TERN Ecosystem Processes

TERN's Ecosystem Processes platform monitors the environment at a high level of detail at a small number of sites. This is done through intensive field stations or ‘SuperSites’ which combine instrumented or sensor measurements with classical field surveys and remote sensing activities at the sites located in significant Australian biomes, spanning a wide range of environmental conditions.

TERN Ecosystem Processes data are derived from periodic field surveys and in-situ sensors operated continuously at a local scale.

OzFlux towers measure gas exchange between the ecosystem and atmosphere and such measures are integrated with detailed field observations of vegetation and soils from 12 intensive SuperSites such that measures and observations of the drivers of change in ecosystems are made possible.

Watching over our incredible eucalypt ecosystems: Australia's land observatory from TERN Australia on Vimeo.

Data and Tools

TERN Ecosystem Processes capability's suite of infrastructure includes tools that assist researchers to undertake their work more effectively. The capability delivers:

Micrometeorological observations of energy, carbon and water exchanges between the atmosphere and key Australian ecosystems; and
Biological and environmental observations of flora, fauna, microbial biodiversity, soils, and hydrology.

TERN OzFlux data streams and products:

Meteorology	Energy Balance	Water Balance	Carbon Balance
Soil temperature Air temperature Air relative humidity Wind speed & direction Rainfall* Net radiation*	Incoming/outgoing shortwave/longwave radiation Sensible heat flux ¥¥ Soil heat flux ¥¥ Net radiation*	H₂O concentration Rainfall* Latent heat flux ¥¥ Soil moisture Total evaporation ¥¥ Water-use efficiency* ^¥¥	CO₂ concentration Net ecosystem exchange ^¥¥ Gross primary productivity ^¥¥ Net ecosystem respiration ^¥¥ Water use efficiency* ^¥¥

* Note that a Data Stream can form part of more than one Data Product.
¥¥ Modelled Data product requiring labour-intensive post-processing (undertaken by PIs and TERN OzFlux). All other Data Streams are provided in real time on at least an hourly basis.

TERN SuperSites data:

Biodiversity	Carbon & Water	Cover
Acoustic sensors (daily) Bird surveys Vegetation species list Vegetation floristic surveys* Soil microbial biodiversity^#	DBH (5 yr) Stem height (5 yr) Stem mapping (5 yr) Standing Above Ground Biomass Wood decomposition (5 yr) Aquifer depth sensors (hourly) # Water flow sensors (hourly) # Water quality sensors (hourly) # Soil moisture (Cosmos) (daily) #	Photopoints (annual) Phenocam sensors (hourly) Leaf Area Index (6 monthly) Ground cover (5 yr)* Vegetation cover (5 yr)*

* Includes surveys carried out by TERN Ecosystem Surveillance platform
** Surveys carried out by TERN Landscape Assessment platform
# Measurements collected at a sub-set of sites
@ Measurements provided by OzFlux instrumentation
^ Data collected in collaboration with Bioplatforms Australia as part of the Biome of Australia Soil Environments (BASE) project.

Our OzFlux infrastructure and data >

Our SuperSites infrastructure and data >