This document outlines the Long-term Australian Multiscale Plot System (LAMPS) facility. LAMPS aims to establish a network of long-term monitoring plots across Australian ecosystems to study key ecological questions. It will integrate existing fine-scale research with larger-scale mandated monitoring. LAMPS will coordinate activities between AusPlots, Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER), and Supersites programs. An initial workshop brought together researchers to plan LAMPS and identify major ecological questions and data needs. The network will be overseen by researchers from University of Adelaide, Australian National University, and James Cook University.

1. LAMPS FacilityLong-term Australian Multiscale Plot System Presentation by Prof. Andy Lowe

2. Purpose of Multiscale plot network A sustainable set of long term data collection procedures and archives from plots, sites and transects across all Australian ecosystems measuring selected flora, fauna and biophysical processes, suitable for key ecosystem science questions and for developing and testing ecosystem models. Contribute critical information for managing landscapes for biodiversity, soils, carbon and water, at local to regional scales. Quantifying continental scale climate-ecosystem interactions and feedbacks, and biome impacts: Stocks of biodiversity and relation to abiotic and climatic variables - AusPlots Key ecosystem drivers, particularly disturbance and climate - LTERN Flows of nutrients and systems interaction/interdependency - SuperSites

3. Approach of Multiscale plot network Build on past at a range of different spatial and temporal scales Map what long-term ecological work has been completed where Integrate results and datasets from fine-scale local-regional question-driven long-term research with State and national-level mandated monitoring Activities should be clearly linkable to management activities and outcomes Information, both pre-existing and new should be openly accessible

4. TERN facilities interaction TERN facilities

5. Spatial, temporal and information scales Increasing spatial coverage Remote sensing Survey plots and observations Increasing information content Monitoring plots LTERs Biogeochemical fluxes Realtime survey of bioflux

6. Spatial, temporal and information scales Increasing spatial coverage AusCover Remote sensing Survey plots and observations AusPlots Increasing information content LTER network Monitoring plots LTERs OzFlux Biogeochemical fluxes Super sites Realtime survey of bioflux ACEAS, TERN portal and Ecoinformatics

7. Spatial, temporal and information scales Increasing spatial coverage AusCover Remote sensing Multi-scale plots Survey plots and observations AusPlots Increasing information content LTER network Monitoring plots LTERs OzFlux Biogeochemical fluxes Super sites Realtime survey of bioflux ACEAS, TERN portal and Ecoinformatics

8. LAMPS structure LAMPS University of Adelaide Lowe, Lindenmayer, Liddell Supersites James Cook University, Liddell LTERN Australian National University, Lindenmayer AusPlots University of Adelaide Lowe Range lands UoA Forests Utas Plot networks ANU Transects UoA SEQ+FNQ supersites JCU/QUT Qld 3 new supersites JCU

9. LAMPS activities -AusPlots Rangelands plot network Forestry plots Forestry plots Forestry plots Forestry plots

11. LTERNNATT transect CSIRO plots Rangelands plot network Forestry plots SWATT transect TREND transect Lindenmayer and NSW plots Forestry plots Forestry plots Alpine plots Forestry plots

13. LTERN

14. SuperSitesNATT transect CSIRO plots Rangelands plot network Forestry plots SWATT transect TREND transect Lindenmayer and NSW plots Forestry plots Forestry plots Alpine plots Forestry plots

15. LAMPS activities Overall coordination across AusPLots, LTER, Supersites and TERN facilities Workshops and travel for development of activities and learnings Statistician to guide design of all multiscale plot activities Ecologist to work on integrating scales of data and learnings Project officer to undertake ecological data scoping project and make accessible

16. Start up workshop - 23rd -24th March 2011 Attendees: Stuart Phinn (UQ, remote), Andrew Lowe (UA), David Lindenmayer (ANU), Mike Liddell (JCU, remote), Jeff Foulkes (UA), Andrew White (UA), Jim Deed (UA), Craig Walker (UA), David Turner (UA), Ben Sparrow (UA), Greg Guerin (UA), David Bowman (UTas), Sam Wood (UTas), Claire Howell (DAFF), Dan Metcalf (CSIRO), David Keith (NSW, DECC), Ary Hoffman (UMelb), Stephen van Leeuwen (WA,DEC), Alan Anderson (CSIRO), Jeremy Russell-Smith (CDU), Glenda Wardle (Usyd) Outcomes and engagement activities Plan for LAMPS, AusPlots, LTERN (& Supersites) Stocktake of what we have now/questions addressed/methods/support Papers: LAMPS principles Big Questions & Answers from ecological plots Plot husbandry and futures State of Biodiversity report – book chapters from longterm plots – ecosystem/disturbance Science plan of activities Workshop planning for Methods/Data Integration/Statistics & Design

17. LAMPS Contact Details Andrew Lowe & Jim Deed – University of Adelaide (LAMPS, AusPlots) David Lindenmayer – Australian National University (LTER, LAMPS) Mike Liddell – James Cook University (SuperSites, LAMPS)