A GIS-based Vegetation Database of the Austrian Alps an application of JODI P eterseil J., M oser D., W illner W. & G rabherr G. Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology University Vienna

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Organisation Project leader Georg Grabherr Project leader Georg Grabherr Wolfgang Willner Wolfgang Willner Johannes Peterseil Dietmar Moser Andreas Exner Christine JakominiSiegrun Ertl Financed by the Austrian Academy of Science Financed by the Austrian Academy of Science

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Project aims Development of the database structure Development of the database structure Input of relevés from the Austrian Alps Input of relevés from the Austrian Alps Linking of the relevés with GIS Linking of the relevés with GIS Exemplary analysis Exemplary analysis

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI What are the main problems? Different sampling approaches Different sampling approaches Systematic errors Systematic errors Missing data Missing data Different methods and scales Different methods and scales Different accuracy of localisation Different accuracy of localisation Assigned vegetation types Assigned vegetation types many others … many others …

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI How to deal with them? Design a consistent and flexible database structure Design a consistent and flexible database structure Building of central definiton lists, e.g. species Building of central definiton lists, e.g. species Design of tools for the selection, edit and aggregation of data Design of tools for the selection, edit and aggregation of data Design of interfaces to other commonly used vegetation databases, e.g. TURBOVEG, VegBank or analysis programs, e.g. MEGATAB, VEGI, JUICE, SYNTAX,... Design of interfaces to other commonly used vegetation databases, e.g. TURBOVEG, VegBank or analysis programs, e.g. MEGATAB, VEGI, JUICE, SYNTAX,...

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI JODI Microsoft Access database application splitted into Microsoft Access database application splitted into User Interface User Interface Definition lists Definition lists Link to Spatial Data Link to Spatial Data Data (project, literature, species, environmental data) Data (project, literature, species, environmental data) Flexibility Flexibility Original data are stored unchanged Original data are stored unchanged Translation done via Central Definition Lists Translation done via Central Definition Lists

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Data model LITERATURE [publ_id] Tables [table_id] RELEVÉ [sample_id] Header data (sampling date, descriptions, …) Site data Environ.data, structure, … Vegetation Species and abundance Classification alliance, vegetation type METHODS Data fields, default values DEFINITION LIST [value_id] PROJECT [proj_id] Localisation coordinates, maps (GIS)

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Data model Normal structure DATA FIELDVALUEUNIT New! Data are structured as records METHOD PROJECT DEFINTION LIST elevationalpineCLS

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Methods What are methods? A summary of DATA FIELD, e.g. slope DATA FIELD, e.g. slope UNIT, measured as ° UNIT, measured as ° DEFINITION LIST, e.g. a list of free entries DEFINITION LIST, e.g. a list of free entries Additional information, e.g. type of device Additional information, e.g. type of device What are they for? Used for the generation of user defined input forms Documentation of the used methods

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Data model S1_SAMPLE_DATA SAMPLE_ID LAYER DATA FIELD ROW TEXT VALUE SCALE_ID Category, text or numerical value COVER % All HL All Altitude Slope Aspect Layercover Altitude Slope Seehöhe in m Neigung in ° Expostion Schichtdeck.% Altitude Slope category UNIT m ° % CLS Free RA01 SL – montanous slightly 100

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Data Model DATA FIELDS DEFINITION LISTS RELEVÉ HEADER Fixed table structure Flexible data structure

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Definition Lists Problem: Different Lookup Tables for the data Solution: Central Definition List DataDefinition List ADefinition List BCentral Definition List Transformation done Original values unchanged

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Definition Lists Problem: Different thematic resolutions of the data Solution: Hierarchical structured definition lists CLASS ORDER ALLIANCE ASSOCIATION Example: Syntaxonomical Units Assigment on different hierarchical levels possible Aggregation of the data on a certain hierarchical level

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Definition Lists each category is assigned to a parent category and a certain hierarchical level with a special designed functions it is possible to aggregate data on certain hierarchical levels, e.g. on the alliance level.

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Spatial Data ArcView Shape Files Accuracy of localisation Coordinates Most propable location ArcView application for the communication to the vegetation database POLYGON_ID

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Data Selection Manage huge data amounts All data fields within the database can be used for the selection Selection can either done by data query or by spatial selection

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Data Export Interfaces to : vegetation databases, e.g. TURBOVEG, VegBank, or analysis programs, e.g. MEGATAB, JUICE, SYNTAX, VEGI

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Data Export Transformation and aggregation based on the central definition list Possibility of User defined aggregation of the values of a DATA FIELD Aggregation files can be saved and used again

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Data Export Transformation and aggregation based on the central definition list Possibility of User defined aggregation of the values of a DATA FIELD Aggregation files can be saved and used again

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Structure of the Application JODI97 - User Interface Entry, import, management, export, analysis, … DATA Project, Literature reference, Vegetation, Environmental data, … DEFINITION LISTS Hierarchical structured defintion lists SPATIAL DATA Location and accuracy of the samples ArcViewMicrosoft Access Database

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Timetable Development of database structure and the design of input and export formsDevelopment of database structure and the design of input and export forms Building up the Central Defintion ListsBuilding up the Central Defintion Lists Building up the literature databaseBuilding up the literature database Development of a new syntaxonomical checklist for Austria to alliance levelDevelopment of a new syntaxonomical checklist for Austria to alliance level Data input and import exemplary analysis and presentation

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Design of the database structure Design of the database structure Design and check of the input, selection and edit tools Design and check of the input, selection and edit tools Review of the existing literature for the Austrian Alps Review of the existing literature for the Austrian Alps relevés relevés polygons polygons … Status Quo

IAVS 2003 – Databases and Information Systems for Vegetation Science JODI Summary Advantages of this design of the data model  Flexibility  Original values preserved  Transformation of data is not nessecary at the stage of the data entry – only the link between the lookup table and the Central Defintion List has to be defined  Easy access on all data for selection and export  Integration of different data sources and methodological approaches into one database possible

Thank you! Departement of Conservation Biology, Vegetation and Landscape Ecology Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology University of Vienna