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Data

SLATS Star Transects - Australian Field Sites 

Ver: 1.0
Status of Data: onGoing
Update Frequency: irregular
Security Classification: unclassified
Record Last Modified: 2025-12-02
Viewed 2372 times
Accessed 381 times
Dataset Created: 2013-09-13
Dataset Published: 2022-01-04
Data can be accessed from the following links:
HTTPPoint-of-truth metadata URLWFSData File (CSV) via JRSRP GeoserverHTTPData is also available at JRSRP Field Data PortalHTTPTERN Field Data Collection InformationHTTPLandscape Data Visualiser - SLATS Star Transects - Australian field sitesHTTPstar_transect_data_attributes.txtHTTPro-crate-metadata.json
How to cite this collection:
Department of the Environment, T. (2022). SLATS Star Transects - Australian Field Sites. Version 1.0. Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network. Dataset. https://portal.tern.org.au/metadata/24a40c29-0d7c-4fe8-bdde-9c4ea495bfb8 
The SLATS star transect field 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 datasets are a combination of vegetation fractions collected in three strata - non-woody vegetation including vegetative litter near the soil surface, woody vegetation less than 2 metres, and woody vegetation greater than 2 metres - at homogeneous areas of approximately 1 hectare. This dataset is compiled from a variety of sources, including available sites from the ABARES ground cover reference sites database. 
Credit
We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. The following organisations have 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, Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
This work was funded by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), an Australian Government National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) project. 
Purpose
The SLATS star transect data has been collected to calibrate and validate large area fractional cover spatial datasets derived from remote sensing, that are produced regularly—monthly, seasonally, annually—enabling change in ground cover to be monitored consistently across Australia. 
Lineage
Data not provided. 
Method DocumentationData not provided.
Procedure Steps

1. 

Protocol: Star transect locations are selected to cover homogenous areas of approximately 1 hectare. A summary of the field data collection process is here. 

Australia
Temporal Coverage
From 1997-01-01 to on going 
Spatial Resolution

Data not provided.

Vertical Extent

Data not provided.

Data Quality Assessment Scope
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. 
Data Quality Report
Data not provided. 
Data Quality Assessment Outcome
The effect of various observers collecting the data has been investigated by Trevithick et al (2012) (See References for full details). 
ANZSRC - FOR
Climate change impacts and adaptation
GCMD Sciences
BIOSPHERE - VEGETATION COVER
Horizontal Resolution
30 meters - < 100 meters
Instruments
Densitometer
Parameters
biomass
biotic microrelief
crust ground cover
cryptogam ground cover
fire occurrence
green ground cover
litter ground cover
microrelief
persistent green vegetation fraction
plant height
rock colour
rock ground cover
soil strength
soil surface cracks
tree basal area
vegetation area fraction
vegetation present management phase
Temporal Resolution
irregular
Topic
environment
User Defined
point intercept
Author
Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Queensland Government
Contact Point
Data Enquiries, Earth Observation and Social Sciences (EOSS)
Publisher
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
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.
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, QLD Department of Environment and Science
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Please advise any work or publications that use this data via the online form at https://www.tern.org.au/research-publications/#reporting 
Please cite this dataset as {Author} ({PublicationYear}). {Title}. {Version, as appropriate}. Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network. Dataset. {Identifier}.