## **Abstract** This dataset and its metadata statement were supplied to the Bioregional Assessment Programme by a third party and are presented here as originally supplied. Resource contains an ArcGIS file geodatabase raster for the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) Major Vegetation Groups - Australia-wide, present extent (FGDB_NVIS4_1_AUST_MVG_EXT). Related datasets are also included: FGDB_NVIS4_1_KEY_LAYERS_EXT - ArcGIS File Geodatabase Feature Class of the Key Datasets that make up NVIS Version 4.1 - Australia wide; and FGDB_NVIS4_1_LUT_KEY_LAYERS - Lookup table for Dataset Key Layers. This raster dataset provides the latest summary information (November 2012) on Australia's present (extant) native vegetation. It is in Albers Equal Area projection with a 100 m x 100 m (1 Ha) cell size. A comparable Estimated Pre-1750 (pre-european, pre-clearing) raster dataset is available: - NVIS4_1_AUST_MVG_PRE_ALB. State and Territory vegetation mapping agencies supplied a new version of the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS) in 2009-2011. Some agencies did not supply new data for this version but approved re-use of Version 3.1 data. Summaries were derived from the best available data in the NVIS extant theme as at June 2012. This product is derived from a compilation of data collected at different scales on different dates by different organisations. Please refer to the separate key map showing scales of the input datasets. Gaps in the NVIS database were filled by non-NVIS data, notably parts of South Australia and small areas of New South Wales such as the Curlewis area. The data represent on-ground dates of up to 2006 in Queensland, 2001 to 2005 in South Australia (depending on the region) and 2004/5 in other jurisdictions, except NSW. NVIS data was partially updated in NSW with 2001-09 data, with extensive areas of 1997 data remaining from the earlier version of NVIS. Major Vegetation Groups were identified to summarise the type and distribution of Australia's native vegetation. The classification contains different mixes of plant species within the canopy, shrub or ground layers, but are structurally similar and are often dominated by a single genus. In a mapping sense, the groups reflect the dominant vegetation occurring in a map unit where there are a mix of several vegetation types. Subdominant vegetation groups which may also be present in the map unit are not shown. For example, the dominant vegetation in an area may be mapped as dominated by eucalypt open forest, although it contains pockets of rainforest, shrubland and grassland vegetation as subdominants. The (related) Major Vegetation Subgroups represent more detail about the understorey and floristics of the Major Vegetation Groups and are available as separate raster datasets: - NVIS4_1_AUST_MVS_EXT_ALB - NVIS4_1_AUST_MVS_PRE_ALB A number of other non-vegetation and non-native vegetation land cover types are also represented as Major Vegetation Groups. These are provided for cartographic purposes, but should not be used for analyses. For further background and other NVIS products, please see the links on http://www.environment.gov.au/erin/nvis/index.html. The current NVIS data products are available from http://www.environment.gov.au/land/native-vegetation/national-vegetation-information-system. ## **Purpose** For use in Bioregional Assessment land classification analyses ## **Dataset History** NVIS Version 4.1 ------------------------- The input vegetation data were provided from over 100 individual projects representing the majority of Australia's regional vegetation mapping over the last 50 years. State and Territory custodians translated the vegetation descriptions from these datasets into a common attribute framework, the National Vegetation Information System (ESCAVI, 2003). Scales of input mapping ranged from 1:25,000 to 1:5,000,000. These were combined into an Australia-wide set of vector data. Non-terrestrial areas were mostly removed by

This data set includes in situ vegetation data collected during the Cloud and Land Surface Interaction Campaign 2007 (CLASIC07) campaign. Sampling was designed to coincide with satellite overpasses, such as Landsat's Thematic Mapper (TM) 5 and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on NASA's Terra satellite (MODIS/Terra), which can be then used to estimate vegetation water content on the regional scale.

Soil collection and analysis of chemical and physical attributes was carried out at the Litchfield Savanna site to provide contextual data for the Biomes of Australian Soil Environments (BASE) soil microbial diversity project.

Soil collection and analysis of chemical and physical attributes was carried out at the Great Western Woodlands site to provide contextual data for the Biomes of Australian Soil Environments (BASE) soil microbial diversity project.