Staffing

1
North Temperate Lakes LTER
Information Management
2
The collection and management of data must
promote interdisciplinary research.
3
ATMOSPHERIC AND OCEANIC SCIENCES
ZOOLOGY
FOREST ECOLOGY MANAGEMENT
inter- disciplinary research
LIMNOLOGY
BOTANY
RURAL SOCIOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL REMOTE SENSING
GEOLOGY GEOPHYSICS
CIVIL ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
AGRONOMY
4
Duration of Routine LTER Data
Trout Lake Area 1981 to present
Weather 4 variables Hydrologic 12 variables
starting 1984 Physical 7 variables Chemical 25
variables Biological 9 variables
Madison Lake Area 1995 to present
5
Relationship between research and information
management

• Information management is an integral part of
  research.
• The agenda of information management should be
  driven by science.
• The information manager is a researcher and
  research facilitator rather than merely an
  archivist.

6
To facilitate research, we have implemented a
powerful yet easily used data access environment.
7
For long-term data to have value in the future,
careful documentation of methods and data
structures must be maintained.
8
Metadata

• Metadata headers on WWW data sets
• Methods manuals on-line on WWW
• Metadata entry through WWW

9
The security and integrity of the database must
be maintained.
10
Database security/integrity

• Built-in Oracle functionality
• Regular backups of computers and exports of the
  database
• Quality control implemented at several levels

11
Staffing

• Benson, Information Manager
• Riera, GIS Specialist
• Stubbs, Info Processing Consultant
• Stolte, Assistant
• Hanson, Network Administrator

12
New developments

• Dynamic database queries through the WWW
• Data entry through the WWW
• Automated field collection
• Fish sampling software
• Spread spectrum wireless radio
• Information management chapter in NTL book

13
Intersite Information Management Activities

• Publications and presentations
• Leadership
• Prototype development for the Network Information
  System

14
Information management is a crucial component of
the success of the NTL-LTER program.