A vision for community A vision for community involvement and involvement and

integrationintegration

Robert K. Peet Robert K. Peet & &

Alan S. WeakleyAlan S. Weakley

Southeastern floristic data:Southeastern floristic data:A community web portalA community web portal

• The challenge of integrating data The challenge of integrating data of diverse provenance.of diverse provenance.

• Example featuresExample featuresFloristic atlasFloristic atlasCollectionsCollectionsCommunitiesCommunitiesTraitsTraitsImagesImages

Technological foundationTechnological foundation

• Concept relationships for data Concept relationships for data integrationintegration• Cache of DIGIR queries for access toCache of DIGIR queries for access to

many collectionsmany collections• Collection databases with concepts Collection databases with concepts • Alternative taxonomic perspectivesAlternative taxonomic perspectives• Dynamic versioningDynamic versioning

Why we need a new AtlasWhy we need a new Atlas

• New names New names • New taxon concepts (lumps & splits)New taxon concepts (lumps & splits)• New discoveriesNew discoveries• Taxa new to scienceTaxa new to science• New collections & overlooked New collections & overlooked collectionscollections• New data sources (Plots, Heritage lists)New data sources (Plots, Heritage lists)• New determinationsNew determinations

Challenges in creating a Challenges in creating a modern Southeastern floristic modern Southeastern floristic

atlasatlas1.1. Regional floras are generally obsolete and Regional floras are generally obsolete and

incomplete.incomplete.2.2. Local atlases follow idiosyncratic Local atlases follow idiosyncratic

taxonomies.taxonomies.3.3. Few museum collections have been Few museum collections have been

databased.databased.4.4. Museum collections are rarely determined to Museum collections are rarely determined to

concept.concept.5.5. Floristic lists and ecological datasets with Floristic lists and ecological datasets with

multiple taxonomic authorities and multiple taxonomic authorities and inconsistent taxonomic concepts have defied inconsistent taxonomic concepts have defied integration.integration.

Concepts matter Concepts matter Andropogon virginicusAndropogon virginicus complex in the complex in the

CarolinasCarolinas

9 elemental units; 17 base concepts, 27 scientific names9 elemental units; 17 base concepts, 27 scientific names

The good news:The good news: • Multiple organizations are Multiple organizations are developing tools for concept use developing tools for concept use and integration. and integration.

The challenge:The challenge:• Few large-scale compilations of Few large-scale compilations of concepts and their relationships are concepts and their relationships are available.available.

Concept mapping progressConcept mapping progress

• ~ 65000 relationships of taxon ~ 65000 relationships of taxon concepts to Weakley 2005 concepts concepts to Weakley 2005 concepts

• Based on ~ 800 taxonomic Based on ~ 800 taxonomic references.references.

Toward a new AtlasToward a new Atlas

Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis, Radford et al. 1968, Radford et al. 1968

How to How to integrate integrate new new sources of sources of data??data??

http://herbarium.unc.edu/seflora/firstviewer.htm

Add dynamic access to NCU Add dynamic access to NCU collectioncollection

Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis

NCUNCURABRAB

Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis

NCUNCURABRABUSDAUSDACVSCVS

Add USDA PLANTS records & Add USDA PLANTS records & CVS vegetation plot dataCVS vegetation plot data

But wait !!But wait !!There is a concept issueThere is a concept issue• According to Radford 1968, USDA According to Radford 1968, USDA

PLANTS v 4.0, & Weakley 2005PLANTS v 4.0, & Weakley 2005– Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis– Carya ovataCarya ovata

• According to Stone 1997 in FNAAccording to Stone 1997 in FNA– Carya ovata var australisCarya ovata var australis– Carya ovata var. ovataCarya ovata var. ovata

Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis

Some nominal occurrences might Some nominal occurrences might or or might notmight not represent the taxon represent the taxon

NCU specimen records of NCU specimen records of Carya ovataCarya ovata must must

be interpreted using nominal conceptsbe interpreted using nominal concepts

Recall Recall CleistesCleistes• Cleistes bifariaCleistes bifaria was split off was split off C. divaricataC. divaricata

after Radford et al. was published. after Radford et al. was published. • Radford et al. records must be mapped Radford et al. records must be mapped

as ambiguous.as ambiguous.• Kartesz incorrectly maps all Kartesz incorrectly maps all

CleistesCleistes in the Carolinas as in the Carolinas as C. divaricataC. divaricata owing to uncritical owing to uncritical import of records from Radford.import of records from Radford.

