- Environmental monitoring involves repeated surveys of sites to track changes over time. Types of monitoring include surveillance, landscape, and targeted monitoring.
- Ausplots is a national network of monitoring sites that collects standardized data on vegetation and soils across Australia. It aims to establish long-term monitoring sites to assess environmental change.
- The method involves systematically collecting data on vegetation, soils, and environmental conditions to build a baseline and allow comparison over time. Samples and data are made available to researchers through various online databases and resources.
3. What will we cover today?
Types of environmental monitoring.
Details of each type.
Ausplots as an example.
Two practical exercise to experience some of
these issues.
4. Environmental monitoring
Survey/ Field Trip/ Excursion is about working
out what is there
Monitoring is about going to the same place
again and again to see how it has changed
Seasonal and long term change
Environmental change
5.
6. Step 1. – Using Lego construct a
healthy environment
7.
8.
9. Why is it a health environment?
Mitch (5)
No Dead Trees
A house for Mr Frog under the leaves
A house for Mr Bat
Shade for Mr Scorpion
Good because there are lots of trees and
plants
10.
11. Why is it a Healthy Environment?
Jake (7)
No Dead Trees
Lots of trees
Lots of animals (frog, scorpion, snake,
crocodile, bat)
Lots of flowers
Weeds under rock
Trees with roots showing
Safe places for animals to live.
12. After Eyre et. al. 2011
Population Ecology
Community
Ecology
Biogeography/
Landscape Ecology
16. Surveillance Monitoring – What and where is it changing?
Landscape monitoring – When and Where is it changing?
Targeted Monitoring - Why is it changing?
19. NOT
Because we want to know if there is a problem, but
we don’t have the resources to have the fire
department everywhere all the time!
Surveillance Monitoring
20. - ecological research infrastructure (the core environmental
information that everyone uses – Like road infrastructure)
– Make new and old information available for everyone,
from backyards to global
– Collect new data in important areas and where we don’t
know much.
In the context of AusPlots the Plots and their associated data are
considered to be infrastructure.
TERN
21. Objectives of AusPlots
National network of surveillance and ecosystem baseline assessment sites
Measuring soil and vegetation the same way everywhere and
Putting them in sensible places and
Collect plots
by
Analyzing the data (What change is happening) and making samples available
to researchers and
Making data available
To
Work out what change is happening where (and how much)
22. About Our Method
• Has to be practical – easy to use
• “It’s not about developing the perfect method, but rather
understanding how imperfect the method is.”
Modular Methods
• Pick which bits are collected where
• Mostly we collect everything
25. Vouchers for genetic and isotope analysis
1. Take around 10 cm2 from
each voucher specimen
2. Place into a synthetic
tea bag and seal
3. Label with adhesive voucher
label and scan with app
4. Place bag in box with ⅓ cup
silica granules (self indicating
and non-indicating granules)
5. Seal box and ensure it is
labelled with plot identifier.
Preferably 1 box per plot.
Change silica every few days
until indicator no longer
changes colour.
6. Samples can then be
used for isotope and
DNA analyses
+ Duplicates for
Dominant
species
34. 2.5m
1.45m
The tripod is set up at
each apex of the triangle
and a full set of photos
taken for 360 degrees at
each point.
The centre point is a star
dropper standing 1.3m
tall (if at all possible) with
a mark ( the top of the
mark) set 25cm from the
top of the pole.
Photopoints
38. Stage 1. Where to go in
Australia?
Stage 2. Which ones to do
first?
Stage 3. What do we already
know?
Stage 4. Does it seem a good
site when we get there?
Where? - Stratification
41. Have also made methods on :
Tall Eucalypts
Condition / Health
Woodlands
Animals,
With ongoing work on:
Fungi (mushrooms)
Ants and Bugs
A Quicker method
What to do when we go back to a site
42.
43.
44. How is it achieved?
Extensive Networking / Collaboration / input to the process
Engage with Agricultural, Environmental, Forestry communities as well as NGO’s –
Input from all Rangeland States and Territories
The challenges of this kind of project are greater socially than they are scientifically!
SA SA
National
NationalNational
Collaborator
TAS QLD
NSW
NSW
NSWNT
WA
WA NSW
National
TERN
TERN
TERN TERN
QLD
45. One method agreed upon and used across
the country
http://www.ausplots.org/
Designed to be used with our training
course
New modules being added – Check back
regularly.
57. Field team
• Based in Adelaide
• Provides consistency
• Best way to use
scarce resources –
Would prefer to have
state based teams in
the future if funding
allowed.
• Well equipped
• Can train others
• Work in conjunction
with state agencies
where possible.
• Work well together in
trying conditions.
58. Training
courses
• At least one per
year
• A day of lectures
explaining all
aspects of the
method
• A day learning
each component
of our method
(Vegetation,
Soils and
Technical
Aspects)
• Focuses on
theoretical and
practical aspects
• Pragmatic
• Held in the
Rangelands
59.
60. • Presentations
to community
groups.
• Workshops
• Targeted
presentations
(state agencies,
fed Govt.)
• Briefing
ministerial
advisors
• Well maintained website
• Conference presentations
• International reference groups /
tours
• Regular TERN Newsletter articles
to large mailing list.
61. How to get samples
At Present have collected approximately:
>10,000 Soil samples
~2700 Soil metagenomic Samples
>15000 Voucher specimens
~ 15000 Genetic Samples
~ 16000 Dominant Genetic replicates
All of which can be access following standard protocols
Information pack available for download at our website
Details how to get access.
62. What can AusPlots offer you?
www.ausplots.org.au
For details including Volunteering, HDR, Data, methods,
Samples, Training, App etc.
Ben.sparrow@adelaide.edu.au
08 8313 1201