BioGIS: A Web-Based Environment for Analyzing, Modelling and Visualizing

Biodiversity Data

Ronen Kadmon

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Expectations from an ‘Ideal’ Biodiversity Information System

• Integration of data on different systematic groups

• Integration of heterogeneous databases

• Integration of data on different kinds of objects (species, specimens, geographical localities…)

• Efficient tools for data analysis, modelling and visualization

• Accessibility through the Internet

• User-friendly interface

The Diversity of Biodiversity Data(Examples from the VI ICSEB conference on

“Biodiversity in the information age”)

Ecosystems

Conservation

Morphometrics

Biogeography

Collections

Life history strategies

Genes

Genetics

Global change

Butterflies

Morphology

PhylogenyEcology

Taxonomy

Species

Objects of Biodiversity Data

• Taxonomic objects (species, genera..)

• ‘Unit-level’ objects (specimens, observations)

• Geographical objects (sites, regions, grid cells..)

(for plant species: life form, flower color, conservation status..)

(collector name, collection date, stage, sex, age, length..)

(rainfall, temperature, elevation, soil, land-use, nature reserves..)

Taxonomical links (species names)Geographical links (geographic coordinates)

GISLAYERS

UNIT-LEVEL DATA

SPECIES-LEVEL DATA

DATABASE 1

DATABASE 2

DATABASE 3

DATABASE 1

DATABASE 2

SY

ST

. GR

OU

P 1

SY

ST

. GR

OU

P 2

Point data Grid-based data Text description

Data Structure of BioGIS (continued)

Spatial representation of species records:

Polygons

GISAPPLICATION

Analytical tools under development:

1000 2000 3000 40000

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

Distance from road [m]

Fre

que

ncy

Random points

Real observations

Evaluation of bias in data collection

Plant observations

Analytical tools under development:

Analysis and visualization of biodiversity patterns

North South

Species compositionSpecies richness

Adding BioGIS functionality to the ENBIW

RA

PP

ER

WR

AP

PE

RW

RA

PP

ER

ENBI Query Server

GIS Browser UI BioGIS Server

Local server

Local server

Local server GIS plug-in

spatial filter

www.biogis.huji.ac.ilBioGIS

BioGIS is aimed at helping preserve the biodiversity of Israel, where the meeting

of Mediterranean and desert climates has resulted in an unusually rich flora and…

AcknowledgementsSoftware teamAaron BellerAdi Ben-NunAndre E. BaryudinElena PhilipenkoMaryna LyanStanislav PerkinGila Cohen

Graduate studentsOren FarberAna TrachtenbrotOfer SteinitzAsaf TsoarDotan Roitemberg

Data providersAvinoam Danin

The national herbarium

The HUJI natural history collections

The TAU natural history collections

The Nature & Parks Authority

The Society for Protection of Nature

Graphic designDavid RashtyYaniv MichaeliElanit GotlivMichal Cogan-KeviBatshi Kochi