Simpson Desert Vegetation Data

Brief description

This dataset records vegetation observed at multiple sites in the Simpson Desert associated with vertebrate trapping grids since 1990. Vegetation (Plants) was recorded in a 2.5 m radius around six pitfall traps on the vertebrate trapping grid. Percentage cover of all species, flowering index and seeding index (from 0-5, where 0 is no flowering or seeding) were recorded. Sampling intervals were usually 2-3 months.

The research data is stored with a Microsoft Access database and is approximately 50MB

The vegetation recorded include:

Chinese Lantern-flower (Physalis alkekengi), Gidyea (Acacia cambagei), Desert Oak (Acacia coriacea), Sandhill Wattle (Acacia dictyophleba), Georgina Gidyea (Acacia georginae), Georgina Wattle (Acacia hookeri and Acacia kempeana), Umbrella Bush (Acacia ligulata), Belalie (Acacia stenophylla), Bitter Bush (Adriana tomentosa), Bunched Kerosene Grass (Aristida contorta), Erect Kerosene Grass (Aristida holathera), Whitewood (Atalaya hemiglauca), Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia), Wild Stock or Native Stock (Blennodia canescens), Tarvine (Boerhavia coccinea), Variable Daisy (Brachycome ciliaris), Blue-pincushion (Brunonia australis), Parakeelya (Calandrinia balonensis), Yellowtop Bellybutton (Calocephalus platycephalus), Tangled Daisy Burr (Calotis erinacea), Bogan Flea (Calotis hispidula), Tickweed (Cleome viscosa), Desert Poplar (Codonocarpus cotinifolius), Australian Blindweed or Blushing Bindweed (convolvulus erubescens), Regal Birdflower or Parrot Pea (Crotalaria cunninghamii), Bluebush Pea or Loose-flowered Rattlepod (Crotalaria eremaea), Button Grass, Hopbush or Sticky Hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa), Rat Tails (Dysphania rhadinostachya), Climbing Saltbush (Einadia nutans), Ruby Saltbush (Enchylaena tomentose), Limestone Bottle Washers or Leafy Nineawn (Enneapogon polyphyllus), Mulka or Lovegrass (Eragrostis dielsii), Woollybutt Grass (Eragrostis eriopoda), Long-leaf Eremophila or Berrigan (Eremophila longifolia), Macdonnell's Emu Bush or Splendid Fuchsia (Eremophila macdonnellii), Emu Bush (Eremophila maculate), 3-Awned Wanderrie (Eriachne aristidea), Blue Mallee (Eucalyptus gamophylla), Red-bud Mallee (Eucalyptus pachyphylla), Western Bloodwood (Eucalyptus terminalis), Caustic Weed (Euphorbia drummondii), Tropical Speedwell (Evolvulus alsinoides), Serrated Goodenia (Goodenia cycloptera), Honeysuckle Oak (Grevillea juncifolia), Sandhill Grevillea (Grevillea stenobotrya), Beefwood (Grevillea striata), Fork-leaved Corkwood (Hakea eyreana), Needlewood (Hakea Leucoptera), Raspwort (Haloragis gossei), Yellow Buttons or Common Everlasting (Helichrysum apiculatum), Heliotrope (Helipterium molle), Common White Sunray (Rhodanthe floribunda or Helipterum floribundum), Musk Sunray (Rhodanthe moschate or Helipterum moschatum), Saltspoon Daisy (Helipterum stipitatum), Velvet-leaf Hibiscus (Hibiscus krichauffianus), Tangled Lechenaultia (Lechenaultia divaricate), Veined Pepper-cress (Lepidium phlebopetalum), Pepper-cress (Lepidium rotundum), Common Nardoo (Marsilea drummondii), Snake Vine (Mukia maderaspatanum), Poached Egg Daisy (Polycalymma stuartii or Myriocephalus stuartii),  Wild Tobacco (Nicotiana megalosiphon), Wild Tobacco (Nicotiana velvutina), Fleshy Groundsel (Othonna gregorii), Emu Apple (Owenia acidula), Butterfly Bush (Petalostylis cassioides), Desert Riceflower or Desert Rice Bush (Pimelea simplex) Large Pigweed (Portulaca intraterranea), Hairy Pigface (Portulaca pilsoa), Fruit-salad Plant or Applebush (Pterocaulon sphacelatum), Crimson Foxtail (Ptilotus atriplicifolius), Tall Mulla-mulla (Ptilotus exaltatus), Tangled Mulla-mulla (Ptilotus latifolius), Silvertails (Ptilotus obovatus), Longtails (Ptilotus polystachyus), Crimson Foxtail (Ptilotus sessilifolius), Grey Wrinklewort (Rutidosis helichrysoid), Soft Roly-poly or Tumbleweed (Salsola kali), Northern Sandalwood (Santalum lanceolatum) Continued...

