Ausplots Rangelands supplementary dataset (Guerin et al. 2016) 

This dataset contains information on vegetation at a set of field sites along with associated environmental data extracted from spatial layers and selected ecological statistics. Measurements of vascular plants include species, growth form, height and cover from 1010 point intercepts per plot as well as systematically recorded absences, which are useful for predictive modelling and validation of remote sensing applications. The derived cover estimates are robust and repeatable, allowing comparisons among environments and detection of modest change. The field plots span a rainfall gradient of 129-1437 mm Mean Annual Precipitation ranging from aseasonal to highly seasonal. The dataset consists of a processed version the AusPlots Rangelands dataset with three components: 1) a site table with locality, environmental and summary ecology statistics for each plot; 2) a set of compiled point intercept records identified by individual hits, site visits and plots and; 3) a processed species percent cover against site/visit matrix for ecological analysis. The data have re-use potential for studies on vegetation properties in the Australian rangelands or as a species presence/absence dataset for testing ecological models. The dataset also provides opportunities for generic application such as testing community ecology theories or developing or demonstrating community ecology software, whether using the raw point by point intercept data or the derived percent cover matrix. 

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 derived cover abundance matrix (species against sites) can be used immediately within a range of existing ecological analysis functions where species composition and relative abundance are required, along with a set of environmental variables for each site. Potential metrics and applications include species richness and diversity metrics; ordination (such as NMDS, CCA, DCA, etc); species accumulation curves and rarefaction; species abundance distribution (SAD) models; validation of remotely sensed metrics such as fractional cover, tree cover and vegetation type; community ecology modelling applications such as GDM and GLMM; clustering and classification applications. The raw point intercept data can be used to derive community matrices based on abundance of growth forms rather than individual species if desired. The intercept data can also be used to examine within-plot patterns of frequency and co-occurrence because each record is associated with a coordinate system system identifying location within plot (transect number and direction and point along transect in m). The dataset provides basic baseline information on species and vegetation types present at locations across Australia but can also be used generically to test or demonstrate community ecology theories or software functions, particularly where species composition, robust measures of relative cover/abundance or detailed information on vegetation structure at small scales (within plots) is relevant. 

Raw vegetation and site data were acquired via an internal AusPlots database and compiled/processed into tables for analysis. All available sites were included. Environmental data were extracted from a set of spatial layers at the coordinates of sites, specifically Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps obtained from https://esoil.io/TERNLandscapes/Public/Pages/SLGA/ and WorldClim climatic data obtained from http://www.worldclim.org. Summary ecological statistics and environmental variables were prepared in R 3.1.3 using packages including 'raster', 'vegan' and 'sads'.