Nanangroe Plantation Plot Network: Vegetation Survey, Southwest Slopes, NSW, Australia, 2015

Abstract: This data package consists of standardised vegetation condition measurements from the Nanangroe Plantation, NSW taken in 2015.

Surveys are done every five years in three vegetation structure plots (20 m × 20 m) nested within the 2-ha sites. This survey measures ground cover, percentage of vegetation cover, species richness and structural measurements for each plot.

The principle objective of the Nanangroe study is to directly quantify changes in woodland vertebrate assemblages and their relationships with habitat variables when the surrounding landscape matrix is converted from a semi-cleared grazing landscape to a landscape dominated by an exotic softwood plantation. The study area is located in the Southwest Slopes of NSW west of Lake Burrinjuck and includes four exotic Pine Plantations (Nanangroe, Cotway, East Bungongo and Bungongo), as well as private properties adjacent those plantations. Repeated sampling of the vegetation structure and cover and selected vertebrate groups on all sites from 1998 has created a long term dataset.

A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Nanangroe Plantation Forest Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://doi.org/10.25911/5c3d49dd32d9b

Sampling method: Vegetation sampling is performed in three vegetation structure plots (20 m × 20 m) nested within the 2-ha sites.

Study extent: Vegetation surveys are performed every 5 years. 2015 is the first year biometrics measurements were recorded for Nanangroe.

Project funding: Between 2012 and 2018 this project was 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.