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Agenda for August Meeting as well as a List of Attendants
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Tasks & next steps: this is a list compiled by Jim Graham at the June GISIN meeting.
- This meeting(June 2-5 meeting):
- Report: issues, options, resolutions, support, etc. - Liz
- Presentations ? All to Liz
- Short Report: - Liz/Annie
- Update issues lists: - Jim and Liz
- Portals
- NISBase ? implements GISIN - Brian
- GISIN Simple portal ? July 1, easier to use - JimG
- GlobalMapper ? Pick
- Toolkits
- New PHP toolkit for beta testing the end of June - JimG
- ASP Toolkit ? Alejandro and Shawn
- Simple Client toolkit ? Brian and Olivier
- Databases/Providers
- Daisie ? implement GISIN service
- Fishbase ? finish GISIN service
- I3N ? add a bunch of databases
- GODM/NIISS ? finish GISIN service
- NEMESIS ? finish GISIN Service
- GISD ? implement GISIN when ASP toolkit available
- DiscoverLife ? text to GISIN protocol service
- GCW, PIER implemented soon
- HEARWEB and other medium term
- Protocol Working Group
- Update protocol - Jim
- Straw men: Michael, JimG
- Location working group: Olivier, Michael, Pick
- Species name working group: Michael, Pick, Annie, Jim
- Reviewers: Pick, Shawn, Brian, Olivier, Sergio, Dave, Eli
- Next Meetings
- August New York meeting: 9th through the 12th of August
- Schedule ? Annie and Jim
- Communicating where we are at: Liz
- When can we harvest?
- When can we open this to end-users? OBIS, GBIF, the public
- When and which providers do we invite to participate?
- Funding
- Application to GEF ? Michael, Olivier, Annie
- NSF proposal ? Annie
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Report of June GISIN meeting: PDF
Introduction
Invasive alien species (IAS) are organisms--plants, animals, or pathogens--that are found outside their normal ran
ge and cause (or are likely to cause) harm to native organisms and/or humans. In some areas of the world, particul
arly on islands, these species cause the largest threat to our native ecosystems. Because of the enormous impact o
f IAS in this era of increasing globalization, many organizations are working internationally to facilitate cooper
ative efforts to prevent the introduction and spread of IAS. The Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISI
N) consists of representatives from many of these organizations who are working together to create and implement a
framework that allows searches across the world's invasive species databases, so that decision makers will have t
he information they need to prevent new IAS incursions and control or eradicate existing infestations.
GISIN has developed a specification for a communication protocol for sharing Biostatus, Occurrences, Species Profile URLs, Management Status, Impact Status, and Dispersal Status data. This specification uses existing standards (where avail able) for content such as species names and location data. Supporting documents, a working prototype, test bed, and prototype directory can be seen here: (http://www.niiss.org/gisin) and is based on feedback from 136 respondents from 41 countries (for results of the needs assessment survey, see ). To further implement this developing system, the GISIN seeks to actively recruit and train invasive
species database managers and information providers in the use of our proposed methodology to achieve more effect
ive information exchange.
Improving access to global invasive species information will also provide a significant
deliverable to Biodiversity Task BI-07-02 set out by the Group on Earth Observations' Global Earth Observation Sys
tem of Systems (GEO-GEOSS). This task characterizes the current requirements and capacity for invasive species mon
itoring, identifying gaps, and developing strategies for implementing cross search functionality among existing on
line invasive species information systems from around the globe. A GISIN map layer or portal will be especially im
portant as a deliverable to the GEO Biodiversity Task 07-02 on invasive species monitoring.
To take the next step and implement the GISIN Protocol, a Data Providers' technical training workshop was held in Athens, Georgia, USA (
hosted by Discover Life and The Polistes Foundation at the University of Georgia), to test the implementation of the GISIN Protocol and search prototype by connecting distributed online invasive species information systems through web services, exposing/indexing thei
r data holdings for simultaneous search. This test implementation of the GISIN protocol addresses three of the six
data models: Biostatus, Occurrences, and [Species] Profile URLs. This workshop was made possible through funding
and logistical support from the Secretariat of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the U.S. Geological Survey's
National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII), and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), with additional logistical support by The Polistes Foundation. The Steering Team of the Global Invasive S
pecies Information Network and others from around the world are also collaborating on this effort.
Agenda
The workshop was held over a period of three days from June 2-5, 2008. Annie Simpson, Chair of the GISIN Steering
Committee opened the workshop on June 2, describing issues associated with invasive species data integration and s
haring; and outlining the history and objectives of GEO, the GISIN, and the workshop. Each information system repr
esentative gave a brief presentation describing their information system and progress in implementing the GISIN te
chnologies. Participants started each day together and then split into a Web Developer group and a Content Manager
group for more detailed discussions, with each group reporting back to the main group at the end of each day (see
next page for detailed agenda).
