Vegetation Plot Management:A National Plots Database Demo

Funding: National Science Foundation (DBI-9906838)

John Harris - NCEASRobert K. Peet - University of North Carolina

Agenda: Over-Arching Concepts Project Overview · Impact · Database Design · System Architecture · Challenges Use-Case Example: Wisconsin Data Data Management Recommendations Future Directions

The US National Plots Database

Project supported by:National Center for Ecological Analysis & SynthesisU.S. National Science FoundationUSGS-BRD Gap Analysis ProgramABI / The Nature Conservancy

Project organized and conducted by:Robert K. Peet, University of North CarolinaMarilyn Walker, USDA Forest Service & U. AlaskaDennis Grossman, The Nature Conservancy / ABIMichael Jennings, USGS-BRD & UCSBJohn Harris, NCEAS

For Plot-Related Publications:- Reference to Accession Number in Plots Database.- Potential to Annotate Plots Stored in the

Plots Database.

Vegetation Data Export To Analytical ToolsIncluding:

- ArcView- Canoco

Web-accessible Query Mechanism.

Vegetation Database Workbench Softwareto Query Either the Central VegetationDatabase or the Local Embedded Database.

Complex Nested Queries LeveragingLogical and Boolean Statements.

Collection

Integration of Legacy Plots Data From:- Government Agencies- Academic Institutions

'Concept-Based Taxonomic Normalization'

Dynamic Linking Between Plots andVegetation Community Assignment.

Uses Extensible Markup Language (XML)to Automate the Import of Data FromLegacy Data Sources to the VegetationDatabases.

Integration

Archival

Extraction

Analysis

Publication

Plots Database Based on a ComprehensiveData Model which Includes Hundreds ofCommonly Collected Plot Attributes.

Databases Designed with Scalabilty in Mind.

Vegetation Community and Plant TaxonomyDatabases Based on Emerging Concept-BasedTaxonomic Data Models.

Typical Project

Pro

ject

Imp

actT

yp

ica

l Pro

jec

t

Typ

ical

Veg

etat

ion

Pro

ject

Development Cycle

Preliminarydesign

Build prototype #1

interface

User evaluatesinterface

Evaluationstudied bydesigner

Designmodification

are made

Buildprototype #n

interface

Supported by 3 other NCEAS Developers

Database Design: Aug. 2000 – Jan. 2001Interface Design: Nov. 2000 – Feb. 2001

Backend Development: Jan. 2001 -Interface Development: Mar. 2001 –

Backend Version: Prototype 3Interface Version: Prototype 1

Expected Beta Release: Late Sept. – Mid Oct.

Plots Database Design

ADDRESS_IDPARTY_ID (FK)deliveryPointcityadministrativeAreapostalCodecountrycurrentFlag

address

CITATIONCONTRIBUTOR_IDCITATION_ID (FK)PARTY_ID (FK)roleCode

citationContributor

COMMUNITYTYPE_IDcommunityNamecommunityDescriptionCEGLCodeclassificationCode

communityType

EMAIL_IDPARTY_ID (FK)emailAddress

email

PARTY_IDsalutationgivenNamesurNameorganizationNamepositionNamehoursOfServicecontactInstructions

vegPlotParty

PLOTCONTRIBUTOR_IDOBS _ID (FK)PARTY_ID (FK)roleCodeinstitution

plotContributor

PROJECT_IDprojectNamedescriptionstartDatestopDate

project

PROJECTCONTRIBUTOR_IDPROJECT_ID (FK)PARTY_ID (FK)roleCode

projectContributor

TAXONOBSERVATION_IDOBS_ID (FK)authNameId - originaltaxonnameoriginalAuthorityoriginalAuthorityRef (FK)cumStrataCoverage

taxonObservation

TELEPHONE_IDPARTY_ID (FK)phoneNumberphoneType

telephone

STRATUMCOMPOSITION_IDTAXONOBSERVATION_ID (FK)STRATUM_ID (FK)percentCoverage

stratumCompostionSTRATUM_IDOBS_ID (FK)STRATUMTYPEID (FK)stratumCoverstratumHeight

stratum

CITATION_IDOBS_ID (FK)SAMPLEMETHOD_IDtitlealternateTitlepubDateeditioneditionDateseriesNameissueIdentificationotherCitationDetailspageISBNISSN

