Upland Heath Swamps Plot Network: Soil Properties, Dharawal National Park and Dharawal Nature Reserve, Sydney Basin, NSW, Australia, 1983-2014

Typecollection
TitleUpland Heath Swamps Plot Network: Soil Properties, Dharawal National Park and Dharawal Nature Reserve, Sydney Basin, NSW, Australia, 1983-2014
Alternate TitleUpland Heath Swamps Plot Network: Soil Properties Dharawal National Park, 1983-2014
Collection TypeDataset
Access PrivilegesLong Term Ecological Research Network
DOI - Digital Object Identifier10.25911/5c36d4501a15f
Metadata LanguageEnglish
Data LanguageEnglish
Brief DescriptionThis Upland Heath Swamps Plot Network Soil Properties Data Package contains detailed soil analysis, taken between 1983 and 2014, from 60 established swamp monitoring sites in upland swamps.

A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Upland Heath Swamps Plot Network’s full program is provided at https://doi.org/10.25911/5c1313b2b2644.
Full DescriptionAbstract: This Upland Heath Swamps Plot Network Soil Properties Data Package contains detailed soil analysis, taken between 1983 and 2014, from 60 established swamp monitoring sites in upland swamps scattered throughout the study area (Keith and Myerscough 1993). Each site is sampled in nine combinations of moisture-by-vegetation structure strata.

The Upland Heath Swamps Plot Network research plots commenced in 1983 and have been revisited in 2004, 2009 and again in 2014.

A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Upland Heath Swamps Plot Network’s full program is provided at https://doi.org/10.25911/5c1313b2b2644.

Sampling method: Originally each sample site was a belt transect of 60 contiguous 0.5x0.5 m quadrats, in which presence/absence of all vascular plant taxa were recorded (based on whether they were overhanging the quadrats) and tallied to give a frequency out of 60. The sites were originally sampled in 1983, marked in the field by two wooden stakes at either end of the transect, and plotted on a 1:10 000 aerial photograph. By 2004, it was possible to relocate 54 of the 60 original transects and of these, at least one of the original markers was found for 20 transects. During the intervening years, some of the wooden markers had been consumed by fires, but based on the annotated aerial photograph, field notes and detailed recollections of the original observer (David Keith), transects were confidently reestablished within approximately 10 m of their original location. These formed the basis for establishing permanent swamp monitoring sites, which are now marked in the field at the positions of quadrats 1 and 30 with steel star pickets, extending approximately 1.5 m above ground surface, and located on the Map Grid of Australia (Geodectic Datum of Australia) using a global positioning system.

Study extent: During 2014, soils were sampled at all 54 sites. In previous surveys (only year recorded, not date), they were sampled at a random sample of 20 sites stratified by the soil moistire gradient and vegetation structure. Additionally, the exchangable manganese (Mn), total organic carbon (TOC) and moisture content were not measured in the years before 2014. The next census is scheduled for 2019 or within 12 months of the next bushfire, whichever occured first. Surface litter was removed from samples prior to collection.

Project funding: Between 2012 and 2018 this project was part of, and funded through the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN) a facility within the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) and supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.
Methods

Number
1
Title
Plot set-up
Description
Sampling of soil is stratified along the soil moisture gradient and across the range of structural variability in the vegetation. Thus three categories of soil moisture and three categories of vegetation structure (based on the height and form of shrubs) are sampled in a factorial design at 60 sites in upland swamps scattered throughout the study area (Keith and Myerscough 1993).
Each permanent swamp monitoring site consists of a belt transect of 30 contiguous 0.5x0.5 metre quadrats. Quadrats 1 and 30 are marked with steel star pickets, extending approximately 1. 5 m above ground surface, and located on the Map Grid of Australia (Geodectic Datum of Australia) using a global positioning system.
Instrument
•Steel star pickets
•measuring tape
•GPS


Number
2
Title
Soil survey
Description
Duplicate samples of surface soils (0-7 cm depth) are collected from a stratified random subsample of transects from the nine combinations of the moisture-by-vegetation structure strata using an auger 2.5 cm in diameter. All samples were collected on the same day, homogenised and stored in sealed clip-lock plastic bags for transport to the laboratory for analysis of exchangeable cations (K, Na, Mg, Ca, Al), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), water content, loss on ignition (LOI), total phosphorus (P), total iron (Fe) and nitrate (NO3). Cation exchange capacity was determined by the Silver Thiourea method, pH was determined using 1:2 CaCl2 extract, electrical conductivity and nitrate are determined in 1:5 water solution, total P and Fe are determined using HCl digests, LOI is gravimetrically determined at 55C and water content is determined by moisture lost on drying the sample (Keith and Myerscough 1993).
Instrument
•2.5 cm pipe auger
•plastic bags
•soil analytical laboratory
File Descriptions

