1. Network Information System Advisory Committee (NISAC)
Membership (2004)
PI’s: Gage (KBS), Harmon (AND), Kratz (NTL), Peters (JRN), Ross (PAL)
IM’s: Benson (NTL), Boose (HFR), Henshaw (AND), McCartney (CAP)
LNO: Brunt, Michener, Vande Castle, Waide

2. Recommendations Leading to Formation of NISAC
Sevilleta, April 2002
The Executive Committee presented the following recommendations, which were approved unanimously:
Support continued development of information systems to support synthesis
Establish an ad hoc working group to improve coordination of IM development with synthesis work.
Support NET Office request for additional resources to allow these synthetic activities

3. CC Approved Motions Kellogg, May 2003
NIS Advisory Group continues as a standing committee (NISAC)
adopt a strategy of a tiered trajectory toward improved IM functionality for synthesis.
adopt a general goal of improving each site’s position in the trajectory
that individual sites commit to populate and update existing basic network databases (ClimDB, HydroDB, SiteDB)

4. NIS Mission as approved by the Coordinating Committee
Santa Barbara, April 2004
The mission for the LTER Network Information System (NIS) is to provide the IM/IT infrastructure to facilitate and promote advances in collaborative and synthetic ecological science at multiple temporal and spatial scales.

5. NIS Mission (continued)
This system includes cyberinfrastructure (hardware, software); expertise, standards, and protocols; and the information resulting from research activities across the network of LTER sites and their partners.
The NIS primarily serves the LTER scientific community and collaborators but also provides a portal to LTER data products for the broader scientific community, natural resource managers, policymakers, and the general public.

6. Tiered Trajectory Discovery Access Usability Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Metadata completeness
Tiered Trajectory
Discovery
Access
Usability
Tier 1
Unstructured, online site catalog with minimal metadata
Data discovery through manual searches
Establish data access policy
Data and metadata access requires human intervention
Unstructured, machine-readable metadata and data
Data use requires human intervention
Tier 2
Online, enhanced metadata with consistent internal structure
Data discovery through machine search
Automated access to data
Access to site data and metadata does not require human intervention
Structured, comprehensive metadata and data
Data use does not require human intervention
Tier 3
Discovery-enabling metadata structured in EML
Data discovery integrated across network
Access-enabling metadata structured in EML
Data access is integrated across network
Complete validated EML
Data analysis is integrated across the network
Future Outcome
Semantic-based discovery through machine-based searches
Data access through a knowledge-based query process
Semi-automated knowledge extraction
Metadata structure

7. Tier 1: Discovery-level metadata
Tiered Trajectory
Discovery
Access
Usability
Tier 1
Unstructured, online site catalog with minimal metadata
Data discovery through manual searches
Establish data access policy
Data and metadata access requires human intervention
Unstructured, machine-readable metadata and data
Data use requires human intervention
Tier 2
Online, enhanced metadata with consistent internal structure
Data discovery through machine search
Automated access to data
Access to site data and metadata does not require human intervention
Structured, comprehensive metadata and data
Data use does not require human intervention
Tier 3
Discovery-enabling metadata structured in EML
Data discovery integrated across network
Access-enabling metadata structured in EML
Data access is integrated across network
Complete validated EML
Data analysis is integrated across the network
Future Outcome
Semantic-based discovery through machine-based searches
Data access through a knowledge-based query process
Semi-automated knowledge extraction
Percent of site data sets
Tier 1: Discovery-level metadata
Title, creator, contact, abstract, keywords
Number of sites
21 responses

8. Tier 3: Access metadata Tiered Trajectory Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Discovery-level, entity, attribute
Tiered Trajectory
Discovery
Access
Usability
Tier 1
Unstructured, online site catalog with minimal metadata
Data discovery through manual searches
Establish data access policy
Data and metadata access requires human intervention
Unstructured, machine-readable metadata and data
Data use requires human intervention
Tier 2
Online, enhanced metadata with consistent internal structure
Data discovery through machine search
Automated access to data
Access to site data and metadata does not require human intervention
Structured, comprehensive metadata and data
Data use does not require human intervention
Tier 3
Discovery-enabling metadata structured in EML
Data discovery integrated across network
Access-enabling metadata structured in EML
Data access is integrated across network
Complete validated EML
Data analysis is integrated across the network
Future Outcome
Semantic-based discovery through machine-based searches
Data access through a knowledge-based query process
Semi-automated knowledge extraction
Number of sites
21 responses
Percent of site data sets