citation

GRAPHIC_IDPLOT_ID (FK)graphicNamegraphicDescriptiongraphicTypegraphicData

graphic

OBS_IDPLOT_ID (FK)PREVIOUSOBS (FK)SAMPLEMETHOD_ID (FK)COVERMETHOD_ID (FK)authorObsCodeobsStartDateobsEndDatedateAccuracyeffortLevelplotQualityhardCopyLocationtreeStemAreasoilTypesoilDepthsoilDepthRangepercentRockGravelpercentSoilpercentLitterpercentWoodpercentWaterpercentSandpercentSiltpercentClaypercentOrganicpercentBaseSaturationsoilPHvegetationOriginlandUseFormerlandUseCurrenttimeSinceFirePREVIOUSOBSERVATIONVERS (FK)observationVersion

plotObservation

INTERPRETATION_IDTAXONOBSERVATION_ID (FK)PARTY_ID (FK)roletaxonRef_id (FK)taxonCircumName_id (FK)taxonName_id (FK)interpretationDatetypenotes

taxonInterpretation

NAMEDPLACE_IDPLOT_ID (FK)placeNameplaceDescGAZATEERREF (FK)

namedPlace

PLOT_IDPROJECT_ID (FK)authorCodePARENT (FK)origLatorigLongazimuthhorizPosAccuracyshapeareadsgpolyosubPlotInferenceAreasubPlotDispersionareaAccuracyelevationValueelevationAccuracyslopeAspectslopeGradienttopoPositionhydrologicRegimesoilDrainagesurfGeoUSGSquadstatecountycountryownerConfidentialitylayoutNarrativeplacementMethodsourceCitation (FK)sensitivitylandFormIndexterrainShapeIndexsoilSeriessoilGreatGroupPREVIOUSPLOTVERS (FK)plotVersionlocationNarrative

plot

PLOTPLACE_IDPLOT_ ID (FK)NAMEDPLACE_ID (FK)

plotPlace

REVISION_IDtableNametableAttributetableRecordrevisionDatepreviousValueTextpreviousValueTyperevisedValueTexTpreviousREVISION_ID (FK)

revisions

SAMPLEMETHOD_IDsampleMethodNamesampleMethodDescriptionCITATION_ID (FK)

sampleMethod

COVERMETHOD_IDCITATION_ID (FK)coverType

coverMethod

COVERINDEX_IDCOVERMETHOD_ID (FK)indexCodeupperLimitlowerLimitindexDescription

coverIndex

COMMUNITYUSAGE_IDPARTY_ID (FK)OBS_ID (FK)COMMUNITYTYPE_ID (FK)type [yes/no]startDatestopDateclassQuality

communityUsage

STRATUMTYPE_IDstratumNamestratumDescription

stratumType

STEM_IDTAXONOBSERVATION_ID (FK)stemCodestemDiameterstemDiameterAccuracystemPositionstemHeightstemHeightAccuracystemCount

treeStem

NOTATION_IDnotationTextnotationDatePARTY_ID (FK)notationType

notationNOTATIONINTERSECTION_IDOBS_ID (FK)tableNameattributeNametableRecordNOTATION_ID (FK)

notationIntersection

USERDEFINED_IDuserDefinedNameuserDefinedCategoryuserDefinedTypeuserDefinedMetadatatableName

userDefined

DEFINEDVALUE_IDUSERDEFINED_ID (FK)valuetableRecord

definedValue

Red Text --> Required FieldsBlack Text --> Optional FieldsGreen Header --> Auxiliary table

CLASSINDEX_IDTAXONOBSERVATION_ID (FK)OBS _ID (FK)STRATUMCOMPOSITION_ID (FK)indexType (height, diameter, both)classNameindexCodelowerLimitupperLimitmeanValueindexDescriptioninferenceArea

inferenceClassIndex

Support the National Vegetation Classification. Provide a comprehensive facility to store the most commonly collected vegetation plot data attributes.Provide the user with a large number of user-defined attributes to store not-so-commonly collected data.Integrate plots with the dynamic plant taxonomy and vegetation community data.

