 100 m² = less than 0.1 individuals per m²

• 2 = 10 to 100 individuals per 100 m² = 0.1 to 1.0 individuals per m²

• 3 = > 100 individuals per 100 m² = more than 1.0 individuals per m²

Additionally, each exotic species observed is noted at the distance point when it first appears in that plot (if present in that plot).

Instrument
  • Handheld GPS unit
Sampling
Study Extent Description

These data aim to document the distribution of exotic (and native) species from foothills to mountain summits along transport corridors.

Sampling Description

The data collection protocol follows the guidelines of the Mountain Invasion Research Network (MIREN; http://www.mountaininvasions.org/). The aim is to determine which exotic (and native) species are where on mountain roadsides and are using these data against background quadrat data collected over past years and decades to test hypotheses about roads as vectors for dispersal of invasive species.

Keywords and Subject Categories
Keywords
  • Alpine National Park
  • Species richness
  • Compositional changes
  • Weed invasion
  • Altitudinal gradient
GCMD
  • Biological Classification > Plants
  • Biosphere > Terrestrial Ecosystems > Alpine/Tundra
ANZSRC-FOR
  • 0602
LTERN Monitoring Themes
  • Vegetation structure
  • Plant species composition
  • Plant species abundance
  • Individual plants
Geographic Coverage
Geographic Description
Victorian Alpine Plot Network Lowland-to-highland Roadside Transects Data
Bounding Coordinates
West
146.4542 degrees
 
East
147.30667 degrees
 
North
-36.7325 degrees
 
South
-37.13255 degrees
 
Temporal Coverage
Date Begin
2015-01-16
Date End
2015-01-18
Taxonomic Coverage and Classification
Classification
  • Species
    Acetosella vulgaris
  • Species
    Achillea millefolium
  • Species
    Agrostis capillaris sl
  • Species
    Anthoxanthum odoratum
  • Species
    Cerastium vulgare
  • Species
    Crepis capillaris
  • Species
    Epilobium ciliatum
  • Species
    Festuca rubra
  • Species
    Holcus lanatus
  • Species
    Hypochaeris radicata
  • Species
    Juncus articulatus
  • Species
    Juncus bufonius
  • Species
    Juncus effusus
  • Species
    Juncus tenuis
  • Species
    Oxalis spp
  • Species
    Phleum pratense
  • Species
    Poa annua
  • Species
    Poa pratensis
  • Species
    Prunella vulgaris
  • Species
    Taraxacum officinale spp agg
  • Species
    Trifolium repens
  • Species
    Viola arvensis
Intellectual Rights, Licence and Usage Conditions

CC-BY-4_0 Special Conditions No specific attribution required. Citation details as displayed in the LTERN Data Portal (http://www.ltern.org.au/knb/) Spatial coordinates for track and plot numbers are available at https://www.ltern.org.au/knb/metacat/ltern6.302/html (Victorian Alpine Plot Network (Alpine Summit Plots): Spatial Coordinates for Lowland-to-highland Roadside Transects Walking Track Data, South-East Highlands, Australia).

Data Table
vasp_walking_track_weeds_2015_p589t851.csv
Name
vasp_walking_track_weeds_2015_p589t851.csv
Attribute Information
track
Name
track
Definition
Walking track name
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
plot
Name
plot
Definition
Plot identifier
Measurement Type
ordinal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Numeric
date
Name
date
Definition
Date of survey
Measurement Type
dateTime
Measurement Domain
Format
YYYY-MM-DD
distance
Name
distance
Definition
Distance at which exotic species is first observed in specified plot
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
meter
Number Type
whole
species
Name
species
Definition
Scientific name of exotic species
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
abundance
Name
abundance
Definition
Abundance (species density)
Measurement Type
ordinal
Measurement Domain
Enumerated Domain
Code Definition
1
< 10 individuals per 100 m² = less than 0.1 individuals per m²
2
10 to 100 individuals per 100 m² = 0.1 to 1.0 individuals per m²
3
> 100 individuals per 100 m² = more than 1.0 individuals per m²
type
Name
type
Definition
Nature of track within specified plot
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Enumerated Domain
Code Definition
Road margin (bitumen)
Edge of currently used bitumen road (Bogong High Plains Road…)
Walking trk (new)
Freshly created walking track (..less than 2 yrs?)
Vehicle trk (old)
Long established walking track (…20 yrs plus?)
Vehicle trk margin (management)
Tracks used by authorised vehicles, walkers, possibly horses
Walking trk (old)
Old disused vehicle track now used as foot track only
notes
Name
notes
Definition
General observations
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
Number Of Records
397
Physical Structure Description
Object Name
vasp_walking_track_weeds_2015_p589t851.csv
Size
39207 byte
Text Format
Number of Header Lines
1
Record Delimiter
#x0A
Attribute Orientation
column
Simple Delimited
Field Delimiter
,
Distribution
Online
URL
ltern6.300.1
Access
Access Control
Auth System
knb
Order
allowFirst
Allow:
PermissionPrincipal
[all] cn=submitters,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] cn=pn_vic_alpine,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
Victorian Alpine Plot Network homepage
http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/victorian-alpine
Access
Access Control
Auth System
knb
Order
allowFirst
Allow:
PermissionPrincipal
[read] public
[all] cn=submitters,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] cn=pn_vic_alpine,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org