Research Data Repository

Independent Research at SuperSites

Research data archived in the TERN SuperSites Research Data Repository is derived from TERN SuperSites ecosystem monitoring activities, ancillary data collection by other collocated TERN Facilities and independent research carried out a SuperSite locations.

As well as supporting standardised physical instrumentation and ecological monitoring, the TERN SuperSites infrastructure are field stations where researchers are encouraged to carry out independent research in a well set up environment with substantial open access background data. Many sites also offer accommodation, storage and other facilities for wider use by educators and researchers.

Once researchers have completed their studies and journal publications have been completed, these researchers are encouraged to publish their SuperSite related data with TERN data repositories, under licences of their choice, building up the library of ancillary data. The TERN SuperSites database allows automatic harvesting of metadata records to both the TERN central data facility (Data Discovery Portal) and to the Australian National Data System.

Ancillary TERN Data collected at SuperSites

Data is collected from TERN SuperSites locations by a range of TERN Facilities (OzFlux, AusCover, AusPlots, LTERN, ATN) that maintain, through necessity, their own specialised databases. Links to these facility data portals are provided on individual SuperSite “Learn more” web pages, with any plot identity details provided. Further data can also be identified through the TERN Data Discovery Portal and TERN Aekos.

TERN SuperSites Data Portal

The TERN SuperSites central data repository can be accessed at http://www.supersites.net.au/knb/. BioAcoustic recordings collected at SuperSites can be accessed at http://bioacoustics.supersites.net.au/ and Images from SuperSites (Phenocam, Leaf Area Index, Photopoints) can be accessed at http://bioimage.supersites.net.au/.

This section contains more information on how to use the repository and to submit research data to the repository.

Data Licence Agreement

TERN encourages the sharing of data and knowledge for the long-term benefit of the research community. Data sharing should only occur within a framework where data contributors receive appropriate recognition for their work, and where data users understand, in advance, the responsibilities placed upon them when they access and/or use another’s data.

To ensure these underlying conditions for data sharing are met TERN has developed a Data Licensing Policy. The fundamental principle behind the policy is to make the data as openly accessible as possible noting that data users will be required to attribute the source of the data and sensitive data will be protected according to the legislative requirements.

The data contained in the TERN Australian SuperSite Network repository was collected by SuperSites and independent researchers. TERN SuperSites adhere to TERN Data Licensing. Accessing and using the SuperSites monitoring data is governed by the default TERN (Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence, unless stated otherwise. Data lodged with the repository by independent researchers is made available under terms selected by the data owners.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

The TERN Australian SuperSite Network (SuperSites) is a national network of multidisciplinary ecosystem observatories that improve our understanding of ecosystem response to environmental change. TERN SuperSites strives to provide high quality ecosystem monitoring data to scientists, natural resource managers and the public. The level of Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) measures implemented is reliant on available funding and resources.

Getting Help

For further help or advice using the Australian SuperSite Network Data Catalogue please contact our Data Librarian:

Shiela Lloyd
TERN SuperSite Data Librarian
James Cook University
Cairns
QLD 4879
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For help accessing TERN data associated with the SuperSites from one of the other TERN Facilities please direct your enquiries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and the Data Librarian for the relevant facility.