ILTER Information ILTER Information Management CommitteeManagement Committee

Kristin Vanderbilt, Ph.D.Kristin Vanderbilt, Ph.D.Sevilleta LTERSevilleta LTER

University of New MexicoUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM USAAlbuquerque, NM USA

Information Management in the Information Management in the ILTERILTER

The ILTER Strategic Plan states that ILTER’s 10-The ILTER Strategic Plan states that ILTER’s 10-year goals are to:year goals are to:• Improve comparability of long-term ecological and socio-Improve comparability of long-term ecological and socio-

economic data from sites around the worldeconomic data from sites around the world• Facilitate exchange and integration of, access to, and Facilitate exchange and integration of, access to, and

preservation of long-term, site-based datapreservation of long-term, site-based data• Deliver non-biased information to scientists, Deliver non-biased information to scientists,

policymakers, and the public to meet the needs of policymakers, and the public to meet the needs of decisionmakers at multiple levelsdecisionmakers at multiple levels

To meet these goals, coordinated information To meet these goals, coordinated information management programs are needed throughout management programs are needed throughout the ILTERthe ILTER• An ILTER IM Committee has been formed to guide the An ILTER IM Committee has been formed to guide the

development of information management throughout development of information management throughout the network. the network.

ILTER IM Committee CharterILTER IM Committee CharterApproved at 2006 ILTER Coordinating Committee MeetingApproved at 2006 ILTER Coordinating Committee Meeting

Facilitate data exchange and Facilitate data exchange and preservation through preservation through adoption of adoption of standardsstandards

Coordinate development of network-Coordinate development of network-level information management level information management systemsystem

IM Committee CharterIM Committee Charter Committee consists of a maximum of two representatives from each ILTER regionCommittee consists of a maximum of two representatives from each ILTER region Terms are two yearsTerms are two years Officers:Officers:

• Chair: Kristin Vanderbilt, USAChair: Kristin Vanderbilt, USA• Vice-Chair: Avinash Chuntharpursat, South AfricaVice-Chair: Avinash Chuntharpursat, South Africa• Secretary: Cristiana Cocciufa, ItalySecretary: Cristiana Cocciufa, Italy

Kristin Vanderbilt

Atzimba Lopez

Kathi Schleidt

Avinash Chuntharpursat

Sheng Shan Lu

Honglin He

John Irish

Cristiana Cocciufa

Tasks for the ILTER Information Tasks for the ILTER Information Management CommitteeManagement Committee

Assess IM capabilities and resources Assess IM capabilities and resources in the ILTER in the ILTER • Identify areas where improvement is Identify areas where improvement is

required required • Support trainingSupport training

Present options for IM standards to Present options for IM standards to Executive Committee for their voteExecutive Committee for their vote

Promote development of an Promote development of an information system design that information system design that scales to network levelscales to network level

ILTER Information Management ILTER Information Management Capacity Survey 2006:Capacity Survey 2006:

ResultsResults

Kristin VanderbiltKristin VanderbiltSevilleta LTERSevilleta LTER

Chau-Chin LinChau-Chin LinTaiwan Forestry Research InstituteTaiwan Forestry Research Institute

  

Survey Goals:Survey Goals:

Data content and accessibilityData content and accessibility Hardware availability and internet Hardware availability and internet

connectivityconnectivity Software availabilitySoftware availability Human ResourcesHuman Resources Identify Potential Training NeedsIdentify Potential Training Needs

Countries Responding (total Countries Responding (total respondents = 31) respondents = 31)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Brazil

Costa

Rica

Namib

ia

South

Afri

ca

Czech

Rep

ublic

Hunga

ry

Roman

ia

Ger

man

y

Switzer

land UK

China

Japa

n

Phillip

ines

South

Kor

ea

Taiwan

Mex

ico

# o

f re

spo

nd

ents

Centra

l/Sou

th

America

East A

sia-P

acific

North

Amer

icaAfri

ca

Centra

l/Eas

tern

Europ

e

Wes

tern

Eur

ope

Lack of training related to

data/information management

Inadequate systems

administration support

Obsolete equipment

Network Connectivity

(e.g. inadequate bandwidth)

Other

What are the most critical IM/IT Issues at your ILTER Site?What are the most critical IM/IT Issues at your ILTER Site?

