1. Browsing with TaxonTree: Visualizing Biodiversity Information
Cynthia Sims Parr, Bongshin Lee, Dana Campbell, and Benjamin B. Bederson 3 1
Attributes
Browsing
Overview
We are building information retrieval interfaces for the rapidly expanding domain of biodiversity databases. Biodiversity databases contain organism-related information such as taxonomy, natural history, and conservation data.  They are as complex as molecular and medical biology resources, and can be linked to them, yet serve a broader audience. Our goal is to help users more easily work with these complex structures. 2
Nodes often have attributes. Here we show synapomorphies, characteristics useful for grouping animals and understanding their evolutionary histories.
Users can select nodes to explore further layers of the hierarchy.
Taxa reposition automatically on interaction.
Smooth animation maintains context.
Purple shows the browsing path. 1 3 4
External linkage
Tree of Life 2
Searching 4
Animal Diversity Web
UCMP
TaxonTree
To visualize the Linnaean classification for 200,000 taxonomic names in Kingdom Animalia we adapted a tool, SpaceTree, that we developed initially for visualizing corporate organizational hierarchies. TaxonTree combines dynamic query interfaces and zoomable graphics to visually accommodate highly interconnected data.
TaxonTree links to online databases at University of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web, University of Arizona’s Tree of Life, and University of California’s Museum of Paleontology. Our visualization provides easier access to existing information.
Users can search both the names in the classification and the full text of the Animal Diversity Web.
Search results are colored orange.
View is limited to nodes relevant to the search results.
Free Download at
hcil.umd.edu/taxontree
University of Maryland, Human-Computer Interaction Lab hcil.umd.edu