Developing an LTER Information System for the 21st Century
DRAFT version Jan. 5, 1996, Input from IS and DataTask groups pending
(evolved from the Report to the LTER Coordinating Committee
at CDR, 10/21/95)
Development of the LTER Information System
Possible Resources Coming from the Network Office (Budget)
1. Project Background (back to index)
Since the first publication of LTER Catalog of Core Data Sets in 1990 scientists within the LTER network as well in the wider ecological research community have been aware of the wealth of long-term data that are being collected by LTER investigators. During the same period of time that the LTER data managers developed the Catalog, the work of the LTER Connectivity Committee and subsequent efforts by the sites to implement its recommendations resulted in near full Internet connectivity at main administrative locations. This created the foundation of an infrastructure for electronic communication and data exchange that would substantially enhance the traditional means of "networking" through meetings, conferences, symposia, etc. Based on this rapidly evolving infrastructure, electronic versions of the Catalog and the of 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. Instead, it was implemented as a searchable online 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. In many cases (other than with Core Dataset Catalog, Bibliography and Personnel Directory), to find out what data is available on LTER site information servers, you need to make individual connections to each of the site servers. In 1994 the CC mandated to make at least one major dataset available online at every LTER site, but to date it is difficult to analyze and synthesize data from different sites because most site servers return data in different formats.
This situation prompted the LTER data managers at
their 1994 Annual Workshop to commit to building a system that
facilitates cross-site data exchange for intersite research, the
"LTER Information System for the 21st Century".
2. Mission of the LTER Network Office (back to index)
The LTER Network Office will foster expansion of
the existing LTER-wide Information System. This will include substantive
participation in the development of advanced query and information
systems which integrate data from the individual site information
systems. To further this end, it will support planning activities,
aid in coordination of site activities, promote standards development,
and provide access to software, storage and network resources.
3. Core Activities (back to index)
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
4. Development of LTER-wide Information System (back to index)
Basic Approach
The primary function of the Information System is to support intersite research. All technical considerations should be driven by this goal. We need to be clear that this will be an "LTER Information System" not a "LTER Data Managers Information System". A secondary goal is to create a system that can make information management at individual sites more effective.
Recognizing that a basic information system has been in place and available to LTER researchers for some time (with components such as Catalog, Personnel Dir., Bibliography, integrated mail forwarding and direct links to most site systems), it is imperative that any future LTER Information System will be developed while maintaining and expanding on the existing functionality. A modular, step-by-step approach will ensure that existing functions will be seamlessly integrated with the future system.
Integration of Information Management into Synthesis Efforts: Because development of the system must be driven by the needs of ecological scientists, it is logical to coordinate the development closely with efforts by various LTER intersite research groups. Some of these groups, such as the Climate Committee and the LIDET group, have existed for many years. Others represent more recent efforts to tackle basic intersite research questions in specific areas such as biodiversity. New groups will be formed with the guidance of the Coordinating Committee. We propose that each group leading an LTER intersite research effort should include at least one member from the LTER information management group. This would help the research groups to stay closely informed on the present and planned capabilities of the Information System and provide an effective channel to communicate their needs and expectations to the information managers. Initially, intersite research groups will provide the main pool of users of new system functions and they will provide the feedback required for testing improvement.
Groups with a mix of researchers, including information managers and other experts in computer science and related fields, will also ensure that the information managers group as a whole stays closely informed on the progress of ongoing intersite research, and provide their advise to the researcher groups.
IS Task Groups: Design
and implementation of the IS 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 data reflecting
those measurements may not be comparable. In this case, a team
of 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.
Design Activities
Working Sessions at the Sites
As a starting point, organize one or more short working sessions at that bring together the information managers and the researchers at every site. These sessions can be individually tailored to suit the research emphasis at each site, with the goal of compiling 1) a list of hypothetical research questions that could be answered if all data and information at all sites were readily available and accessible to all other sites. Or, conversely, 2) a list of what data and information from the other sites would you need to answer present intersite research questions in your area of interest and 3) a list of (software) tools that would be desirable to aid the analysis and synthesis of the intersite data to be available through the Information System.
Workshops
Based on the working sessions at the sites, organize a series of intersite 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 is presented and distributed by the Information System.
Steps:
First Workshop
1. Approach the Climate Committee the biodiversity working group and the LIDET group to determine interest on their part in participating in the development of the IS. (Collaborative work between the Climate Committee and the NET has already been initiated in Dec. 1995 )
2. Determine possible dates for a first workshops. These groups probably already have meeting plans for the medium-term future. Find out whether they would be interested in DM participation at their workshops.
3. Use data of interest to a group, such as the Climate Committee, 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.
4. Compile a list of problems and deficiencies with the present approach. Why is it insufficient in supporting the groups intersite research? Propose solutions to fix the shortcomings. Set time table for implementation of the solutions.
Second Workshop (this could be a video conference using workstations and PCs/Macs linked over the Internet).
This workshop should attempt to answer a specific
research question(s) the group(s) as above is asking. How do the
newly developed tools aid the groups research effort.
Assessment, Testing, Prototyping
Implementation
Training
Possible Resources Coming from the Network Office (Budget) (back to index)
The information management group request resources from the Network Office for workshops (annual LTER Information Management Workshops, biannual meeting of Data Managers Task Group (DataTask)), IS Task Groups activities (meetings, workshops) and support for special consultant services (insert detailed explanation here)
Budget spreadsheet
System Characteristics (back to index)
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Other Activities and Issues
Expand the Core Data Set Catalog to include all long-term data sets at the sites.
Develop mechanisms for distributed Catalog maintenance.
Compare the intersite information access tools developed within LTER so far as well as in the wider community for suitability as components of the IS
Development of software Implementation of standards
Resources Needed from LTER Network Office
