AusPlots

Past, Present and Future

Presentation by Ben SparrowWith help from the Ausplots team

Current Activities•Establish permanent plots (500)

•Stratification

•Training

•Manual

•Standardised, Nationally accepted method

•Decision making framework

•Sampling of vegetation and soil

Challenges

• Resource constraints make practicalities hard to reconcile with aspirations.• Several Bioregions per state rather than all• Difficult engaging stakeholders in a long term program with short

term funding• Political complexity is a challenge• “It’s not about developing the perfect method, but rather

understanding how imperfect the method is.”

Science ActivitiesAccurate positioning

Database – Link to Aekos

Vegetation DNA/isotope/functional traits

Vouchering

Photopoints

Further App Development

Soils - NSA

Metagenomics

The Future•To date have been focused on doing what we’re

doing well•Strategy:• Inform how Australian environments are changing

through time and space• Fill gaps where data collection hasn’t occurred• Build widespread collaboration• Engagement with user community• Established enduring sample libraries• Attract ongoing funding• Fauna Protocols