Biological Databases of South Australia

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Biological Databases of South Australia BDBSA
Stuart Pillman Manager, Biological Survey,
Monitoring Databases Bio-Knowledge SA SA
Department of Environment and Heritage
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Biological Survey of South Australia
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• A systematic Biological Survey of South
  Australia began in 1984 to increase our knowledge
  of the remaining plants and animals and to
  encourage their conservation.
• State-wide coverage by 2015.
• State Government provides funding for core staff
  and operations through the DEH budget
• The Biological Survey and databases are
  supported by the SA Museum and State Herbarium
  who maintain critical reference collections of
  plants and animals and carry out vital taxonomic
  research.

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• 120 separate surveys completed and databased.
• 19000 vegetation only quadrats/sites. 4000
  also include vertebrate and invertebrate
  sampling.
• Sampling at the same site for both plants and
  animals so that ecological relationships can be
  established
• Well established, thorough, consistent and
  documented standard methods are used
• Future proof data
• Plant voucher specimens lodged at State
  Herbarium (gt133,000)
• Fauna voucher specimens lodged at SA Museum
  (gt19,000) including tissue for DNA
• Majority of sample sites permanently marked.
  Standard Photopoint images taken.
• Vegetation mapping.
• Flora and fauna records supported by images
  (slides and digital).

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Biological Databases of South Australia
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Biological Databases of South Australia
ENVIRONMENTALAL DATABASES OF SA
BIOLOGICAL DATABASES OF SA(Oracle - Textual
systems)
Data StorageIMAGES SCIENTIFIC PERMITS ADHERBSURV
EYOPPORTUNEROADSIDE VEGETATION RESERVES
Data Sources BIOLOGICAL SURVEY (DEH) WETLANDS
INVENTORY (DEH) FIRE RESEARCH MONITORING
(DEH) THREATENED SP MONITORING RESEARCH
(DEH) SCIENTIFIC PERMITS (DEH) SACOMMUNITY GROUPS
(ie SA Mammal club) NATIONAL COMMUNITY GROUPS
(i.e. Birds Aust) NRM BOARDS THREATENED SPECIES
LEGISLATION FEDERAL AGENCIES
Products STRATEGIC PLANS SA DEH NATIONAL
BIODIVERSITY AUDIT AND SOE STATE SOE REPORT NRM
PLANS BIODIVERSITY PLANS BIOLOGICAL
SURVEYREPORTS VEGETATION MAPS EXTANT AND
PRE-EUROPEAN RECOVERY PLANS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT FLORA AND FAUNA CENSUS AUST VIRTUAL
HERBARIUM ETC
Reference systemsFLORA VERTEBRATESLOOKUP TABLES
Holding systemsBUGS SA WETLANDS COCKATOOS SA
IMAGE REFERENCE SYSTEM ANIMAL ETHICS ETC
Proposed ModulesPHENOLOGY FIRE
RESPONSE MACROINVERTEBRATE WATER CHEMISTRY ETC
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATIONS
SYSTEM(Esri - Spatial systems)
OTHER GOVERNMENT SYSTEMSSA MUSEUM EPA PIRSA
REVEG REGISTER
NATIONAL SYSTEMS CSIRO ABRS
EXTERNAL SYSTEMS FLORLIST
DEH/DWLBC DEPENDENT SYSTEMSFIRE
REPORTING HERITAGE AGREEMENTS SCATTERED TREE
DATABASE ARID LANDS INFORMATION SYSTEM SPATIAL
DELIVERY SYSTEMS
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Biological Databases of South Australia
BDBSA Characteristics

• Primary system for the storage and management of
  DEH / SA Govt biological information for
  terrestrial species and communities.
• Australias most comprehensive broad-based
  biological dataset? (2.5m records (including 3rd
  party datasets).
• Metadata system to document dataset
  custodianship, scope etc
• Integration and delivery of 3rd party (non DEH)
  datasets (i.e. Birds Aust, Universities,
  researchers (Scientific Permits), intra-state
  exchange. A variety of sources of biological
  data must be combined and made more accessible
  for the critical analyses needed to progress the
  development of the State in a way that improves
  ecological sustainability.
• Provision of core taxonomic systems (with
  automated taxonomic update) used by other DEH and
  external biological systems (i.e. ALIS).
• Store and manage biological data associated with
  point, quadrat, line segment, polygon and image
  data.
• Managed by Biologists for biologists and
  supported by IT specialists.

