NatureServe Biodiversity Information Management Systems and Tools

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NatureServe Biodiversity Information Management
Systems and Tools
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Standards Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
Services NatureServe Explorer Landscope -
Vista
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Standards Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
Services NatureServe Explorer Landscope -
Vista
Standards and Methods
Engaging the right people and Establishing the
right requirements
It all starts here!
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Standards Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
Services NatureServe Explorer Landscope -
Vista
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Standards Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
Services NatureServe Explorer Landscope -
Vista
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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
Services NatureServe Explorer Landscope -
Vista
Data Collection and Recording
NSF Handheld Tool Project
To support a wide variety of projects and
protocols, with variability in data schemas,
domain data, validation rules and form layout and
navigation. To develop deployable and usable
hardware\software solutions that take into
account current mobile technology limitations and
workflow requirements of field researches.
Captured at the time of data collection
Accurate location information and observation
attributes
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Standards Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
Services NatureServe Explorer Landscope -
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Data Collection and Recording
Web-based data entry Use of web
services On-line mapping via ArcGIS Server
Basic reporting Export GML, CSV (v1.07), KML
(v1.09) Secure access Localizable Import from
Excel (load and append)
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Standards Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
Services NatureServe Explorer Landscope -
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Data Collection and Recording
Requirements

• Meet needs of a variety of clients (or client
  with variety of needs) with an affordable
  solution
• Integrate with current systems and formats
• Observation standards conformance
• Enables data sharing (exchange and aggregation)
• Enables shared investment in analysis, especially
  spatial
• Build tool with potential for wide-spread adoption

Solutions

• Web-based, hosted application
• Support extensible observation data model through
  user authored observation templates
• Users database (authentication information)
  allows survey author to determine who can see or
  edit data (can set access rights)
• Make it easier to share data by letting users
  share and build on exiting templates (template
  repository)

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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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• Our 8th generation of biodiversity data
  management software
• A desktop-based, GIS database management system
• Embodies quality and consistency standards
• Currently used by nearly 60 programs
• Represents a 3 million capital investment

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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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Technology

• Products selected from market leaders
• Data housed in a standard relational database

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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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Multiple Tools One Database
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Technology Support

• Biotics Implementation Support Services
• Installation and data conversion support
  (included onsite training)
• On-line Help Desk (http//support.natureserve.org
  )
• Custom Consulting Services including system
  upgrades and optimization.
• Training
• Core Heritage Training
• Intermediate and Advanced Biotics Training
• Teleconference\Recorded Training Modules (Mapper,
  Tracker, Exchanger)
• Training at conferences
• Custom onsite training
• Documentation
• Spanish and French translation of key documents
• Updating on-line and other user documentation
• Maintenance of on-line knowledgebase
• On-line Discussion Groups
• (_at_listserv)
• Biotics 4 Users
• Data Managers
• Zoology, Botany Ecology

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Technology Support
Biotics website http//whiteoak.abi.org/hdms/biot
ics.shtml
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Sharing Technology
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Sharing Technology
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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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Biotics 4.5 Next Major Upgrade

• Replace the ArcView 3.x platform and shape file
  data storage with a modern GIS platform (ArcGIS
  9.x) and data storage in SDE
• Improve performance of GIS functions
• Improve compatibility with host organizations
  technology environments
• Improve customizability of the system
• Seek compatibility with emerging
  next-generation Biotics Vision
• Move towards Service Oriented Architecture
• Use of ArcObjects
• Modularity
• Decoupling data from application

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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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Biotics 4.5 Criteria for Next Major Upgrade

• Functionality architecture
• Usability richness ease of use of interface
• Scalability ability to handle increasing number
  sof users and volume of data
• Architecture - application architectures eg.
  Web, Client/Server 3-tier desktop - that the
  product can support
• Functionality - technical capability of product
• Customizability extent to which the product
  allows users to add functionality

• Costs
• Licensing Costs (initial and maintenance) total
  per user licensing costs
• Development costs cost of developing Biotics
  4.5 using the product

• Compatibility with emerging technology strategy
• Service Oriented Architecture does the product
  move Biotics toward SOA
• Use of ArcObjects
• Modularity
• Decoupling data from application

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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
Services NatureServe Explorer Landscope -
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Biotics 4.5 Criteria

• Sustainability
• Supportability - availability of support and
  skills to support product within the Network
• Adherence to technology standards commonly
  adopted by network is the product compatible
  with the technology standards of most Heritage
  programs
• Maintainability ease of maintaining the Biotics
  4.5 code if it is developed using the product
• Leveraging User Skills can skills learnt for
  Biotcs 4.5 platform be leveraged for other
  activities
• Product Future viability of the product in the
  marketplace

• GIS Platforms
• Arc Map, Arc Engine, Arc GIS Server
• Open Source GIS (UMN MapServer, MapGuide, etc.)
• ESRI suite is industry leader and most widely
  adopted in the Heritage network
• Open Source provide alternative and eliminate
  licensing costs
• Other products have minimal adoption in the
  network are not leaders support for SDE is
  problematic and provide no licensing advantage

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Biotics 4.5 Evaluation of criteria
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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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Access and Interoperability
Enable user to create dynamic, customized Web
applications that interact directly with the
NatureServe biodiversity databases

• Expose selected sets of data (defined by XML
  schemas)
• Near real-time access to the most recent
  biological inventories and taxonomic changes
• Combine data sets from different organizations
  into a single application
• Respond to requests from other application
• -i.e Kestrels taxonomic services
• Filter sensitive data from unauthorized users
• Provide detailed locations as GML to authorized
  users

ArcGIS Server displays map services and allows
interactive query of XMLbased web services
http//services.natureserve.org/index.jsp
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NatureServe Enterprise Architecture
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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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Access and Interoperability

• An Online Encyclopedia of Life -- data on
  50,000 plants, animals, and ecological
  communities of U.S. and Canada

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Predictive Distribution Modeling
Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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Expertise and Analysis
Comparison of Three Algorithms for Modeling
Species Distributions
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Standards - Handheld Kestrel Biotics Web
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Decision Support Systems
Identify conservation elements Summarize
conservation values of place (reflecting local
values) Generate set of proposed conservation
areas and plan to meet goals Evaluate ability of
plans to meet goals Access site-level
information and generate mitigation plans
on-the-fly
Efficient Defensible
Repeatable
http//www.natureserve.org/prodServices/vista/over
view.jsp