Victorian Alpine Plot Network: Victoria's Bogong High Plains and other high plains and mountain summits data packages, 1940-2018

Aim: Monitor the dynamics of the major alpine ecosystems, and understand fundamental ecological processes by assessing the effects of disturbance by fire, climate change and invasive alien species on the alpine biota.

Key research questions:

What are the long term changes in the major vegetation types and faunal assemblages?
What are the likely long term effects on the alpine biota of human disturbance, climate change, drought, fire and altered biotic interactions?

Surveys:

All major vegetation types including heathlands, grasslands, wetlands and rare snow-patch herbfields.
Small mammals and invertebrates.
Genetics and phenology.

The frequency of surveys generally ranges from every 3 to 10 years; some plots are surveyed annually during initial monitoring.

The original plots in this network were established in the 1940s; additional plots were set up in the 1980s and following decades. Plots associated with an international climate change experiment were established in 2003.

研究目标：监测主要高山生态系统的动态变化，并通过评估火灾、气候变化与外来入侵物种对高山生物群落的干扰效应，解析核心生态过程。

核心研究问题：
1. 主要植被类型与动物群落的长期变化趋势如何？
2. 人类干扰、气候变化、干旱、火灾以及生物交互作用改变对高山生物群落可能产生的长期影响是什么？

调查内容：
涵盖所有主要植被类型，包括灌丛、草原、湿地以及珍稀雪斑草本群落；
小型哺乳类与无脊椎动物；
遗传学与物候学指标。

调查频率通常为每3至10年一次；部分样地在监测初期会开展年度调查。

该监测网络的初始样地设立于20世纪40年代；后续分别于20世纪80年代及之后的数十年增设了样地。2003年，为配合一项国际气候变化实验，设立了相关专属样地。