Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
Name	Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
Abbreviation	TERN
Formation	2009
Type	Research infrastructure
Region	Australia
Leader title	Director

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network is an Australian research infrastructure that coordinates ecological observing, data management, and ecosystem modelling across continental Australia. It provides standardized field sites, sensor networks, and open data services to support research used by institutions such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian National University, and state agencies like the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. TERN underpins national efforts in biodiversity assessment, carbon accounting, and land‑use science relevant to initiatives including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the National Environmental Research Program.

Overview

TERN integrates long‑term observation networks, instrumented sites, and data portals to support studies by researchers at organizations such as the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, and Monash University. Its infrastructure complements national facilities like the Australian Research Council centres and international programs including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, the Group on Earth Observations, and the International Long Term Ecological Research Network. TERN’s assets include flux towers, plot networks, and remote sensing calibration sites that link to satellites operated by agencies such as NASA, European Space Agency, and the Geoscience Australia. Major stakeholders include research bodies like the CSIRO and policy agencies such as the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

History and Development

TERN emerged from policy discussions involving the Australian Government and scientific organisations following reviews of national research infrastructure in the 2000s, aligned with strategies of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and advice from bodies like the Australian Academy of Science. Early development involved collaborations with universities including The University of Queensland and institutes such as the Australian National Botanic Gardens. The network expanded through funding cycles tied to national programs influenced by reports from the National Land and Water Resources Audit and international drivers such as the Convention on Biological Diversity. Over time, TERN incorporated standards from projects linked to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and protocols modeled on Long Term Ecological Research sites.

Structure and Governance

TERN operates as a distributed infrastructure governed by a board with representation from institutions such as the Australian National University, University of Western Australia, and Curtin University. Its governance aligns with frameworks established by the Australian Research Infrastructure Roadmap and engages advisory bodies like the National Environmental Science Program. Operational partners include the CSIRO divisions, state agencies such as the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, and collections like the Australian Museum. Funders and oversight agencies have included the Australian Research Council and federal departments concerned with environment and agriculture, with governance practices influenced by models used at the Smithsonian Institution and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Research Programs and Activities

TERN supports programs spanning carbon cycling, biodiversity monitoring, and land‑use change, engaging research groups from the University of Tasmania, James Cook University, and the University of Adelaide. Its observational platforms feed into modelling efforts used by teams at the CSIRO and international collaborators at institutions such as the Max Planck Society and the University of Oxford. Projects link field campaigns to citizen science initiatives like the Atlas of Living Australia and policy analyses for agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. TERN’s work informs assessments by panels and consortia including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and regional programs coordinated through the Asia‑Pacific Network for Global Change Research.

Data Infrastructure and Services

TERN provides data discovery, access, and analysis tools interoperable with international systems such as the Global Earth Observation System of Systems and databases maintained by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and DataONE. Its cyberinfrastructure supports users across universities like Griffith University and institutes such as the Bureau of Meteorology by offering metadata services, standardized observation schemas, and APIs that integrate with modelling platforms used by groups at Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley. TERN’s platforms incorporate standards from organizations such as the Open Geospatial Consortium and the Research Data Alliance to facilitate reproducible research and to support assessments by bodies including the IPCC.

Partnerships and Collaborations

TERN maintains partnerships with national entities including the CSIRO, state agencies like the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, and university consortia from institutions such as Macquarie University and La Trobe University. International collaborations link TERN with networks such as the International Long Term Ecological Research Network, the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, and research centres at the University of Copenhagen and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Collaborative agreements and memoranda of understanding involve botanical institutions like the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and technology partners drawn from industry and research centres including the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

Impact and Contributions to Science and Policy

TERN has contributed datasets and synthesis products used in peer‑reviewed studies by researchers at Harvard University, Stanford University, and the University of Cambridge, and in national assessments by agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Its data have supported carbon accounting workflows adopted under reporting frameworks administered by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and informed conservation planning used by the IUCN and state environment departments. TERN’s open data model and long‑term observations have enabled cross‑scale analyses by groups associated with the International Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and have influenced management decisions made by land managers and agencies including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Category:Research infrastructures in Australia