Desert Uplands Plot Network: Vegetation Survey (Presence Data, Species Richness and Stem and Hollow Counts), Northern Queensland, Australia, 2013

Abstract: The LTERN Desert Uplands Plot Network Vegetation Survey data contains presence data, species richness data and structural data for 50 permanent 1 hectare plots in Northern Queensland, Australia. This package contains data collected in 2013, a subset of a much larger dataset stretching from 2004 to 2016. The CSIRO permanent plots are situated in Tropical Ironbark Woodlands, and extend across four leasehold cattle properties that lie within an area approximately 50 km by 50 km. The plots represent three vegetation management strategies, namely: 1) clearing (where all trees and shrubs are removed); 2) thinning (where ground and midstorey vegetation is removed); and 3) unmodified native woodlands where significant thinning or clearing has not occurred. The Desert Uplands research plots commenced in 2004, and have been revisited in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Desert Uplands Plot Network’s full program is provided at https://doi.org/10.25911/5c343f9e98336.

Sampling method: The specific location of the 1 ha survey sites were selected on the basis that they were situated in large contiguous areas that were considered typical or characteristic of the respective vegetation management strategy. Within each property, sites are generally a minimum of 1km apart but may be within 500 m of one another in some cases.

Sites are located a minimum of 500m from any water point, commonly 50-100 m from the nearest access track and that the demarcation used for site selection within the “Unmodified vegetation management” class (30-45% vs. 45-60% canopy cover), was made using crown canopy mapping based on 1996 1:250 000 aerial photography. Sites are broadly situated within the same broad Ironbark woodland community (Eucalyptus whitei, E. melanophloia). Two Queensland land zones are mapped across the four properties with sandy plains and alluvial systems each represented by two properties.

One of the leaseholders (with five thinned and five unmodified sites), withdrew from the study following the July 2008 survey leaving 50 sites distributed across three leasehold properties remaining in the study.

Study extent: These plots have been visited four times so far – June 2004, May 2005, August 2006, July 2008 (all 60 plots), and June-July 2013 (50 plots).

Project funding: Between 2012 and 2018 this project was part of, and funded through the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN) a facility within the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) and supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.