Fieldwork for the collection of ecological monitoring data – learnings from creating research infrastructure in Australia

The Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) is Australia's land observatory. With a network of 1000, 1-ha plots across the nation, TERN has over 10 years of experience developing standardised monitoring protocols and implementing on-ground field surveys across Australia's unique environments.

With a dedicated team of experienced ecologists, including plant and soil specialists, students and volunteers, operating independently, camping in remote locations for ~12 days, research infrastructure is created through a suite of standardised, repeatable monitoring methods. Site location, soil, landscape and environmental attributes, vegetation community and floristics data are collected. Herbaria specimens, leaf tissue samples, soil samples, and metagenomic samples are collected for a national repository and freely accessible to the international research community.

Aside from the research data created, TERN has developed best practices for managing field teams who conduct remote fieldwork in challenging environments, including safety and communication procedures, scientific permitting approvals, and biosecurity procedures for transporting samples across jurisdictions. 

Building on TERN's experience, the Ecological Monitoring System of Australia (EMSA) was created in collaboration with the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). EMSA provides the tooling for natural resource management (NRM) practitioners and ecologists to expand Australia's network, with plot-based monitoring specifically designed to test the effectiveness of NRM investment projects.

EMSA provides on-ground practitioners with a modular suite of standardised survey protocols, comprehensive instruction manuals, a field data collection app, and a centralised data management and storage system for the Australian Government's Biodiversity Data Repository. Support is provided via a help desk, a community of practice with monthly information sessions and opportunities for questions, discussions and shared learning. Multi-day on-ground training programs and outreach activities upskill ecologists from regional delivery partner organisations and contractors. The modular approach encourages and allows project managers to consider their specific project needs when designing the monitoring program. The ongoing learning opportunities and the repeatability of the methods enable ecologists and field practitioners, once experienced in the techniques, to take up job opportunities across the country, applying the skills to different ecosystems.