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SLATS Star Transect Data
Last modified by Bec Trevithick on 2017/10/26 12:03
SLATS star transects - densitometer, point intercept measurements and ancillary data, field sites
Contents
Figure 1: Star transect point intercept measurement collection
Link to the data
| Descriptor | Data link | Layer name |
|---|---|---|
| Persistent URL | http://www.auscover.org.au/purl/slats-star-transects-all-sites | |
| GeoNetwork record | Not available yet | |
| CSV File | http://qld.auscover.org.au/geoserver/aus/wfs?service=wfs&version=1.1.0&request=GetFeature&typeNames=aus:star_transects&outputFormat=csv | aus:star_transects |
| Data Portal (in development) | http://qld.auscover.org.au/public/html/field-delivery/ | star transects |
Data licence and Access rights
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rights | Copyright 2010 - 2020. JRSRP. Rights owned by the JRSRP. Rights licensed subject to Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0). |
| Licence | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. |
| Access | These data can be freely downloaded and used subject to the CC BY licence. Attribution and citation is required as described at http://www.auscover.org.au/citation. We ask that you send us citations and copies of publications arising from work that use these data. |
Abstract or Summary
This dataset has been compiled as a record of vegetative and non-vegetative fractional cover as recorded in situ according to the method described in Muir et al (2011). The data collected are used to calibrate and validate large area fractional cover spatial datasets derived from remote sensing. These spatial datasets are produced regularly—monthly, seasonally, annually—enabling change in ground cover to be monitored consistently across Australia.
The data is collected in three strata:
- non-woody vegetation including vegetative litter near the soil surface
- woody vegetation less than 2 metres
- woody vegetation greater than 2 metres.
The simplified structural description discriminates the cover fractions within the vertical vegetation profile for the purpose of calibrating and validating remotely sensed products.
This data set is compiled from a variety of sources, including available sites from the ABARES ground cover reference sites database.
Spatial and Temporal extents
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Typical spatial resolution | 1 ha |
| Spatial coverage (degrees) | 110.000000 to 155.001329 E, -10.000000 to -45.000512 N |
| Temporal resolution | 1 day |
| Temporal coverage | 1995-01-01 to ongoing |
| Sensor(s) | Densitometer point intercept measurements |
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Spatial representation type | vector - point |
| Spatial reference system | WGS 84 |
Point of contact
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Rebecca Trevithick |
| Organisation | Remote Sensing Centre - Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation |
| Position | Senior Scientist (Remote Sensing) |
| rebecca.trevithick@qld.gov.au | |
| Role | pointOfContact |
| Address | Remote Sensing Centre, DSITI, EcoSciences Precinct |
| Telephone | (07) 3170 5679 |
Credit
The following organisations contributed to the data collection:
- Joint Remote Sensing Research Project
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
- Curtin University
- University of Adelaide
- CSIRO
- Northern Territory Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Keywords
| Thesauri | Keyword |
|---|---|
| GCMD | EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > VEGETATION > VEGETATION COVER |
| CF | vegetation_area_fraction |
| FoR | Environmental Sciences > Ecological Applications = 0501 |
There are three main thesauri that AusCover recommends:
- Global Change Master Directory (http://gcmd.nasa.gov)
- Climate and Forecast (CF) convention standard names (http://cfconventions.org/standard-names.html).
- Fields of Research codes (http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/6BB427AB9696C225CA2574180004463E?opendocument).
Data quality
Data has been collected in accordance with the national guidelines outlined in Muir et al (2011) (see References for full details). Locational accuracy of the data varies with site and GPS available. See the attribute data for details.
Validation status
The effect of various observers collecting the data has been investigated by Trevithick et al (2012) (See References for full details).
Related products
| Item | Product link |
|---|---|
| Seasonal fractional cover | Seasonal fractional cover |
References
| Item | Detail or link |
|---|---|
| Publication | Muir, J, Schmidt, M, Tindall, D, Trevithick, R, Scarth, P & Stewart, JB, 2011, Field Measurement of fractional ground cover: a technical handbook supporting ground cover monitoring for Australia, prepared by the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management for the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, Canberra, November. |
| Publication | Trevithick, R., Muir, J. & Denham, R, 2012, The effect of observer experience levels on the variability of fractional ground cover reference data. Proceeding of the 16th Annual ARSPC, Melbourne, Australia, August 31 - September 4th 2012. |
| Online info | Field data collection protocol: Star Transect |
Sampling strategy
Star transect locations are selected to cover homogenous areas of approximately 1 ha. Exact details of site selection are outlined in the ground cover handbook (Muir et al., 2011) (See References section for full details).
Product version history
| Version label | Detail |
|---|---|
| 1.0 | Initial release |
Data Attributes
| Field | Description (units) | Format |
|---|---|---|
| site | Plot name | Text |
| obs_time | Date plot commenced | Date and time stamp |
| observers | Names of observers | Text |
| longitude | Longitude in decimal degrees of plot centre (decimal degrees) | Float |
| latitude | Latitude in decimal degrees of plot centre (decimal degrees) | Float |
| description | Brief description of site and conditions | Text |
| total_basal_area | Total basal area, in, including dead trees (kg/m^2) | Float |
| live_basal_area | Total basal area, excluding dead trees (kg/m^2) | Float |
| persistent_green | Persistent green estimate from point intercept data calculated using this formula: ??? | Float |
| crust | Proportion of ground layer point intercept observations recorded as soil crust (ratio) | Float |
| dist | Proportion of ground layer point intercept observations recorded as disturbed soil | Float |
| rock | Proportion of ground layer point intercept observations recorded as rock | Float |
| green | Proportion of ground layer point intercept observations recorded as green attached leaf | Float |
| dead | Proportion of ground layer point intercept observations recorded as dry/dead attached leaf | Float |
| litter | Proportion of ground layer point intercept observations recorded as detached litter | Float |
| crypto | Proportion of ground layer point intercept observations recorded as cryptogam | Float |
| mid_g | Proportion of mid storey layer point intercept observations recorded as green leaf | Float |
| mid_d | Proportion of mid storey layer point intercept observations recorded as dry leaf | Float |
| mid_b | Proportion of mid storey layer point intercept observations recorded as branch | Float |
| crn | Proportion of over storey layer point intercept observations recorded as falling within the crown of a tree, regardless of whether a gap or intercept | Float |
| over_g | Proportion of over storey layer point intercept observations recorded as green leaf | Float |
| over_d | Proportion of over storey layer point intercept observations recorded as dry leaf | Float |
| over_b | Proportion of over storey layer point intercept observations recorded as branch | Float |
| num_point | Number of intercept points recorded along transect | Integer |
| unoccluded | Number of intercept points where the ground was not occluded by vegetation | Integer |
| obs_key | Unique identifier for site and visit for data management purposes | Text |
| geom | Geometry in WKT format |
Metadata history
| Date | Detail |
|---|---|
| 2013-09-13 | Metadata creation date |
| 2017-10-20 | Updated abstract |
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