- 2 June, Monday, 7:00PM
- Reception & Dinner -- (hosted by NBII and Discover Life)
- 3 June, Tuesday, 9:00AM - 5:00PM
- 9:00 - John Pickering -- Welcome; Goals
- 9:15-9:30 - Introductions to GISIN (Annie Simpson)
- 9:30-9:45 - Introductions to GEO (Annie Simpson and Jeff Morisette)
- 9:45-10:15 - Alpha Version of GISIN system: based on NISbase, IAS-PS and TAPIR light (Jim Graham)
- 10:15-10:30 - Coffee break
- 10:30-11:00 - Presentation of TAPIR light protocol (Jim Graham)
- 11:00-11:30 - Data provider demonstration of how they implement GISIN (participants)
- 11:30-12:30 - Explanation of Goals and meeting's methods (Jim Graham)
- 12:30-2:00 - Lunch
- 2:00-5:00 - Two Breakout Groups
- Web Developers
- Modify sample code to create functional GISIN Web service.
- 3:15-3:30 - Break
- Build individualized software solutions working one-to-one or in small groups
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- Content Managers
- Discussion: what are our funding priorities for which data/info types?
- 3:15-3:30 - Break
- Discussion: One protal or many? With what functions? What should the portal(s) look like?
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- Adjourn.
- 7:00 - Dinner: Harry Bissett's -- 279 E. Broad St., 706-353-7065
- 4 June, Wednesday, 8:00AM - 5:00PM
- 9:00-9:30 - Plenary progress report; review of objectives and obstacles
- 9:30-12:30 - Resume Breakout groups
- Web Developers
- Discuss GISIN Registry; continue coding; test searches & list issues.
- 10:15-10:30 - Break
- Create summary of progress and issues still to be addressed; future plans for expansion.
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- Content Managers
- Brainstorming: what are potential publications? Funding sources?
- 10:15-10:30 - Break
- Writing Exercise: draft or review reports GEO and others; funding proposals.
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- 12:30-2:00 - Lunch
- 2:00-3:30 - Plenary: all groups report on successes/failures of implementation.
- 3:30-7:00 - Optional and tentative: excursion to area attractions.
- 7:00 - Dinner: East West Bistro -- 351 E. Broad St., 706-546-9378
- 5 June, Thursday, 9:00AM - NOON
- 9:00-12:00 - Plenary: Synthesis & next steps; draft workshop report; adjourn workshop
- 12:00-1:30 - Lunch
- 1:30 - Depart
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Participants
Representatives from twelve invasive species information systems or GISIN data providers were hosted by the workshop. Each participant represented a content manager or database developer/programmer of an online invasive species information system that contains freely accessible invasive species data and information. Participants had a desire to share data and information and/or access data from other providers and were able to commit sufficient time after the meeting to apply the GISIN Protocol and connect their database to the GISIN Search Prototype and were willing to establish and maintain their organization's role as an ongoing GISIN data provider. Through their participation in this workshop, data providers helped improve the GISIN Protocol where necessary.
Each participant was asked to:
- Read the GISIN toolkit support documents found online at
- Bring a graphical representation of their database structure including fields and content descriptions
- Familiarize (or re-familiarize) themselves with the software, standards (and their versions), and server technologies used to implement/serve their database
- Bring a copy of their database schema, database design, and/or database dictionary
- Bring a copy of their database (or have back door access to it via the Internet) to help with connectivity issues;
Selected participants were also asked to prepare a brief oral presentation about their information system.
Workshop Accomplishments
During the workshop, the participants discussed, prioritized, and documented a number of important issues. These issues ranged from how to effectively attribute and credit data owners at the individual record and dataset level, to how to overcome complex technology and interoperability issues associated with specific applications and programming languages.
Participants in the Web Developers group worked together to map the GISIN Protocol to their information systems, and then expose their mapped information systems to the GISIN Search. Participants executed test cases against the GISIN Search, verifying expected results and trouble-shooting any issues that were identified during the testing.
Participants in the Content Managers group discussed and prioritized issues ranging from interface design and usability to funding and partnership development, and sustainability of the GISIN.
By the close of the GISIN Data Providers' Workshop, five information systems had successfully mapped the GISIN Protocol to their datasets using the php (PHP Hypertext Preprocessor) toolkit developed by Jim Graham, exposed their data to the GISIN Search, and executed test cases against their datasets using the GISIN Search. However, there is still substantial work to be done to optimize the data provider systems and remove errors. Because this is a distributed system, access to data providers will require that they be online at the time of the search.
The workshop was concluded with a discussion of options for holding a future GISIN Data Providers' workshop. Participants agreed to schedule a second workshop, which will be convened at Elmira College, New York from August 9-12, 2008, with funding from the NBII and logistical support from the Polistes Foundation. Participants in this second workshop will include some that were involved in the first workshop held in June, as well as some additional representatives of information systems and organizations that were unable to participate in the first workshop. Discussion will address the elements of the three remaining data models (Impact Status, Management Status, and Dispersal Status) and ideas for the development of one or more GISIN portals.
Since the June GISIN Data Providers' Workshop, the organizers have received expressions of interest from additional organizations that host and manage invasive species information systems; as well as interest from organizations such as the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the toolkits and underlying technologies that are being developed as part of this project. The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, a terrestrial and aquatic invasive species survey dataset covering three states and involving several state agencies, has also successfully implemented the GISIN Protocol and exposed their dataset to the GISIN Search. There are currently seven data providers online, with at least five more under development. The GISIN system currently serves 637 Biostatus records, 793,008 Occurrences, and 30,389 [species] Profile URLs.
A more detailed report will be drafted by the workshop organizers with assistance from participants and released after the workshop scheduled in August.
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