Virtual Lab EcoGRID
Turning field observations into ecological understanding
Willem Bouten, Floris Sluiter, Lourens Veen, Guido
van Reenen, Emiel van Loon, Tomislav Hengl, Judy
Shamoun-Baranes
Computational Geo-Ecology
University of Amsterdam
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Computational Geo-Ecology
• Species behaviour and distribution
• Biotic and abiotic data
– Including results of human activity
• Field measurements
• Statistical models
• Large scale interactive computation
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Field Observations in The Netherlands
• Government at various levels
– Often through ecological consultants
• Terrain managing organisations
– Infrastructural organisations
– Conservation organisations
• Private volunteer organisations (DCIs)
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Data Usage and Users
• Regional/National/European monitoring
• Applied and fundamental research
• Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
– New legislation
– Spatial planning
– Local management (conservation)
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
EcoGRID Goals
• Collect and distribute species observations
– Single point of access
• Integrate all data
– Common data model
• Analyse data and study distribution dynamics
– Models, (geo)statistics, data mining
• Communicate results
– Web portals and applications
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Wildly varying backgrounds and world views
• Communication overhead between organisations
• Collaboration requires trust
• Data is a DCI's lifeblood
– Dutch government: varying interest
– Research institutions have been sloppy with data
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Approach
• Focus on data
• Let DCI's manage their own data (federation)
• Accept that the DCI knows its data best, and leave no
data behind
• Show, don't (just) tell
• Introduce Free and Open Source Software
• Build a modular, evolvable system
• Start small, expand in small increments
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
The EcoGRID Data Model
• Widely different species groups
• Different databases, different data models
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
The EcoGRID Data Model
• Core attributes
– Location, Time, Survey Method, Species, Unit,
Abundance
• Additional standardised attributes
– Determination Method, Biotope, Sex, Life Stage,
Activity
• Set-specific attributes
• Uncertainty: intervals and hierarchical scales
• Changes in taxonomy and codes
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Complex Observations
• “We surveyed area X, and found three individuals at
points p, q and r”
• “I saw a group of Redfooted Falcons consisting of two
adult females, three adult males, and five juveniles”
• Two observers independently observing the same
individual
• Solution: (split and) associate observations
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
EcoGRID Architecture
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Usage Example
+
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Status
• 2*10^7 records across 11 databases
• Various abiotic data sets available
• Input portal for casual observations (DCIs)
• Prototype output portal
– Requirements elicitation
– Acceptance phase
• Prototype map generator
• Organisations lining up to connect
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Roadmap
• Autumn 2008
– Define protocols, basic virtual database
– Connect DCI input portal, build output portal
– Load more existing data
• 2009 and beyond
– More capable infrastructure
– Connect other parties
• It's the law!
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Questions
• http://www.science.uva.nl/ibed-cge
• http://www.ecogrid.nl
• L.E.Veen@uva.nl
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics
Universiteit van Amsterdam