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Biological Databases of South Australia
Standards

• Set, promote and where possible mandate data
  standards for biological projects and data
  exchange (minimum dataset). SA has pivotal role
  in facilitating national coordination.
• For example
• Plant taxonomy based on nationally agreed taxa
  and widespread adoption of taxonomic systems in
  SA.
• Minimum data standards conform to Federal agency
  standards and where appropriate, agreed
  International standards.
• On going participation in discussions regarding
  development and adoption of National and
  International data standards.
• Participation in National Monitoring and
  Evaluation, Biodiversity Audit and State of the
  Environment reporting requires adoption
  nationally of consistent standards for data
  exchange and measuring changes/trends in
  biodiversity indicators.
• Requirement for appropriate data standards
  through Scientific Permits system (SA NPW Act)
  and capacity for future prescription through the
  SA NRM Act.
• Collaborative arrangements with tertiary
  institutions to promote data consistency standards

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Assumption that data is public property
distribution and access is limited by system and
staffing capacity, delivery cost and record/data
sensitivity.
Delivery

• DEH / State network
• Data entry via Oracle forms and limited
  electronic data capture
• ODBC access for data extraction, limited editing
  and GIS analysis
• CITRIX (Terminal Server)
• Custom MS Access applications.
• ARCGIS custom applications, delivery of
  minimum dataset and ad-hoc spatial datasets
• ARCIMS based EQuest for pre-packaged queries
• External users
• Map based data query application called
  NatureMaps on WWW (ARCIMS)
• Customised data extraction and delivery to
  clients (consultants, students, agencies) cost
  of recovery (with licence agreement)

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Issues

• Client-base change
• 0-5 years 1 user (50 input, 50
  output)
• 5-16 years 5 users (30 input, 70 output)
• 16-20 years 15 users (25 input, 75 output)
• 20-23 years 20 users (10 input, 90 output)
• 23-? years 1000s users (2 input, 98
  output)
• As the client base expands exponentially
• Tendency towards an increase in data users and
  corresponding reduction in the proportion of data
  contributors. With limited resources we risk
  shifting priorities from data management to data
  delivery (self defeating).
• Expansion of range of data management
  requirements for data contributors. Increased
  pressure to maintain currency of systems.

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Issues

• As our client base has increased
• Demand for access to data has increased
  exponentially
• Data security and integrity issues increase
• Data accuracy and documentation requirements
  increase (to cater for lowest common denominator
  client base)
• Demand for expanded storage and analysis
  capacity increases new systems to reflect new
  priorities
• Need for system reliability increases
• Data misinterpretation and misuse increases
  Failure to recognise fit for purpose and data
  limitations (especially academics).
• Resources for maintenance and development remain
  the same (effectively decrease)
• Infrastructure costs increase
• Resource allocation lags demand and expectation
  (7 years and counting)

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Issues to work on!

• Data management still not routinely costed as
  part of project.
• Failure to recognise data degradation issues
  (especially biological data) and commit
  resources for ongoing data management.
• Failure of scientists and managers to recognise
  and contribute to long term benefits by managing
  and integrating data for use beyond short term
  project horizons. Selfish behaviour - quick to
  mine data, slow to contribute.
• Failure to recognise the complexity of
  biological datasets and design systems to
  minimise degradation issues. ie vouchering,
  minimum datasets, common fields, taxonomic
  change.
• Failure of stakeholders to agree on low level
  dataset standards and capacity to readily link
  disparate datasets.
• Failure of broad based adoption of agreed
  dataset standards.

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Biological Databases of South Australia

• Questions