1. Topographic parameters for
Australia
Presentation by Dr John Gallant and Jenet Austin (CSIRO)

2. Topographic links with landscape patterns

3. Links in the prediction chain
Digital
elevation Topographic
model parameters
(terrain
Predictive
covariates)
models Species distribution
Soil properties

4. Topographic parameters
• Slope, aspect, curvature
• Relief
• Slope/relief classification
• MrVBF valley bottom flatness index
• Topographic position index
• Topographic wetness index (TWI or CTI)
• Solar radiation
All derived from a suitable digital elevation model (DEM)

5. 9 second to 1 second DEM: 250 m to 30 m

6. 1 second DEM
• Removed stripes and filled voids
• Removed tree offsets and noise
• Enforced drainage

7. Carnarvon Range, Qld
10 km

8. Slope
0 50%

9. Topographic wetness index (TWI)
3 13

10. MrVBF: Multi-resolution valley bottom
flatness index
0 6

11. MrRTF: Multi-resolution ridge top flatness
index
0 6

12. Topographic position index (TPI)
3 top
2 middle masked
1 bottom

13. Slope-Relief classification
0 9 30 90 150 300m
P R L H H M
Relief
LE VG GE MO ST VS
0 1 3 10 32 56%
Slope

14. Solar radiation: incoming shortwave
Winter Summer
0 10 MJ/m2/day 50 km 10 20 MJ/m2/day

15. Solar radiation: incoming shortwave
Winter Summer
0 10 MJ/m2/day 10 20 MJ/m2/day
5 km

16. Where is the data?
• Discoverable through the TERN Data Discovery Portal
http://portal.tern.org.au
• Visible through TERN Soil Portal http
://www.asris.csiro.au/viewer/tern
• Downloadable from CSIRO Data Access Portal
http://data.csiro.au/dap
• Solar radiation nearing completion
• Products are at 3″ resolution
– Derived from 1″ DEM and generalised
– 1″ resolution exist, working out how to distribute

17. Thank you
CSIRO Land and Water
Dr John Gallant Jenet Austin
Terrain Analysis Team Leader Spatial Analyst
t +61 2 6246 5734 t +61 2 6246 5707
e john.gallant@csiro.au e Jenet.Austin@csiro.au
w www.csiro.au/John.Gallant.html w www.csiro.au/Jenet.Austin.html