TERN is Australia's Ecosystem Observatory
TERN provides world-class research infrastructure to monitor and understand changes to our environment and climate and enable predictions of future risks.
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About TERN
TERN measures key terrestrial ecosystem attributes over time from continental scale to field sites at hundreds of representative locations and openly provides environmental monitoring and assessment model-ready data that enable those undertaking environment and ecology research to detect and interpret changes in ecosystems.
Data Discovery Portal
Discover, access and reuse datasets derived from TERN observatory measured by systematic site-surveys, remote-sensing, model-derived and in-situ sensors.
OPEN DATA
- Continental-scale gridded remote sensing, soil and landscape products
- Plot-based soil and vegetation surveillance monitoring data
- Aggregated state government survey data
- Calibration and validation data for remote sensing
- Time series flux tower, phenocam and acoustic monitoring sensor data
DATA
INFRASTRUCTURE
- Cloud-based virtual desktop to run and share experiments (CoESRA)
- Data submission, harmonisation and retrieval of ecological data (SHaRED)
- Discovery, mapping and analysis of landscape-scale ecosystem datasets (Data Visualiser)
- Cloud-based analysis, synthesis and training platform
STANDARD METHODS, PROTOCOLS & COLLECTIONS
- Catalogued plant and soil sample collection
- Nationally consistent field methods
- Guidelines for calibration and validation of remotely-sensed data
- Field data collection apps
SITE-BASED INSTRUMENTS & MONITORING
- Eddy covariance flux towers
- Heat flux plates
- Radiometers
- Anemometers
- Infrared Gas Analysers
- Spectrometers
- CosmOz soil moisture meters
- Groundwater bores
- Ecoacoustic sensors
- Phenocams
- Terrestrial laser scanners
- UAV/drones
- Camera traps
- Photopoints and more
WE HAVE MORE THAN:
observing sites
collections
international partners
using TERN data
for some datasets
samples
Latest News
Measuring Australia’s breathing landscape
Professor Jason Beringer is moving onto new adventures beyond TERN
Australia’s Environment Report 2025
Australia’s environment had an above-average year in 2025, with good
Drone ecology is taking off
Staying at the forefront of long-term environmental monitoring means keeping
Upcoming Events
2026 NZES-SCBO conference
This gathering marks a unique opportunity to strengthen collaboration, share knowledge, and spark meaningful conversations that can shape the future of ecological science and conservation practice. The theme, “Changing the
2026 ALCA Conference
The 2026 ALCA Conference will bring over 400 delegates together – conservation changemakers and practitioners, First Nations leaders and land managers, policymakers, researchers, business, finance and industry experts, landholders and
2026 Soil Science Australia National Conference
Western Australia will host the 2026 Soil Science Australia National Conference on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja in Boorloo (Perth), with the theme “Common Ground: Soils for the Anthropocene”. The conference will
EGU General Assembly 2026
The EGU General Assembly 2026 brings together geoscientists from all over the world to one meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, planetary, and space sciences. The EGU aims to
If have a question for TERN, you can call us on 07 3365 9097, email the Engagement team at tern@uq.edu.au, or submit your enquiry online.
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