Name
kuhs_dharawal_soil_properties_1983-2014_p915t1305.csv
Description

cation_exchange_capacity
definitionCation exchange capacity of soil sample in milliequivalent (mEq)
ratio custom unitmilliEquivalents
ratio number typereal
date
date time formatYYYY-MM-DD
definitionDate soil sample was collected
electrical_conductivity
definitionElectrical conductivity of soil sample
ratio custom unitmicroSiemenPerCentimeter
ratio number typewhole
exchangeable_al
definitionExchangeable aluminium in soil sample in milliequivalents (mEq)
ratio custom unitmilliEquivalents
ratio number typereal
exchangeable_ca
definitionExchangeable calcium in soil sample in milliequivalents (mEq)
ratio custom unitmilliEquivalents
ratio number typereal
exchangeable_k
definitionExchangeable potassium in soil sample in milliequivalents (mEq)
ratio custom unitmilliEquivalents
ratio number typereal
exchangeable_mg
definitionExchangeable magnesium in soil sample in milliequivalents (mEq)
ratio custom unitmilliEquivalents
ratio number typereal
exchangeable_mn
definitionExchangeable manganese in soil sample in milliequivalents (mEq). Values less than the detection limit (<0.01) were set to 0.005 (the midpoint between zero and the limit of detectability).
ratio custom unitmilliEquivalents
ratio number typereal
exchangeable_na
definitionExchangeable sodium in soil sample in milliequivalents (mEq)
ratio custom unitmilliEquivalents
ratio number typereal
loss_on_ignition
definitionLoss on ignition %
ratio number typereal
ratio standard unitnumber
moisture_content
definitionMoisture content in soil sample (%)
ratio number typereal
ratio standard unitnumber
no3_n
definitionNitrate concentration in soil sample. Values less than the detection limit (<0.5) were set to 0.25 (the midpoint between zero and the limit of detectability).
ratio custom unitmilligramPerKilogram
ratio number typereal
ph
definitionpH of soil sample using pH(CaCl2)
interval number typereal
interval standard unitnumber
site
definitionSite identifier
nominal text definitionCharacter
total_fe
definitionTotal Iron in soil sample % dry weight
ratio number typereal
ratio standard unitnumber
total_organic_carbon
definitionTotal organic carbon in soil sample %
ratio number typereal
ratio standard unitnumber
total_p
definitionTotal phosphorus in soil sample %
ratio custom unitmilligramPerKilogram
ratio number typereal
year
date time formatYYYY
definitionYear of survey
Contact Emaildavid.keith@environment.nsw.gov.au
christopher.simpson@unsw.edu.au
k.wilkins@unsw.edu.au
mark.tozer@environment.nsw.gov.au
r.woodward@unsw.edu.au
t.mason@unsw.edu.au
david.keith@unsw.edu.au
Contact AddressAustralian Wetlands, Rivers and Landscapes Centre,
School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences,
University of New South Wales
SYDNEY, NSW, 2052
Australia
Contact Phone Number+61 2 9995 5000
+61 409 159 334
+61 2 9385 8435
+61 2 9585 6496
+61 2 9585 6051
+61 2 9385 8296
+61 2 9385 2111
+61 427 856 498
+61 428 810 214
Principal InvestigatorDavid Keith
SupervisorsDavid Keith
CollaboratorsTanya Mason
Chris Simpson
Dick Williams
Katy Wilkins
Mark Tozer
Fields of Research0503 - Soil Sciences
0602 - Ecology
KeywordsGCMD:Earth Science > Land Surface > Soils
GCMD:Earth Science > Land Surface > Soils > Soil pH
GCMD:Earth Science > Land Surface > Soils > Soil Chemistry
GCMD:Earth Science > Land Surface > Soils > Electrical Conductivity
GCMD:Earth Science > Land Surface > Soils > Soil Moisture/Water Content
LTERN Monitoring Theme:Soil
keyword:Soil pH
keyword:Soil chemistry
keyword:Soil conductivity
keyword:Soil moisture
Upland Heath Swamps
Dharawal National Park
Soil Properties
Type of Research ActivityStrategic basic research
Date Coverage
Date FromDate To
19832014
Geospatial Location
Location TypeLocation Value
TextDharawal National Park, Sydney Basin, NSW, Australi
DCMI Box notation conformant with iso 19139northlimit = -34.2008; southlimit = -34.26344; westlimit = 150.84554; eastLimit = 150.93563
Date of data creation2018-10-26
Year of data publication2018
Creator(s) for Citation
Given NameSurname
DavidKeith
ChrisSimpson
KatyWilkins
MarkTozer
DickWilliams
TanyaMason
Publisher for CitationLong Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN), ANU Data Commons, The Australian National University
Related Websites
URLTitle
https://hdl.handle.net/1885/130861ANU Open Research, Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN) collection.
Other Related IdentifiersMorphoId:ltern6.315
PackageId:915
Access RightsPrior to publication of research utilising this data, the data provider (David Keith) requests consultation.
Access Rights TypeOpen
Rights held in and over the dataCreative Commons Licence (CC BY- Attribution) is assigned to this data. Details of the licence can be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Licence TypeCC-BY - Attribution (Version 4)
LicenceLTERN Deed: 13 and 14
Date of execution: 2014-04-30
Retention PeriodIndefinitely
Status: Published
Published To:
- Australian National University
- Australian National Data Service
Identifier: anudc:5773
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