The SVTM Modelling Grid Collection refers to a suite of around 80 environmental layers that are used for species distribution modelling (SDM). Environmental layers comprise climate, terrain and soil variables for the state of NSW. Layers are used as covariates for the modelling of plant community types for the SVTM product.

Climate variables, such as annual temperature, precipitation, solar radiation and others are generated by ANUCLIM (Version 6.1 MTHCLIM module), and the Bureau of Meteorology, Gridded climate data (http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/climatology/gridded-data-info/gridded-climate-data.shtml). ANUCLIM input includes a digital elevation model - the elevation model used for these climate surfaces was the 1 second smoothed DEMS from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM DEM-S see Gallant et al. 2011). The same DEM was used to create topographic variables, such as slope, aspect, roughness and topographic position index. Soil variables, such as clay, sand, silt content, organic carbon, pH, total nitrogen, and others are products of the Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia's, Australia-wide Soil Attribute Maps (https://www.clw.csiro.au/aclep/soilandlandscapegrid/ProductDetails-SoilAttributes.html). Soil attributes are modelled from measured soil attribute data from existing databases in the national soil site data collation and environmental parameters.

All grids have a common projection, grid cell resolution and snapped to the same spatial extent. The grid cell resolution is 1 second or approximately 30m.

NOTE: This asset does not refer to a distinct layer, rather a collection of related environmental datasets used for vegetation modelling as part of the State Vegetation Type Map (SVTM) Modelling Grid Collection. This list of environmental datasets is attached as a resource. Further information on the SVTM can be found at https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/vegetation/state-vegetation-type-map.htm.