Ausplots Rangelands supplementary dataset (Guerin et al. 2016)

This dataset contains information on vegetation at a set of field sites along with associated environmental data extracted from spatial layers and selected ecological statistics. Measurements of vascular plants include species, growth form, height and cover from 1010 point intercepts per plot as well as systematically recorded absences, which are useful for predictive modelling and validation of remote sensing applications. The derived cover estimates are robust and repeatable, allowing comparisons among environments and detection of modest change. The field plots span a rainfall gradient of 129–1437 mm Mean Annual Precipitation ranging from aseasonal to highly seasonal. The dataset consists of a processed version the AusPlots Rangelands dataset with three components: 1) a site table with locality, environmental and summary ecology statistics for each plot; 2) a set of compiled point intercept records identified by individual hits, site visits and plots and; 3) a processed species percent cover against site/visit matrix for ecological analysis. The data have re-use potential for studies on vegetation properties in the Australian rangelands or as a species presence/absence dataset for testing ecological models. The dataset also provides opportunities for generic application such as testing community ecology theories or developing or demonstrating community ecology software, whether using the raw point by point intercept data or the derived percent cover matrix.

本数据集收录了一系列野外样地的植被信息，以及从空间图层中提取的配套环境数据与精选的生态学统计量。针对维管植物的调查指标包括物种、生长型、株高与盖度，数据来源于每个样地的1010个点截（point intercept）样点，同时包含系统记录的无物种出现的样点，该内容可用于遥感应用的预测建模与验证工作。衍生得到的盖度估算结果具备稳健性与可重复性，支持不同生境间的对比分析以及细微变化的监测。本次野外样地覆盖了年平均降水量129–1437毫米的降水梯度，降水模式从无明显季节变化到强季节变化不等。本数据集为经处理后的AusPlots牧场样地数据集（AusPlots Rangelands dataset），包含三个组成部分：1. 样地信息表：收录各单样地的地理位置、环境参数与生态学汇总统计量；2. 整合的点截法记录集：依据单次取样、样地访问与具体样地对每条点截记录进行标识；3. 经处理的物种盖度-样地/访问矩阵：用于生态学分析。该数据集可复用至澳大利亚牧场的植被属性相关研究，或作为物种出现/缺失数据集用于生态学模型的测试。此外，本数据集还可用于通用场景的研究：例如检验群落生态学理论，或开发、演示群落生态学相关软件，既可以使用原始逐点截法记录数据，也可以使用衍生得到的盖度矩阵。