Design meeting September 2000, NCEAS

Plots Database Design Goals

Vegetation Community: Vegetationcommunity assignment. Notice the linkinto the 'concept-based' vegetationcommunity database. Queries issuedbased on a vegetation communityattribute may be used to select all theplots interpreted as that community type.

Plot

TaxonObservation

StratumCompostion

PlotObservation

Interpretation

Plant Taxonomic Observation(s):Plant abundance/coveragedata may be stored for any or all ofthe strata comprising a plot. Uniquely,we have designed the ability forinterpretations of taxonomic elementsto be made and stored in the databasesubsequent to the upload of a plot.Notice the taxonomic elementinterpretation is linked directly to the'concept-based' plant taxonomydatabase.

Plot Observation(s): Environmental andconditional data that have the potentialto change between sampling events. Mayinclude: Soil composition, Observationdetails (dates, contributors, etc.)...

Project

VegCommunity

Project: Top-level vegetation-related projectinformation. May include: Project contributorinformation, Over-arching project description,Date range for the project...

Plot: Environmental and conditional data thatdo not change between sampling events. Mayinclude: Location Information, Staticenvironmental attributes (geology, slope, etc.)...

plot

plot: C onta ins p lot specificidentification, location, andenvironm enta l data that areexpected to rem ain constantduring the observational lifeof the p lot.

6.1 Plot attributes project

nam edPlace

plotPlace

graphic

project: S tores in form ationabout a vegetation sam plingpro ject - for which there m aybe m ultip le p lo ts .

plotPlace: L inks aplot w ith a nam ed p lace.

graphic: S tores graphica lfiles re la ted to a p lo t.

nam edPlace: S toresa series of p lace nam es,the ir descrip tions and alink to a reference in anexternal database.

plotObservation

plotObservation: Environm enta land conditional data that havethe potentia l to change betweensam pling events are stored in th istab le.

plot

6.2 Plot observations

taxonObservation

stratumCompostionstratum

plotObservation

interpretation

stratumType

stemData

taxonObservation: Containsdata related to the species ofvegetation sampled within theplot.

interpretation: Containsinterpretations made aboutthe taxa recognized invarious plot observations.

stratumComposition: The percentcoverage of a specific taxonwithin a specific stratum is storedhere.

stratum: General dataregarding the dimensionsof the various strata areincluded in this table.

plotObservation: Environmentaland conditional data that havethe potential to change betweensampling events are stored in thistable.

stemData: Containsinformation about physicalproperties of plant stemsobserved within a plot.

stratumType: Containsthe names of various stratarecognized in the plot.

coverMethod

coverIndices

coverMethod: Links a plotto a cover classificationtype that was used whilesampling a plot.

coverIndices: Stores thevarious classes used in thedifferent cover indices andthe quantatative/qualitativemeaning for each of the indices.

sampleMethod

sampleMethod: Stores informationabout the sampling methodology usedfor sampling plots.

inferenceClassIndex

inferenceClassIndex:Contains information aboutclassification schemes usedto infer plot properties.

taxonInference:Stores data about theinference area for aspecific plant specieswithin a specific stratum.

6.3 Plot contributors

address

citationContributor

em ail

vegPlotParty

plotContributor

telephone

projectContributor

vegPlotParty: S tores genera lin form ation about a party (anindividual or organization) whohad a ro le in the business ofp lot co llection citationContributor: L inks

a party to a c ita tion

projectContributor: L inksa party to a pro ject

plotContributor: L inksa party to a p lo t

plotContributor: Addressof the party

telephone: Phonenum ber(s) o f the party

em ail: Em ailaddress of the party

6.4 P lo t c lassification

communityType

plotObservation

communityUsage

communityType: Stores nam esof com m unities and links to othercom m unity oriented databasessuch as HDMS

communityUsage: Links a com m unitynam e to a plot observation as appliedby a particular party.

6.5 Supporting functions

revisions

notationnotationIntersection

userDefineddefinedValue

notationIntersection: Links aspecif ic database elem ent to anote.

notation: Store a notethat is linked to a databaseelem ent.

userDefined: Linksuser defined fields witha database elem ent.

definedValue: Storesuser defined values

revisions: Storeschanges m ade inthe database

Taxonomy Module

•Smithsonian meeting: Peet-Taswell model vs Berendsohn model

•FGDC Biological Nomenclature Working Group•Update on ABI & HDMS•Prospects for implementation•The difficult choice

Logical separation of a "taxonomic name" with the "taxonomic concept", so that taxonomic data can be stored at the most 'atomic' level without ambiguity

The ability to incorporate multiple organizations' 'views' of how a taxonomic name is applied to a taxonomic concept

The ability to link a taxonomic name used in the Plots database with a 'name - concept' pair in the taxonomic

database.