Data SharingData Sharing

Does your ILTER site have a data Does your ILTER site have a data sharing policy?sharing policy?• Yes: 12 out of 26 respondentsYes: 12 out of 26 respondents

• Some policies were detailed, but others Some policies were detailed, but others

were generalwere general

LONG-TERM FOREST ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH LWF DATA ACCESS POLICY

GUIDELINES FOR ACCEPTABLE USE OF LWF DATA • Data access is given after submission of an official request (including a copy of the research proposal and/or other information about the data use) to: Norbert Kräuchi Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research …

GENERAL CITATION Data sets were provided by the Long-term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme LWF, a partnership between the Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL and the Swiss Federal Agency of Environment, Forest and Landscape SAEFL.

DATA USER RESPONSIBILITIES: By using LWF data and documentation, the Data User agrees to abide by the terms of this agreement. LWF shall have the right to terminate this agreement immediately by written notice upon the Data User's breach of, or non-compliance with, any of its terms...

Data Sharing:Data Sharing:

Example of a typical data access Example of a typical data access policy:policy:• ““All long-term data are gathered by the All long-term data are gathered by the

Academy. The Excel data are shared by Academy. The Excel data are shared by all researchers. Recently the data have all researchers. Recently the data have been launched in an Oracle database, been launched in an Oracle database, which is supposed to be shared in the which is supposed to be shared in the near future.”near future.”

Does your site store data?Does your site store data?

100% Yes100% Yes• Estimated amount of data per site: Estimated amount of data per site:

6 Mb to 3 Terabytes6 Mb to 3 Terabytes

What kinds of data does your site What kinds of data does your site store?store?

How are data accessed at your site How are data accessed at your site (check all that apply)?(check all that apply)?

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Local computeraccess to files

Web accessible Paper copy only Other

Pe

rce

nt

If data at your site aren’t publicly If data at your site aren’t publicly accessible, explain why not. accessible, explain why not.

Human resource limitations Human resource limitations The policy is to only share metadataThe policy is to only share metadata No metadataNo metadata Lack of disk spaceLack of disk space Language issuesLanguage issues Data owned by government bodiesData owned by government bodies Data still in the hands of the individual Data still in the hands of the individual

researchersresearchers Lack of softwareLack of software Information Management system is presently Information Management system is presently

being implemented; data will be online soonbeing implemented; data will be online soon

Internet Connectivity/HardwareInternet Connectivity/Hardware

Does your ILTER site have a Does your ILTER site have a connection to the internet?connection to the internet?• 23/25 (92%) Yes23/25 (92%) Yes

7/22 are connected via universities7/22 are connected via universities 15/22 are connected via National 15/22 are connected via National

telecommunications entities or private telecommunications entities or private Internet Service ProvidersInternet Service Providers

• Internet connection speedInternet connection speed < 256 kbps (11/21 respondents)< 256 kbps (11/21 respondents) > 1 Mbps (8/11 respondents)> 1 Mbps (8/11 respondents)

Human Resources:Human Resources:

Does your ILTER site have personnel Does your ILTER site have personnel with specialized skills in data with specialized skills in data management?management?• 13/23 (57%) Yes13/23 (57%) Yes

Is there computer system Is there computer system administration support available at administration support available at your ILTER site?your ILTER site?• 18/24 Yes (75%)18/24 Yes (75%)

What are the most pressing What are the most pressing software needs at your ILTER site?software needs at your ILTER site?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

DatabaseManagement

System

Data EntrySoftware

BilbiographicSoftware

GIS Software StatisticalSoftware

MetadataSoftware

Tools

# of

res

pond

ents

02468

101214161820

# o

f re

spo

nd

ents

Which training programs would be Which training programs would be most beneficial in meeting your site most beneficial in meeting your site

needs?needs?

Summary:Summary: Most ILTER sites lack a formal data sharing and Most ILTER sites lack a formal data sharing and

access policy.access policy. ILTER sites have rich archives of data, but few ILTER sites have rich archives of data, but few

sites have made their data publicly accessible.sites have made their data publicly accessible. 57% of sites have personnel trained in 57% of sites have personnel trained in

information management, yet lack of training in information management, yet lack of training in information management and IT is cited as the information management and IT is cited as the greatest barrier to IM at ILTER sites. greatest barrier to IM at ILTER sites.

