Design and implementation of Web-based GIS for forest fragmentation analysis

The advantages and limitations of current web GIS software for forest fragmentation information and analysis functionality were investigated using Landsat Thematic Mapper data of 1987 to 1999 for a test site in northern West Virginia. ESRI\u27s ArcIMS technology was used to build a Web-based forest fragmentation analysis system to query, represent, and analyze the status of forest fragmentation using landscape metrics. Both ArcIMS HTML and Java fragmentation analysis tools were constructed. The web GIS was evaluated with respect to accessibility, navigation, interactive cartographic functionality, and spatial analysis functionality. The current ArcIMS approach was found to offer only limited support for the spatial analysis functions required for fragmentation analysis. A variety of enhancements to the current web GIS software are recommended, including support for polygon-based spatial query, interactive representation and operation for raster data, and the integration of user-side and server-side data for spatial analysis

Understanding citizen science and environmental monitoring: final report on behalf of UK Environmental Observation Framework

Citizen science can broadly be defined as the involvement of volunteers in science. Over the past decade there has been a rapid increase in the number of citizen science initiatives. The breadth of environmental-based citizen science is immense. Citizen scientists have surveyed for and monitored a broad range of taxa, and also contributed data on weather and habitats reflecting an increase in engagement with a diverse range of observational science. Citizen science has taken many varied approaches from citizen-led (co-created) projects with local community groups to, more commonly, scientist-led mass participation initiatives that are open to all sectors of society. Citizen science provides an indispensable means of combining environmental research with environmental education and wildlife recording. Here we provide a synthesis of extant citizen science projects using a novel cross-cutting approach to objectively assess understanding of citizen science and environmental monitoring including: 1. Brief overview of knowledge on the motivations of volunteers. 2. Semi-systematic review of environmental citizen science projects in order to understand the variety of extant citizen science projects. 3. Collation of detailed case studies on a selection of projects to complement the semi-systematic review. 4. Structured interviews with users of citizen science and environmental monitoring data focussing on policy, in order to more fully understand how citizen science can fit into policy needs. 5. Review of technology in citizen science and an exploration of future opportunities

Web-based Computational Tools for Studying Plant Biodiversity

Large scale plant biodiversity bioinformatics projects are now making taxonomic datasets available at a frenetic pace via the World Wide Web (WWW). While these new resources provide the fundamental textual and visual backbone of expert level knowledge, their information structure often impedes the development of derivative works for identification. But when this information is rearranged from a traditional format, questions can be asked of the data that were previously thought to be unanswerable. The difficulty in transforming this ‘big-data’ is manifold: how to deliver it rapidly to researchers across the world while providing visualizations of data that encompass these large data sets. Interactive Visual Identification Keys (VIK) are introduced here to help manage this magnitude of image data, using both analytic and gestalt methods, (Chapter 2) here via the Carex Interactive Visual Identification Key (CIVIK). Through matrix preparation utilizing ontological methods only, and brute force data-mining, Flora of North America is leveraged to develop and provide a novel identification system for the largest vascular plant genus of North America, Carex. The third chapter focuses on pollination syndromes found within the graminoids, or the grasses and sedges of which Carex is a member. The graminoid pollination syndrome is known as anemophily, or wind pollination. During preparation of CIVIK it was noted repeatedly while taking the photos required for its generation, that small solitary bees and flies will often visit graminoids to collect pollen during anthesis. Yet, traditional botanical literature often neglects to mention this fact, or it is described as being inadvertent or mistaken. This chapter presents solid evidence that even common honey bees, Apis mellifera, will exclusively visit a common turf grass to collect pollen. Then, Chapter 4 examines and analyzes these plant biodiversity websites for use. Are they being used? With what technology? Are trends present to be considered for future development? With answers to these questions, curators of museum quality data, in conjunction with web developers may be able to provide a richer user experience in a shorter amount of time

BioNoMo. The biodiversity network of Mozambique

Mozambique biodiversity richness plays a pivotal role to achieve the sustainable development of the country. However, Mozambique's flora and fauna diversity still remains broadly unknown and poorly documented. To properly address this issue, one of the strategic needs expressed by the Mozambican institutions was the development of a national biodiversity data repository to aggregate, manage and make data available online. Thus, a sustainable infrastructure for the standardisation, aggregation, organisation and sharing of primary biodiversity data was developed. Named the "Biodiversity Network of Mozambique" (BioNoMo), such a tool serves as a national repository of biodiversity data and aggregates occurrence records of plants and animals in the country obtained from floristic and faunistic observations and from specimens of biological collections. In this paper, the authors present the structure and data of BioNoMO, including software details, the process of data gathering and aggregation, the taxonomic coverage and the WebGIS development. Currently, aggregating a total of 273,172 records, including 85,092 occurrence records of plants and 188,080 occurrence records of animals (41.2% terrestrial, 58,8% aquatic), BioNoMo represents the largest aggregator of primary biodiversity data in Mozambique and it is planned to grow further by aggregating new datasets

Simple identification tools in FishBase

Simple identification tools for fish species were included in the FishBase information system from its inception. Early tools made use of the relational model and characters like fin ray meristics. Soon pictures and drawings were added as a further help, similar to a field guide. Later came the computerization of existing dichotomous keys, again in combination with pictures and other information, and the ability to restrict possible species by country, area, or taxonomic group. Today, www.FishBase.org offers four different ways to identify species. This paper describes these tools with their advantages and disadvantages, and suggests various options for further development. It explores the possibility of a holistic and integrated computeraided strategy

A New Zealand case study - Open Source, Open Standards, Open Data

The National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) is New Zealand’s leading agency providing freshwater, ocean, climate, atmosphere and fisheries related research. Open Source software is widely used internally, both infrastructurally and in desktop systems. In 2011, the New Zealand Government passed “The Declaration on Open and Transparent Government”. This requires central government agencies to make taxpayer funded information freely available to the public, and encourages regional and local government, as well as agencies such as NIWA to comply. NIWA works closely with central and regional government, utilities, NGO’s and primary industry, making information discovery and delivery using common and open standards critical. NIWA is using Open Source applications to meet these open data discovery and delivery requirements. Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards compliance ensures interoperability. Standards adopted to date include SFS (Postgis), CSW (Geonetwork), WMS/WFS (Mapserver, Geoserver, Openlayers, Quantum GIS, Quantum Map) and SOS (52 degree N, Quantum Map). Some proprietary applications are also used. These are also OGC compliant and fit within NIWA’s OGC based architecture. This paper describes the role that open source software and open standards play in NIWA’s strategies and architecture for environmental information management, discovery and delivery and gives implementation examples