News
Directors Update – June 2021
Welcome to our early-winter TERN e-newsletter, which arrives as another bout of COVID-related travel restrictions grip our country, potentially interrupting TERN ecosystem monitoring. Fortunately, both our surveillance field teams were already at work in Western Australia when borders closed.”
The cost-benefit of documenting Australia’s biodiversity
A new report by Deloitte Access Economics has found that for every AU$1 invested in discovering remaining Australian species, there will be a return of up to AU$35 in economic benefit to the nation. The method of using a cost-benefit analysis to determine the value of discovering new species is novel. The report comes as scientists implement a plan to discover and document all species in Australia.
Science Symposium program released
Register for free and hear from emerging and established environmental scientists, technologists & managers on creating meaningful outcomes across ecosystems, community, industry and government.
Site of the month: Boyagin Wandoo Woodland SuperSite
This month we’re travelling to the wheatbelt region of Western Australia to visit TERN’s Boyagin Wandoo Woodland site and its paired Ridgefield Farm OzFlux site. Together, the sites’ automated monitoring infrastructure provide essential long-term continuous data to understand landscape dynamics in this biodiverse swath of Australia valued at almost AU$3 billion.
Improved maps of available phosphorus for the state of Queensland
Hundreds of soil samples collected by TERN across Queensland have been filling knowledge gaps about phosphorus, particularly in remote locations, and allowed production of a more accurate and useful map on phosphorus availability in Queensland soils. The map will assist pastoralists, government and researchers improve the productivity and profitability of the state’s agricultural industries.
New methods for measuring and validating soil carbon sequestration
The CO₂, water and energy data provided by TERN flux instruments provide a cost-effective alternative to expensive soil sampling for quantifying soil organic carbon sequestration at large spatial scales and ensuring delivery of carbon offsets.
International environmental change research enabled by TERN
TERN’s national research infrastructure (NRI) is being used by scientists from all around the world, including by a scientist from Estonia whose research will help new NASA technology be better utilised to monitor and measure environmental change. Meet the researcher, learn about an innovative method to assess vegetation clumping, and read his independent assessment of the importance of TERN for global satellite product validation.
Directors Update – May 2021
Significant news for TERN and other national research infrastructure projects this month is the announcement of the Expert Working Group for the 2021 Research Infrastructure Roadmap consultations.
Brisbane Citizen Scientists close the gap in TERN bird monitoring
A unique citizen science project involving the local community to collect biodiversity data has kicked off in Brisbane’s outskirts. The Queensland Government’s RICF-funded TERN pilot will trial the collection of consistent data at TERN sites by community members, with the potential to expand to our national network of plots to collect more data more often. Grab your binoculars and read on…
International data recognition sought for TERN
TERN is fully committed to providing data that are not only findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable but also standard-compliant. Thanks to a Qld Government RICF grant, TERN is applying to have its data e-infrastructure certified by CoreTrustSeal. Receiving the data-world’s tick of approval will provide independent assurance to users that TERN data are curated, managed and continuously made available to the highest international standards.
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