*Although one can store vegetation community data in the same database table-structure as the plant taxonomy database, we have implemented two separate table structures and have created two separate data sets.

Taxonomy Database Design Goals

Taxon Usage:The usage of a taxon is anapplication of a 'Taxon Nam e'with a 'Taxon Concept'. Thisusage m ay vary depending on theorganization populating the database

Taxon Correlation

Taxon Usage

Taxon Nam e

Taxon Concept

Taxon Lineage

Taxon Citation

Taxon Nam e:The nam e used todescribe a taxonom icelem ent.

Taxon Citation:A reference to literature describ inga specific taxonom ic elem ent.

Taxon Concept:The concept is the over-arching 'defin ition 'of what the taxon elem ent is . In thedatabase, a key associated with eachunique concept is stored in th is entity.

Taxon Lineage:The lineage entitystores inform ationrelated to howconcepts 'lum p'or 'split'.

Taxon Correlation:The correlation entitystores inform ationrelated to howconcepts 'overlap '.

JDBC

webclient

desktop

client

HTTP

XML +stylesheets

HTTP

XML/HTML

Java

Servlet

Web server

JDBC

XML

Central Vegetation Database System

Embedded Vegetation Database System

Data Access Module

PlotsAccess

PlantAccess

CommunityAccess

Data Access Module

PlotsAccess

PlantAccess

Community Access

Central Vegetation Database(s)

NationalPlots DB

planttaxonomy

vegcommunity

Central Vegetation Database

VegetationCommunity

PlantTaxonomy

Plots

Representative tools reflect the desire to have the following features:

High performanceRobustOpen architecturePlatform neutralScaleable

Development Choices

Java -- Write once, Cross platform – Linux, Windows, MacOS*Java Servlet -- Dynamic, database-driven,

web contentJDBC -- Connect to any database - Oracle, PostgreSql, SQL Server backendSwing -- Classy interface toolsBeans -- Reusable components

Features - JAVA

* Not tested yet :-)

XML: is the format for structured data on the Web.

Simple and flexible data conversions, using XSLT

Straightforward to write generic tools which export parts of a relational database as XML encoded data, or even to write generic code that serializes Java (or other) objects as XML data structures.

Examples later…

Features - XML

An Example Workflow Using Wisconsin Plots Data

What data integration means to us

Taxonomic / Semantic Integration

Data formatting for database ingestion

General Comments about Current Format

Data Parsing

Transformation to XML standard

Legacy Data Loader

Plots Data Integration & DB Ingestion

Reformat by HandResearchMS AccessMS ExcelPerlShell scripts

?

Integration What is meant by data integration? …

PlotsDB

Taxonomic Integration

Carya ovata(Miller)K. Koch

Carya carolinae-sept.(Ashe) Engler & Graebner

Carya ovata(Miller)K. Kochsec. Gleason 1952

sec. Radford et al. 1968

Splitting one species into two illustrates the ambiguity often

associated with scientific names. If you encounter the name

“Carya ovata (Miller) K. Koch” in a database, you cannot

be sure which of two meanings applies.

Integration

Semantic Integration of Plot Attributes‘Basic yet Important’

Integration

Cover ScalesStrata DimensionsEnvironmental Attributes

Integration

Parse Data from Forms into Table Structure to be Transformed into XML Consistent with the Database Structure

TextForms

ColumnarTables

XML

Integration

Parsed Data

plotCode communityName state placeName quadCode Xcoord Ycoord CoordType obsDate contributorscontributorsInstplotShape plotSize (m^2)PlotRepresentativenessHemlock1 Hemlock Draw [Hemlock-Yellow birch] WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer ABI square 100 Disjunct, small patch forest type along draw s w ithin the Baraboo Hills region of WIOak1 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer, Paul West, Jim Welsh, Emmet Judziew icz, John WagnerABI square 100 Matrix forest type in the Baraboo Hills region of WIOak2 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer, Paul West, Jim Welsh, Emmet Judziew icz, John WagnerABI square 100 Matrix forest type in the Baraboo Hills region of WI