Notes

The vegetation recorded also includes:

Skeleton Fanflower (Scaveola depauperata), Fan Flower (Scaveola parviflora), Goathead Burr or Bull’s Head (Sclerolaena bicornis), Cartwheel Burr (Sclerolaena cornishiana), Grey Copperburr (Sclerolaena diacantha), Black Rolypoly (sclerolaena muricata), Silver Cassia (Senna artemisoides), Oval-leaf Cassia (Senna oligophylla), Firebush (Senna pleurocarpa), Firebush (Serrated leafy herb), Sand Sida (Sida ammophila), Pin Sida (Sida fibulifera), Shrub Sida (Sida rohlenae), Thin-leaved Sida (Sida trichopoda), Rock Nightshade (Solanum petrophilum), Wild Tomato or Tomato Bush (Solanum quadriloculatum), Pebble Bush (Stylobasium spathulatum), Poison Pea or Small-leaf Swainsona (Swainsona microphylla), Dwarf Swainsona (Swainsona phacoides), Wild Parsnip or Wild Carrot (Trachymene glaucifolia), Small Burr-Grass (Tragus australianus), Hogweed (Trianthema Pilosa), Goathead Burr (Tribulus cistoides), Caltrop (Tribulus terrestris), Camel Bush or Cattle Bush (Trichodesma zeylanicum), Hard Spinifex (Triodia basedowii), Purple Plume Grass (Yakirra australiensis), Hogweed (Zaleya galericulata) and Sandhill Canegrass (Zygochloa paradoxa).

This data was collected with the following Australian Research Council grant funding:

• 1990 - Determinants of diversity of dasyurid marsupial communities.
• 1990 to 1992 - Habitat selection or competition? An evaluation of factors that promote diversity in dasyurid marsupial communities in Arid Australia
• 1991 to 1993 - Maintenance of high diversity in insectivorous marsupial communities in arid Australia: the role of predation.
• 1993 to 1995 - Risk of predation: the effects of habitat use and community structure of arid zone small mammals.
• 1995 to 1997 - Impact of feral predation on populations of small vertebrates in arid Australia.
• 1995 to 2000 - Determinants of local abundance and diversity of small mammals in arid Australia; the role of oases and regional processes.
• 1996 to 1998 - Determinants of abundance and diversity of marsupials in Arid Australia; role of facilitation.
• 1998 to 1999 - Diversity of lizards in arid Australia: a keystone role for termites.
• 1999 to 2001 - Morphological and functional plasticity in Australian populations of the House mouse, Mus musculus domesticus.
• 2000 - The impact of rainfall on seed abundance and diversity in arid Australia.
• 2001 to 2003 - Population dynamics of Australian desert rodents; effects of competition for food with ants.
• 2004 to 2006 - Boom and bust: the role of fire and rain in driving the dynamics of seeds and rodents in arid Australia http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0451749.
• 2004 to 2008 - Desert island biogeography: vertebrate dynamics after fire-induced fragmentation of habitat in central Australia http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0452475.
• 2006 to 2009 - Avoiding environmental bankruptcy: the grazing impacts of red kangaroos and sheep http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP0668879.
• 2007 to 2009 - Biodiversity enhancement in Arid Australia: the importance of micro-refugia and biotic interactions http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0773754.
• 2009 to 2013 - The renaissance predator: complex predator-prey interactions and vertebrate diversity in arid Australia http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0988535.
• 2010 to 2014 - Dynamic networks in a patchy landscape: will species interactions adjust to increased climatic extremes http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP1095632.