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
Science in the Snow: the benefits and challenges of collecting data in Australia’s toughest winter conditions
Winter in Australia’s high country can be beautiful and brutal,
How TERN is working with Australian teachers to inspire the next generation of ecologists
TERN’s Education and Training Manager, Dr Eleanor Velasquez, recently attended
How TERN’s Education Strategy comes alive at the Litchfield Savanna SuperSite
Students from Charles Darwin University’s Bachelor of Environment Science and
Upcoming Events
Australasian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network Conference 2026
The Australasian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network (AMSN) Conference 2026 will bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community partners from across Australasia and beyond to share knowledge, build collaborations, and explore
2026 Advancing Earth Observation Forum
The Advancing Earth Observation Forum brings together people from across Australia and beyond, to share, learn, connect and collaborate.
2026 eResearch Australasia Conference
Hosted by Australasian eResearch Organisations (AeRO) Inc., the conference is the leading forum for everyone involved in enabling, supporting and advancing eResearch — from researchers, data specialists and research infrastructure
World Ecoacoustics Congress 2026
The 6th World Ecoacoustics Congress (WEC), taking place in Cairns (Gimuy), Australia, 17th – 20th of August 2026. The WEC happens every 2 years and attracts hundreds of delegates to discuss advances
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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