Fixed cameras installed at TERN Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite provide a time series of fine scale data as a long-term record of vegetation structure and condition. This dense time series of phenocam images provides data for analysis of ecological responses to climate variability, and when consolidated across the entire terrestrial ecosystem research network, supports calibration and validation of satellite-derived remote sensing data, ensuring delivery of higher quality results for broader scale environmental monitoring products.
Images are captured half hourly during daylight hours. Images and data products, including timeseries of the Green Chromatic Coordinate (Gcc) for a region-of-interest (ROI) that delineates an area of specific vegetation type, are made available on an almost real-time basis.
The 25 hectare site lies on the Atherton Tablelands in the wet tropical rainforests of Australia at 680-740 m elevation. It is situated in Danbulla National Park within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The forest is classified as Regional Ecosystem (RE) 7.3.36a, complex mesophyll vine forest. The climate is seasonal with approximately 60% of rain falling between January and March and the landform is moderately inclined with a low relief. There are 208 species in the site, and average canopy height is 28 m, ranging from 23 to 44 m. All stems ≥ 10 cm diameter are measured, tagged and mapped. For additional site information, see https://www.tern.org.au/tern-observatory/tern-ecosystem-processes/robson-creek-rainforest-supersite/.
Other images collected at the site include photopoints, digital cover photography (DCP) and ancillary images of fauna and flora.
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.
TERN Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite is located Danbulla National Park within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area administered by the Wet Tropics Management Authority, and Queensland Parks and Wildlife. James Cook University manages the site.
This work was funded by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), an Australian Government National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) project.
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.
Purpose
Time series of vegetation phenological observations are collected to understand ecosystems annual cycles. Phenological timeseries can be used for ground-truthing remote sensing data products, for studies of climate change impacts on terrestrial ecosystems, and as a standard for earth system models.
Lineage
For generating ROI chromatic indices the python library vegindex (0.7.2) in python is used. For calculating hazeness values the R hazer (1.1.1.) and jpeg (0.1) libraries are used.
Data Creation
SuperSites Vegetation Monitoring Protocol:
- 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up
- CCFC RGB/IR Phenocamera Set Up
- 17.2 StarDot IP Digital Camera
Cameras:
| Camera type | Camera name | Protocol | Field of view | Start date | End date |
| Campbell Scientific CCFC | AU-Rob_overstorey-oblique-ccfc-1879 | CCFC RGB/IR Phenocamera Set Up | 01 | 2020-09-04 | 2021-11-05 |
| Campbell Scientific CCFC | AU-Rob_overstorey-oblique-ccfc-1879 | CCFC RGB/IR Phenocamera Set Up | 02 | 2021-11-05 | Ongoing |
| Stardot | stardot-EC0383 | 17.2 StarDot IP Digital Camera | 01 | 2014-09-03 | Ongoing |
| Wingscapes Timelapse Camera | fnqr_robson_understorey_oblique_01 | 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up | 01 | 2013-11-06 | 2014-03-31 |
| Wingscapes Timelapse Camera | fnqr_robson_understorey_oblique_01 | 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up | 02 | 2014-09-09 | 2016-04-04 |
| Wingscapes Timelapse Camera | fnqr_robson_overstorey_nadir_01 | 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up | 01 | 2013-11-01 | 2015-04-08 |
| Wingscapes Timelapse Camera | fnqr_robson_overstorey_oblique_02 | 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up | 01 | 2015-04-08 | 2015-07-21 |
| Wingscapes Timelapse Camera | fnqr_robson_overstorey_oblique_02 | 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up | 02 | 2015-10-30 | 2016-04-04 |
| Wingscapes Timelapse Camera | fnqr_robson_overstorey_oblique_01 | 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up | 01 | 2013-11-01 | 2015-07-08 |
| Wingscapes Timelapse Camera | fnqr_robson_overstorey_nadir_02 | 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up | 01 | 2015-04-08 | 2016-04-04 |
| Wingscapes Timelapse Camera | fnqr_robson_overstorey_oblique_01 | 17.1.7 AusCover WingScapes RGB Digital Camera Set Up | 01 | 2013-11-01 | 2015-07-08 |
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