TERN Surveillance Monitoring Program

AusPlots is a collection of ecological data and samples gathered from a network of plots and transects across Australia by the TERN Surveillance Monitoring team, using standardised methodologies.

The AusPlots collection provides the ecological infrastructure to:
- quantify the richness and cover of plant species (including weeds);
- quantify the diversity and abundance of soil biodiversity;
- assess the state, spatial heterogeneity and structural complexity of vegetation, including life-stage;
- record vegetation and soil parameters that assist with the validation of remotely sensed ecological products;
- analyse vegetation structure and change based on a series of photo reference images;
better estimate soil carbon and nutrient stocks;
- conduct taxonomic validation studies based on collected plant voucher specimens;
- conduct DNA barcoding and population genetic profiling based on collected tissue samples.

Overall this information will progress understanding of ecosystem processes, structure and function, and more generally progress understanding of the response to disturbance and longer-term environmental change of rangeland ecosystems, which underpins sustainable management practice.