TextForms

ColumnarTables

plotCode communityName state placeName quadCode Xcoord Ycoord CoordType obsDate contributorscontributorsInstplotShape plotSize (m^2)PlotRepresentativenessHemlock1 Hemlock Draw [Hemlock-Yellow birch] WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer ABI square 100 Disjunct, small patch forest type along draw s w ithin the Baraboo Hills region of WIOak1 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer, Paul West, Jim Welsh, Emmet Judziew icz, John WagnerABI square 100 Matrix forest type in the Baraboo Hills region of WIOak2 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer, Paul West, Jim Welsh, Emmet Judziew icz, John WagnerABI square 100 Matrix forest type in the Baraboo Hills region of WI

Integration

 

Transform Parsed Data to XML Consistent with the Plots Database

ColumnarTables

Plots DBXML

LegacyData

Loader

Data Definition (XML)

Integration

Data Definition (XML) – Single file

<plotDataPackage>

<plotDataFile>

<fileName>siteData.csv</fileName>

<attributeDelimeter>’,’</attributeDelimeter>

<fileTheme> site data </fileTheme>

<attribute>

<attributeName>plotCode</attributeName>

<plotDBAttribute>authorPlotCode</plotDBAttribute>

<attributePosition>1</attributePosition>

</attribute>

<attribute>

<attributeName>communityName</attributeName>

<plotDBAttribute>communityName</plotDBAttribute>

<attributePosition>2</attributePosition>

</attribute>

… <state>

</plotDataFile>

</plotDataPackage>

plotCode communityName stateHemlock1 Hemlock Draw [Hemlock-Yellow birch] WIOak1 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WIOak2 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI

Integration

Data Definition (XML) – Multiple files

<plotDataFile>

<fileName>vegData.csv</fileName>

<constraint>

<fileName>siteData.csv</fileName>

<themeName> site data </themeName>

<attributeName>authorPlotCode</attributeName>

<cardnality>'+'</cardnality>

</constraint>

<attributeDelimeter>‘,’</attributeDelimeter>

<fileTheme>species</fileTheme>

<attribute>

<attributeName>plotName</attributeName>

<plotDBAttribute>authorPlotCode</plotDBAttribute>

<attributePosition>1</attributePosition>

</attribute>

<attribute>

<attributeName>scientificName</attributeName>

<plotDBAttribute>taxonName</plotDBAttribute>

<attributePosition>2</attributePosition>

</attribute>

plotCode communityName stateHemlock1 Hemlock Draw [Hemlock-Yellow birch] WIOak1 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WIOak2 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI

plotCode taxonName strataName strataCoverOak1 Quercus rubra T2 5Oak1 Anenome quinquefolia H 1

Integration

Plots Database XML

<plot><authorPlotCode> </authorPlotCode><plotType> </plotType><samplingMethod> </samplingMethod><plotOriginLat> </plotOriginLat><plotOriginLong> </plotOriginLong><plotShape> </plotShape><plotSize> </plotSize><plotSizeAcc> </plotSizeAcc><altValue> </altValue><altPosAcc> </altPosAcc><slopeAspect> </slopeAspect><slopeGradient> </slopeGradient><slopePosition> </slopePosition><hydrologicRegime> </hydrologicRegime><soilDrainage> </soilDrainage><surfGeo> </surfGeo>

<plotObservation><previousPlot> </previousPlot><plotStartDate> </plotStartDate><plotStopDate> </plotStopDate><dateAccuracy> </dateAccuracy><effortLevel> </effortLevel>

<strata><stratumCover> </stratumCover><stratumHeight> </stratumHeight></strata>

<taxonObservations> <authNameId> </authNameId> <originalAuthority> </originalAuthority> <strataComposition> <strataType> </strataType> <percentCover> </percentCover> </strataComposition></taxonObservations>

<communityType> <classAssociation> </classAssociation> <classQuality> </classQuality> <startDate> </startDate> <stopDate> </stopDate></communityType></plotObservation>