Availability of computers appears to be adequate, Availability of computers appears to be adequate, but bandwidth is relatively low in 50% of cases.but bandwidth is relatively low in 50% of cases.

Many kinds of software are available at sites, but Many kinds of software are available at sites, but more database management system software more database management system software and tools for generating metadata are needed. and tools for generating metadata are needed.

IM Committee ActivitiesIM Committee Activities

IM Workshop at LTER All Scientists’ Meeting in IM Workshop at LTER All Scientists’ Meeting in Estes Park, Colorado, USA September 23, 2006Estes Park, Colorado, USA September 23, 2006

International Information exchange, sharing, International Information exchange, sharing, and cooperation activities:and cooperation activities:

Information Management AlternativesInformation Management Alternatives Introduction to Working Group – Hen-biau Introduction to Working Group – Hen-biau

King/Kristin VanderbiltKing/Kristin Vanderbilt Ontology-based IMS – Katharina Schleidt (Austria) Ontology-based IMS – Katharina Schleidt (Austria) EML-based IMS – Corinna Gries (CAP LTER) EML-based IMS – Corinna Gries (CAP LTER) TERN IMS – Meei-ru Jeng (Taiwan) TERN IMS – Meei-ru Jeng (Taiwan) Site Characteristics Search Engine – Atzimba Site Characteristics Search Engine – Atzimba

Lopez (Mexico)Lopez (Mexico) SAEON Collaborative GIS IMS – Avinash SAEON Collaborative GIS IMS – Avinash

Chuntharpursat (South Africa)Chuntharpursat (South Africa) Discussion Discussion http://sev.lternet.edu/ilter_im/http://sev.lternet.edu/ilter_im/

Two conference callsTwo conference calls

International LTER Data Access and International LTER Data Access and Use PolicyUse Policy

ILTER Information Manager ILTER Information Manager Mentoring Web PageMentoring Web Page

Interactions with GBIF (Global Interactions with GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)Biodiversity Information Facility)

IM Workshop at Annual ILTER IM Workshop at Annual ILTER Meeting in Beijing, August 2007:Meeting in Beijing, August 2007:

“From EML to Ontologies”“From EML to Ontologies”

Some members of ILTER have an Some members of ILTER have an ontology-based Information ontology-based Information Management System, while others Management System, while others use EMLuse EML

IM Workshop AgendaIM Workshop Agenda

Intro to EML and what we can do with Intro to EML and what we can do with it (Chin and Kristin)it (Chin and Kristin)

Intro to Ontologies and how they can Intro to Ontologies and how they can be used (Kathi Schleidt and Michael be used (Kathi Schleidt and Michael Mirtl, Austria)Mirtl, Austria)

ILTER Coordinating Committee ILTER Coordinating Committee Meeting (Beijing)Meeting (Beijing)

IM Committee will propose that ILTER IM Committee will propose that ILTER support formation of an ILTER support formation of an ILTER Interest Group at TDWG (Taxonomic Interest Group at TDWG (Taxonomic Data Working Group)Data Working Group)• EML task group -- to study how to make EML task group -- to study how to make

EML more ontology-likeEML more ontology-like IM Committee will propose an ILTER IM Committee will propose an ILTER

Network Data Access and Use PolicyNetwork Data Access and Use Policy

What next? What next?

IM advances should occur in two phasesIM advances should occur in two phases• Phase I: Resolve issues identified in survey and Phase I: Resolve issues identified in survey and

strengthen site-level information management systems strengthen site-level information management systems (years 1-5) (years 1-5)

TrainingTraining Establish web accessible data archives at all sitesEstablish web accessible data archives at all sites Metadata standardsMetadata standards Create cross-site databases (promotes network identity!)Create cross-site databases (promotes network identity!)

• ILTER data catalogILTER data catalog• ILTER ClimDBILTER ClimDB

• Phase II: Based on ILTER regional and global science Phase II: Based on ILTER regional and global science questions, guide development of ILTER Information questions, guide development of ILTER Information Management Systems to facilitate collaboration and Management Systems to facilitate collaboration and network research (years 6 – ?)network research (years 6 – ?)