Table of Contents
1. Introduction (back to TOC)
The necessity of intersite research has driven the LTER mandate
since intersite workshops in the early 1980's. Since then the
LTER data managers have been focusing on facilitating this research.
Recently, the maturation of environmental information management,
and advances in technology provide an impetus to accomplish more
effectively the long-standing goal of facilitating intersite research
(Stafford, et al. 1994). Although computers have come a long way,
the fundamentals of managing research information and developing
an appropriate system for management have remained relatively
stable. What has changed drastically in the last decade is researcher
and community expectations. With the explosion of Internet connectivity
and the birth of the World-Wide Web (WWW), scientists, administrators,
and the general public have come to expect greater access to the
products of valuable research dollars. The LTER research network
has a wealth of long-term data that are being collected by LTER
investigators. With the publication of the LTER Catalog of Core
Data Sets in 1990, this resource became more widely known within
the ecological research community.
2. LTER Network Information System (1990-1995)
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During the same period of time that the office and data managers
developed the catalog of core data sets, the work of the LTER
Connectivity Committee and by the sites resulted in nearly full
Internet connectivity across the LTER Network. This infrastructure
foundation for electronic communication and data exchange substantially
enhanced the traditional means of networking. Based on this rapidly
evolving infrastructure, electronic versions of the Core Dataset
Catalog and the LTER Personnel Directory became available to most
researchers in 1991. The evolution of those data repositories
from hardcopy versions to on-line databases accessible by e-mail,
FTP, Gopher, WAIS, SQL and Web information servers reflects the
successful use of the latest communications technology in the
integration of individual sites into a coherent research network.
When the LTER All-Site Bibliography was created in 1993, a hardcopy
version was no longer considered an economical or even desirable
implementation (Chinn and Bledsoe, submitted). Instead, it was
implemented as a searchable on-line database from the very beginning.
Improved accessibility and ease of use highlighted existing gaps
in the LTER information infrastructure. While the Gopher and Web
information servers installed at LTERnet in 1992/93, together
with servers installed subsequently at most sites, simplified
access to information that is widely geographically dispersed,
queries are still unwieldy. The All-Site Bibliography, for example,
although on-line and seeing increasing use ,
has limitations in the type and number of queries that are possible.
In many cases (other than with the Core Dataset Catalog, Bibliography
and Personnel Directory), to find out what data are available
on LTER site information servers, you need to make connections
to each of the site servers individually.
Many LTER datasets are available via WWW and other network information
servers, but it is difficult to analyze and synthesize data from
different sites because most site servers return data in different
formats. The LTER data managers are committed to building a
system that facilitates cross-site data exchange for intersite
research, the LTER Integrated NETWORK Information System (LINIS)
for the 21st Century.
3. Philosophy and Goals of LINIS (1196-2002)
(back to TOC)
The fundamental philosophy of the effort is Development from
a Research Perspective.The primary function of the LINIS will
be support of intersite research, therefore, all technical implementations
will be driven by this philosophy. Development of the LINIS will
be closely linked to efforts by various LTER cross-site and synthesis
research groups. Each intersite research effort will include at
least one member from the LTER information management group. Initially,
intersite research groups will provide the main pool of users
of new system functions and they will provide the feedback required
for testing. In addition, development will be made with the recognition
that information management systems are always evolving, due both
to technological changes and to improvements in our understanding
of how scientists most efficiently use data. The goals for this
development effort are:
Goal 1: Increase Utility of Existing System
A basic network information system (NIS) is available to LTER
researchers (eg. catalog, personnel directory, bibliography, integrated
mail forwarding, and direct links to most site systems). A modular,
step-by-step approach to the LINIS development will ensure that
existing functions will be seamlessly integrated with the future
system. With the objective of fulfilling its mission in information
management, the Network Office will be responsible for further
development of the LTERnet Network Support System to maintain
and expand the following core activities:
Goal 2: Increase Access and Query Capability on Intersite Data
Develop here based on discussions from Snowbird.
Goal 3: Maintain Local Autonomy Research Data Management
at U.S. LTER sites is carried out with common objectives in mind,
but under a variety of different circumstances and constraints.
There is a number of heterogeneous approaches taken to meet research
objectives. Meeting standardized goals with a variety of solutions
has built strength into this system. This strength needs to be
maintained in the development of the LINIS.