<plotContributor> <role> </role> <party> </party></plotContributor></plot>

Existing Prototype Functionality

Vegetation Database Client

Vegetation Desktop Database Client

Extra slides to follow:

CIRCUM _IDREF_ID (FK)Notes

CIRCUM SCRIPTION

CORRELATION_ID DOUBLESTATUS_CIRCUM 1 (FK)STATUS_CIRCUM 2 (FK)CONVERGENCECORR_STARTCORR_STOP

CORRELATION

NAM E_IDsymbolNAM EREF_ID (FK)familycommonNameName_authorDATE_ENTERED

NAM E

NAM E_USAGE_ID.CIRCUM _ID (FK)NAM E_ID (FK)PARTY_ID (FK)USAGE_STARTUSAGE_STOPAcceptence

NAM E_USAGE

PARTY_IDORG_NAM E

PARTY

STATUS_CIRCUM _IDCIRCUM _ID (FK)PARTY_ID (FK)STATUSSTARTDATESTOPDATE

STATUS

REF_IDAUTHORDATE_ENTEREDCITATIONPAGEspeciesNameReferenceType

REFERENCE

General Data Management Practices general formats weird formats unusable formats

modeled the software after the way that peoplecollect plots data -- at least that is what I thought

At times tortuous path to the database in terms of reformating

class indicies (these are rectified at the plots loading software step)

Management Case: Example from Wisconsin

Baraboo Hills -- Collected Yesterday PEL -- Legacy Data

Data Transformation of Forms

plotCode communityName state placeName quadCode Xcoord Ycoord CoordType obsDate contributorscontributorsInstplotShape plotSize (m^2)PlotRepresentativenessHemlock1 Hemlock Draw [Hemlock-Yellow birch] WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer ABI square 100 Disjunct, small patch forest type along draw s w ithin the Baraboo Hills region of WIOak1 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer, Paul West, Jim Welsh, Emmet Judziew icz, John WagnerABI square 100 Matrix forest type in the Baraboo Hills region of WIOak2 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer, Paul West, Jim Welsh, Emmet Judziew icz, John WagnerABI square 100 Matrix forest type in the Baraboo Hills region of WI

plotCode communityName state placeName quadCode Xcoord Ycoord CoordType obsDate contributorscontributorsInstplotShape plotSize (m^2)PlotRepresentativenessHemlock1 Hemlock Draw [Hemlock-Yellow birch] WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer ABI square 100 Disjunct, small patch forest type along draw s w ithin the Baraboo Hills region of WIOak1 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer, Paul West, Jim Welsh, Emmet Judziew icz, John WagnerABI square 100 Matrix forest type in the Baraboo Hills region of WIOak2 Southern Dry Mesic Red Oak-White Oak-Sugar Maple Forest WI Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve Black Haw k ? ? UTM 9-Jul-01 Shannon Menard, Eric Epstein, Elizabeth Spencer, Paul West, Jim Welsh, Emmet Judziew icz, John WagnerABI square 100 Matrix forest type in the Baraboo Hills region of WI

Vegetation Com m unity: Vegetationcom m unity assignm ent. Notice the linkinto the 'concept-based' vegetationcom m unity database. Q ueries issuedbased on a vegetation com m unityattribute m ay be used to select a ll theplots interpreted as that com m unity type.

Plot

TaxonObservation

Stratum Com postion

PlotObservation

Interpretation

Plant Taxonom ic Observation(s):Plant abundance/coveragedata m ay be stored for any or a ll ofthe strata com pris ing a plot. Uniquely,we have designed the ability forinterpretations of taxonom ic elem entsto be m ade and stored in the databasesubsequent to the upload of a p lot.Notice the taxonom ic elem entinterpretation is linked directly to the'concept-based' p lant taxonom ydatabase.

Plot Observation(s): Env ironm ental andconditional data that have the potentia lto change between sam pling events. M ayinclude: Soil com position, O bservationdetails (dates, contributors, etc.)...

Project

VegCom m unity

Project: Top-level vegetation-re lated projectinform ation. M ay inc lude: Project contributorinform ation, O ver-arching project description,Date range for the project...

Plot: Env ironm ental and conditional data thatdo not change between sam pling events. M ayinclude: Location Inform ation, S taticenvironm ental attributes (geology, s lope, etc.)...