TERN Surveillance monitoring program: Soil vis-NIR spectral library with accompanying soil measurement data for 367 specimens

AusPlots is the core program delivered by TERN Surveillance. AusPlots is a plot-based surveillance monitoring program, undertaking baseline assessments of ecosystems across the country. The aim of AusPlots is to establish and maintain a national network of plots that enables consistent ecological assessment and ongoing monitoring. The AusPlots network collects a range of field data for integration with other existing data sources and current knowledge. More information about TERN Surveillance can be found at their website - https://www.tern.org.au/tern-observatory/tern-ecosystem-surveillance/

As of 2020 there are about 690 active AusPlot sites distributed across Australia.

During 2018 to 2019, most of the soil specimens collected at the AusPlots sites were scanned with an ASD portable vis-NIR spectrometer (PANalytical Inc., Boulder, CO, USA). As there is a specific field data collection protocol carried out at each site i.e., numerous spatial distributed samples collected in a grid-design of specified dimensions, this meant a substantial number of specimens to scan. In total there were 19,380 vis-nir spectra collected. The scanning was done at CSIRO Waite Campus with a CSIRO owned vis-NIR spectrometer.

Accompanying the soil vis-NIR library is a dataset of analytical soil measurements for 367 soil specimens selected the Ausplots soil specimen archive.