LTER information management as an example

Overview: I am NOT going to present you with a series of concepts and documents I will tell you a 38 years long story in 19 minutes… THE BEGINNING OF A NETWORK

 BEGINNING OF THE NETWORK: THE CONCEPT  THE LUQ SITE: INFORMATION MANAGEMENT  A DATA SET: LUQ FERNS

1977 LONG TERM Ecological Measurements Conference Report Report “A group of scientists representing many areas of ecology met March 16-18, 1977 to discuss fundamental issues concerning long-term ecological measurements.”  Importance of long-term studies:  “ Ecology requires long-term studies. They are indispensable and must be initiated. All ecosystems are in a process of long- term change.…  …we see examples of data collected for its own sake, of programs continued merely because they had been there for a long time,…  …but incomplete and lacking the crucial piece of information to make the whole set meaningful. A central issue or a hypothesis to test or to guide the collection of data seems to have been missing.”

Use of studies are not always predictable/obvious   Use of studies are not always predictable/obvious  “Some studies with vaguer initial rationales seem to have made possible the identification of important issues”  “…studies started for one reason have proved to be most valuable for quite another reason”

The core LTER concepts:  Collaboration  Sharing data  Two basic approaches to long-term studies:  Individuals  Institutions  Collaborative studies:  Existing research agencies should seek the cooperation and advice of ecologists involved in fundamental research.  Data developed in such Federal programs, which are in the public domain

 Provide a minimal set of items:  sample locations and intervals  procedures  data analysis and summarization  sample storagesuitable depository  sample storage in a suitable depository  Establish a program for a series of sites:  there are central ecological hypotheses and issues which can only be answered or examined with long-term data sets

1978 NSF Response representative cross section of the major ecosystems “The idea was to select the minimum number of monitoring sites, not an exclusive set, that would provide a representative cross section of the major ecosystems in the United States. In considering the long-term applicability utility of results types of measurements that would be needed in these ecosystems, the emphasis was again on choosing a relatively small number of variables believed to hold maximum potential for long-term applicability and utility of results.” Minimum set of:  Minimum set of:  Sites  Measurements  In 1979: The Scope, Research questions, coordination needs, operating procedures and coordination/management office where established

 All Scientists Meetings every 3 years (ASM) ASM  Broader the scope:  Around the world:  International LTER (ILTER): In Europe, Asia, Africa, individual countries ILTER  Across disciplines :  Social sciences Social sciences Social sciences  Arts and Humanities Arts and Humanities Arts and Humanities  Well established  Network Information Management Network Information ManagementNetwork Information Management

Synopsis of Synopsis of the History of LTER at:

 Long history of the monitoring of the forest flora and fauna

Starting Data Management Develop Metadata Standards Develop Metadata Standards Get Involved in Network Projects  Information Management history  A room full of printouts  386 distinct sets of data  0 were useful when revised by an investigator  Interviewing the LUQ scientists  First metadata set: simple  Got more complex as LUQ IMS evolved with the Network NIS

Starting Data Management Develop more Standards Still Involved in Network Projects  Information Management history  Develop an Information Management System  Metadata Centralized  Readily access to raw data  Integrate standards:  Keyword (Controlled Vocabulary)  Unit (Unit Registry)  EML (Ecological Metadata Standards)  Develop a Website to share:  All metadata, protocols and data

 Sharpe’s “Fern sporophyte growth observation at the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF)  LUQ Website:  PASTA (LTER NIS) packageid=knb-lter-luq

Good Bye!