Dataset
Ground Level Predator–Prey Interactions and Rainforest Structure Across 18 Permanent Plots, Cassowary Coast Region, Australia 2023
TERN
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
2026
Abstract
The dataset was collected following standardised ecological field protocols to ensure consistency and comparability with other tropical rainforest studies. All measurements of trees and vines (≥1 cm DBH) followed established inventory methods, with species identifications conducted by trained observers and verified against regional floras where possible. Artificial caterpillar predation assays were deployed and retrieved using consistent placement, exposure time, and handling procedures to minimise observer bias and accidental damage. Predator attack marks were assessed under stereomicroscopy by a single trained observer to maintain scoring consistency, using published reference guides for bite mark identification. Arthropod samples from pitfall traps were sorted to morphospecies and identified to genus or species by taxonomic specialists. Environmental variables, including aboveground biomass, leaf area index, litter depth, and coarse woody debris, were measured using standardised, published methods. Data were recorded in the field on paper datasheets and later transcribed into digital format with subsequent verification. All continuous variables were standardised and checked for outliers prior to analysis. Together, these procedures provide a high level of confidence in the accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of the dataset.
| Credit
We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. | Purpose
The data were collected to quantify predation pressure and predator activity in relation to rainforest vegetation structure and disturbance history. Artificial caterpillars provide a standardised measure of relative predation rates across broad predator groups, while pitfall trapping captures the abundance of ground-dwelling arthropod predators. Vegetation and environmental measurements, including tree and vine structure, aboveground biomass, litter depth, and coarse woody debris, were collected to characterise habitat conditions and allow testing of how forest composition and structural complexity influence predator–prey interactions. Together, these data provide a baseline for understanding the ecological role of predators in disturbed and recovering tropical rainforests of the Wet Tropics region. | Progress Code: completed | Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned | This dataset contains measurements of predation rates, predator abundance, and environmental variables collected in September 2023 across 18 permanent 20 × 20 m study plots in tropical rainforest of the Cassowary Coast Region, Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, North Queensland, Australia. Predation was quantified using 360 artificial plasticine caterpillars exposed for seven days and inspected for predator attack marks, alongside concurrent pitfall trapping of ground-dwelling arthropods (ants, carabid beetles, and crickets). Environmental data include tree and vine stem counts, species identifications, basal area, aboveground biomass estimates, vine-to-tree ratios, leaf area index from hemispherical photographs, litter depth, and coarse woody debris surveys. These data were collected following standardised ecological protocols to support analysis of predator–prey interactions, vegetation structure, and rainforest disturbance dynamics. | Provider's Access Rights: unclassified
Details
- Title
- Ground Level Predator–Prey Interactions and Rainforest Structure Across 18 Permanent Plots, Cassowary Coast Region, Australia 2023
- Authors
- Charlotte Raven (Data Collector)Helen Nahrung (Data Collector)Emma Mackintosh (Data Collector)Andrew Marshall (Data Collector)Andy Howe (Data Collector)
- Publication details
- TERN
- Location
- The study was conducted in eighteen permanent study plots (20 × 20 m) positioned across a gradient of forest disturbance, of the Forest Restoration and Climate Experiment (FoRCE; https://force-experiment.com/) in tropical rainforest of the Cassowary Coast Region (17° 52' S, 146° 06' E) in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, North Queensland, Australia
- Publisher
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
- Date collected
- 03-Sep-2023–20-Sep-2023
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.25901/e9jt-tt26
- Organisation Unit
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; Forest Industries Research Centre; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Forest Research Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991210047502621
- Output Type
- Dataset
Metrics
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