Theme Overview

TERN AusCover provides national data sets that describe a range of structural properties of vegetation communities, including measures of cover, height, and biomass.

  • Gross Primary Productivity - MODIS, MOD17A2(c5) mosaic

    Cumulative composite of GPP estimates based on the radiation-use efficiency concept. GPP can be used as input to models to calculate terrestrial energy, carbon, water cycle processes, and biogeochemistry of vegetation.

    • KEYWORDS:
      LPDAAC, MODIS, primary productivity, vegetation
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 3.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      1000 m resolution; Australia
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      8 day composite; 2000 to ongoing
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      Updated as available from USGS
    Data Access

  • Vegetation height and structure

    Vertical plant profiles for the Australian continent, including height, cover, age class and L-band backscatter characteristics  based on the ICESat and Landsat time-series and ALOS PALSAR datasets.

    • KEYWORDS:
      ICESat/GLAS, PALSAR, Landsat, vegetation structure, height
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 4.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      30 m resolution; Australia
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      Single layer derived from data in the period 2003 to 2009
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      One-off, no update planned
    Data Access

  • Land Cover Type - MODIS, MCD12Q1(c5.1) mosaic

    Five global land cover classification schemes. USGS MODIS land product MCD12Q1.051 mosaiced and reprojected for Australia.

    • KEYWORDS:
      LPDAAC, MODIS, land cover
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 3.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      500 m resolution; Australia
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      1 year composite; 2001 to ongoing
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      Updated as available from USGS
    Data Access

  • Dynamic Land Cover Dataset - MODIS

    The Dynamic Land Cover Dataset is the first nationally consistent and thematically comprehensive land cover reference for Australia. It provides a baseline for reporting on change and trends in vegetation cover and extent.

    • KEYWORDS:
      MODIS, land cover
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 4.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      250 m resolution; Australia
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      Single layer derived from data in the period 2000 to 2008
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      Version 2 has been developed and awaiting its release
    Data Access

  • Total Cover - MODIS, Land Condition Index (LCI) algorithm

    The Land Condition Index is an index of total vegetation cover (green and non-photosynthetic vegetation), and so is also an index of soil exposure. This product can be used for assessing and monitoring soil exposure across extensive agricultural regions at risk of soil erosion.

    • KEYWORDS:
      MODIS, ground cover, cover
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      TERN-BY-SA v1.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      500 m resolution; Australia
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      16 day composite produced every 8 days; 2000 to 2011.
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      No update planned
    Data Access

  • Fractional Cover - MODIS, Monthly Median Composites

    Vegetation fractional cover represents the exposed proportion of green, non-green, and bare cover within each pixel. This product is a composite for all Australian MODIS fractional cover images for the month.

    • KEYWORDS:
      MODIS, ground cover, cover, OEH
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 3.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      500 m resolution; Australia
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      1 month composite; 2000 to ongoing
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      Updated monthly, will be deprecated when the CSIRO product is fully operational
    Data Access

  • Fractional cover - MODIS, CSIRO algorithm

    Vegetation fractional cover represents the exposed proportion of green, non-green, and bare cover within each pixel. MODIS-scale ground cover provides monthly information for soil erosion and vegetation dynamics at continental and global scales. The algorithm is validated for Australia. A global product using the same algorithm is also produced.

    • KEYWORDS:
      MODIS, ground cover, cover, CSIRO
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 4.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      500 m resolution (Australia) and 5 km resolution (global)
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      8 day and 1 month composites; 2000 to ongoing
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      Updated fortnightly
    Data Access

  • Woody Extent and Foliage Projective Cover - SPOT, OEH algorithm, NSW

    The map of woody vegetation extent shows the location, extent, and density of foliage cover for stands of woody vegetation in NSW. The resolution is fine enough to identify small features such as trees in paddocks and scattered woodlands through to the largest expanses of forest in the State.

    • KEYWORDS:
      SPOT, cover, woody vegetation, OEH
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 4.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      5 m resolution; NSW
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      Single layer derived from data in the period 2011
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      One-off, no update planned
    Data Access

  • Western NSW Refugia - Collection, JRSRP algorithm

    A collection of spatial layers that can be used to identify potential refugia in the arid and semi-arid region of western NSW including: green accumulation index and green-feature classes, water count and water prevalence classes, woody extent and FPC, and topographic layers.

    • KEYWORDS:
      Landsat, water, cover, JRSRP
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 4.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      30 m resolution; western NSW
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      Single layers derived from data in the period 1988 to 2012
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      One-off, no update planned
    Data Access

  • Green Accumulation Index - Landsat, JRSRP algorithm, NSW

    Shows how long an area stays green following a greening event, such as grass growth in response to rainfall. The map of green accumulation for NSW was created from Landsat images from 1988 to 2012. Areas exhibiting the highest values are the areas of NSW that respond with high green cover for a long period after a greening event.

    • KEYWORDS:
      Landsat, water, cover, JRSRP
    • DATA LICENCE
      & ACCESS RIGHTS:
      How do I attribute?
      CC-BY 4.0
    • SPATIAL COVERAGE
      & RESOLUTION:
      30 m resolution; NSW
    • TEMPORAL COVERAGE & RESOLUTION:
      Single layer derived from data in the period 1988 to 2012
    • PRODUCTION STATUS:
      One-off, no update planned
    Data Access

Download our ‘Good Practice Guidelines’

TERN AusCover supports a nationally consistent approach to the calibration, validation, and delivery of earth observation data products. To ensure that earth observation data is useful to a wide range of users, the collection and delivery of this data needs to be accurate, precise, and use reproducible methods. To support the earth observation community in achieving a high quality and consistent approach nationwide, we’ve developed our ‘Good Practice Guidelines’ that provide advice on calibrating and validating earth observation data.
The Guidelines are provided as a free and accessible tool to anyone working in earth observation. They are also intended to be a dynamic resource that will be updated over time as new knowledge and best-practice processes emerge. Please contact us if you have feedback or questions.
The Guidelines draw upon the knowledge and experience of our national expert network, and also internationally agreed protocols and standards. We are grateful to the external and international reviewers who refined the Guidelines prior to their release.

Download the Guidelines here