4. System Characteristics (back to TOC)
The Network Information System working group has developed the
following functions for the LINIS based on input from the data
management committee and researchers in attendance at the Snowbird
meeting in 1995. An advanced access and query capability will
facilitate:
In addition, the system should integrate site information systems,
not replace them. The envisioned system will be a distributed
system using advanced network tools that will ensure the system
is useful into the coming decade. For example, network client/server
technology is well suited to this application and can be implemented
independent of the specific computer platform.
5. Participation in Standards Development
and Organizations (back to TOC)
Members of the U.S. LTER Network Data Management Committee are
actively participating in developing standards for non-spatial
ecological data ((Michener, et al., in review). In addition, standards
being adopted at the federal level are being closely scrutinized
for implementation with the LTER Network (eg. FGDC, NBII, GILS,
etc.)
Some de facto standards that can help ensure hardware and software
independent functionality have emerged in this area and would
be considered in our design (e.g. ODBC). There are also some recent
developments with potentially major implications for the way future
network information systems are implemented independently of any
specific hardware or software platform. In particular, executable
content on Web servers by the Java language (an open standard
for programming on the Web) could be used to package data together
with their metadata.
6. Plan for Development of an LTER-Wide IS
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Design and implementation of the LINIS in a modular, step-by-step
fashion will require that teams of information specialists accomplish
specific system parts in a coordinated way and in a predictable
period of time. Such task will include implementation of access
and retrieval functions for datasets that are standardized in
terms of content and apparent format. For example, measurement
procedures of net primary productivity can vary considerably among
such different ecosystems as lakes (NTL) and forests (AND, LUQ)
and deserts (SEV, JRN). Correspondingly the raw data reflecting
those measurements may not be comparable. In this case, a team
of researchers and information specialists would work with the
sites to add to the IS the capability to access from all sites
productivity data and metadata in a consistent format, with consistent
tools.
The development of an LTER-wide Information system will depend
on the efforts of many critical players: The LTER Coordinating
Committee, site researchers, Network Office Staff, Data/Information
Management Committee, and Collaborators (e.g., SDSC). These efforts
will be focused at a continuing series of workshops that will
form the basis for the design, funding, and implementation of
an LTER-Wide IS.
Annual meetings of the Data Management Committee and the NIS working
group will serve to coordinate the effort. NIS task groups composed
of researchers, data managers, and occasional consultants will
provide the labor necessary to design, fund, and implement various
components of the system.
The NIS working group will solicit interest from a couple of intersite
research groups and hold workshops to assess researchers needs
- what works, what doesn't. These workshops can be organized in
conjunction with workshops that investigate specific intersite
research questions, such as climate patterns, biodiversity distribution,
litter decomposition processes (LIDET) or hydrology. The CC will
determine which areas to cover first and the subjects initially
chosen would relate to core areas. The workshops will also address
and attempt to resolve outstanding standardization issues that
are relevant to how data and information are presented and distributed
by the Information System.
Data of interest to the group, such as the Climate Committee will
be used by a task group to demonstrate present capabilities. For
example, compile a Web page of all climate data available on LTER
site servers, download them into spreadsheets or other applications,
and graph them. The group will then evaluate the present approach
for what works and what doesn't. Why is it insufficient in supporting
the groups intersite research? Propose solutions to fix the shortcomings
and use positive aspects in other work groups, develop an information
model for the data and set a time table for implementation. The
process would then proceed with mechanisms built in for testing
and feedback.
7. Resources Needed from LTER Network Office
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The LTER Network Office will support expansion of the existing
NIS and advanced query and information systems which integrate
data from the individual site information systems. The Office
will support planning activities, aid in coordination of site
activities, promote standards development, develop Network data
sets, and provide access to software, storage and network resources.
The Office funds annual meetings of the Data Managers Working
Group where continued development will occur on this important
project.
The Network Office will fund a lead person for each of the Network
Data Sets to work with LTER sites to develop standard formats
for access to data in the site information management systems.
8. Resources Needed from LTER Network
Sites (back to TOC)
The development of a distributed system will depend upon the readiness
of the site to participate but will not exclude the site's information.
Sites that do not yet have full capabilities can have their contributions
supported by the Office server.