The Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network – Ecoinformatics

The heterogenous nature of ecological data and differential recording emphases (site descriptions, physical/chemical, soil classes, diversities, taxa) has made databasing and web serving difficult. New methods, originally developed for marine benthic data integration projects, parsing/analysis of text descriptions, and uncertainty handling, are being leveraged to bring those datasets into better use.

This TERN capability has four components:

1. Negotiate data sharing and access for key synthesised National information systems relevant to ecosystem science, including, amongst others, soils, weather, climate, water and landuse/vegetation classifications.
2. Consolidate key biodiversity and environmental data sets from across Australia, including State and Territory survey and monitoring data systems. Integrate with other national and international programmes, e.g. Atlas of Living Australia, GBIF and GEO BON.
3. Develop future data input system and standards for wide range of Australian ecosystem science outputs, including; biodiversity data, landscape genetics, high resolution bio-geochemical data (e.g. flux tower or nutrient monitoring probes). Explore incentive methods to encourage uploading and housing of data by scientists actively researching the area (e.g. publications based on DNA sequence data now required lodgement of data in publically accessible databases before publication is approved for a range of journals).
4. Build a portal to access, analyze and visualize Australian ecosystem data within navigable GIS integrated web portal. Data should be accessible in range of formats from simple interpreted outputs useful for specialist decision makers to detailed downloads of long–term specific data types for use in customer built models.