9. NISAC Assessment of EML Ecological Metadata Language
EML implementation is critically important in developing generic tools to facilitate synthesis
EML implementation is proceeding
71% of the sites plan to provide EML metadata for all or most data sets within the next 12 months (IM survey)
Resources are needed
Personnel/Training/Tools
General IM consensus that maintaining EML will require minimal effort (after initial conversion)

10. ClimDB Temporal Coverage By Site Air temperature and precipitation
1869
1927
1931
1937
1955
1957
1957
Air temperature
and precipitation
20 July 2004
1869
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2004

11. ClimDB Temporal Coverage By Site Air temperature and precipitation
1869
1927
1931
12 sites
(50%)
20 sites
(83%)
1937
1955
1957
1957
Air temperature
and precipitation
20 July 2004
1869
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2004

12. ClimDB Temporal Coverage By Site Additional climate variables (Solar, wind, rel. humidity, soil temp., …)
1869
1927
1931
9 sites (38%)
1937
1955
1957
1957
Air temperature
and precipitation
Additional
climate variables
20 July 2004
1869
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2004

13. ClimDB/HydroDB Status Possible next steps
All 24 LTER sites are contributing to ClimDB
14 LTER sites are contributing to HydroDB
Includes 260 stations and 6 million daily values
Predominantly air temperature, precipitation, stream discharge
Over 3300 plots generated or files downloaded since Feb 2003
Possible next steps
Update station variables through 2003
Add more variables, e.g., RH, solar, wind, soil temp
Add other representative stations
Add historical data

14. NIS Direction and Content
The NIS will provide the necessary expertise and other infrastructure to design and build science modules and other synthetic products
NISAC will determine and agree on a process or series of processes for identifying new NIS science modules or network databases or additional components to existing network databases (e.g., ClimDB)

15. Proposed Process for Requesting New NIS Modules
Open proposal process – proposals sent to LTER Exec
Who proposes?
Individuals
Committees
Standing committee
Coordinating committee
Executive committee
Ad hoc committee
Science synthesis theme group
Ad hoc working groups
NSF
Partners – e.g. USFS, NASA, ILTER

16. Types of NIS Modules Administrative Network (general)
e.g. personnel, groups, bibliography
Network (general)
e.g. ClimDB, HydroDB, SiteDB
Science question driven (specific)
e.g. NPP, Disturbance
Best practices documents
e.g. EML, Websites, field methods
Historic/Legacy datasets

17. Module Considerations
Network resources required
Open-ended updates vs completed datasets
Software development
Personnel
Fraction of sites participating
General vs specific question
Raw data vs derived data

18. Strategies for NIS Development
Improve the overall effectiveness of site information systems
Enhance discovery and access of information across sites
Enhance synthesis and integration of information across sites
Leverage partnerships with other organizations to develop critical tools
Promote interaction among CI developers, scientists, and information managers

19. IM Committee Input to Work Plans
Network-wide data catalog and query interface
EML implementation
Site IM evaluation criteria
Assess progress within the tiered trajectory
Establish minimum site IM personnel resources
Best practices documents
Web site development, EML implementation
Tool development
Identify and prioritize critical tools, e.g., EML editors, query tools, data stream/sensor network management, web development
Identify LNO resources for development/maintenance
Partner with Cyberinfrastructure (CI) developers

20. Current Technology Issues
Cyberinfrastructure and technology challenges: Spatial technologies, wireless networks, sensor technologies, real-time data processing, collaboration technologies, etc.
How can these support LTER science?
Convene LTER Technology Committee
Partner with supercomputer centers, i.e., SDSC or NCSA