Koonamore Kangaroo Transect: Scat Counts from 1968 to 2022

From 1968 to 2022, this dataset records kangaroo scat counts from a transect in the TGB Osborn (Koonamore) Vegetation Reserve in Australia. The data was collected by researchers including Andrew Smith and Bob Lange to monitor kangaroo population fluctuations. It is published by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network and has been updated to comply with FAIR standards.

Use Cases

• Modeling kangaroo population trends over time based on multi-decadal scat count data.
• Studying spatial distribution and habitat preference of kangaroos based on transect location inside and outside the reserve.
• Investigating species interaction by analyzing the inclusion of goat and sheep pellet counts from 2017 onward.

Strengths

• Provides a long-term ecological record spanning over 50 years, from 1968 to 2022.
• Data has been updated to version 2.1 in 2026, with dates standardized to ISO format and blank cells handled.
• Includes counts from both inside the reserve and in an adjacent paddock, allowing for comparative analysis.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for specific analytical methods.
• The description notes the dataset supersedes a 2025 version, indicating potential versioning complexity.

Provenance

Source

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), Adelaide University & Specht, A.

Collection Method

Surveys conducted along a fixed east-west transect, counting kangaroo, goat, and sheep scats.

Time Range

1968 to 2022

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-22 07:42:36.146987

Geography

TGB Osborn (Koonamore) Vegetation Reserve, Australia