Data layersData layers• SpecimensSpecimens

– NCU (~80,000 - nominal)NCU (~80,000 - nominal)– NCSU (10,000 - nominal)NCSU (10,000 - nominal)– Weymouth Woods (~2000 - Weakley)Weymouth Woods (~2000 - Weakley)– UNCC (in process, ~43,000 - Weakley)UNCC (in process, ~43,000 - Weakley)

• High-quality databasesHigh-quality databases– Sorrie’s SE Costal Plain endemics (Weakley)Sorrie’s SE Costal Plain endemics (Weakley)– NC Natural Heritage Program (Weakley)NC Natural Heritage Program (Weakley)– Harmon et al. 2006 West Virginia Atlas (US)Harmon et al. 2006 West Virginia Atlas (US)– Selected literature records (idiosyncratic)Selected literature records (idiosyncratic)

Data layers – 2 Data layers – 2 • Other databasesOther databases

– Radford et al. (Radford)Radford et al. (Radford)– USDA PLANTS (US) USDA PLANTS (US)

• Site recordsSite records– Carolina Vegetation Survey (~300,000)Carolina Vegetation Survey (~300,000)

• Total county records in database Total county records in database ~1,500,000~1,500,000

Specimens matching the nameSpecimens matching the name

• ..\..\New Folder\Snap32.jpg

Images matching the name

Community types with the concept

Link to Vegetation plots with the taxon

Design:Design:• Allow user to select date-specific Allow user to select date-specific

version of Weakley.version of Weakley.• Allow user to select a Weakley, Allow user to select a Weakley,

PLANTS, or FNA perspective (or PLANTS, or FNA perspective (or others?).others?).

Data needs:Data needs:• Map relationships to PLANTS v 4.0Map relationships to PLANTS v 4.0• Map relationships between PLANTS Map relationships between PLANTS

and FNAand FNA• Date-stamp changes in Weakley Date-stamp changes in Weakley • More distribution layers More distribution layers

Next steps?Next steps?

IssuesIssues• Geographic circumscriptionGeographic circumscription• Community buildingCommunity building• ConceptsConcepts

– Preferred perspectivesPreferred perspectives– Additional florasAdditional floras– MonographsMonographs– How empower communityHow empower community– How encourage communityHow encourage community

Issues-2Issues-2• Adding county occurrence dataAdding county occurrence data

– Adding state data (WV, WEWO, NCSC, Adding state data (WV, WEWO, NCSC, UNCC…)UNCC…)

– How to encourage other collectors of How to encourage other collectors of records to participaterecords to participate

– Adding individual literature and site data Adding individual literature and site data recordsrecords

– Empowering the user base to contributeEmpowering the user base to contribute• Governance / Ownership / QC roles. Governance / Ownership / QC roles.

Who does what?Who does what?

Issues-3Issues-3• Guidelines and best practices for Guidelines and best practices for

determinations determinations • Regional web portal.Regional web portal.

– UNC website to transition into regional UNC website to transition into regional websitewebsite

– Annotation & comment ?Annotation & comment ?– Relationship to state websites (eg VA, TN, Relationship to state websites (eg VA, TN,

FL, AL)FL, AL)– Possible 2-way flow of information. Possible 2-way flow of information. – Region enriches state websites & vice versa.Region enriches state websites & vice versa.– Other functionsOther functions

LinksLinksConceptMapperConceptMapper

http://152.2.14.231/conceptmapper/

Weakley floraWeakley florahttp://herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm

NCU Atlas of the SE floraNCU Atlas of the SE florahttp://herbarium.unc.edu/seflora/firstviewer.htm

ThanksThanks NSF (SEEK, VegBank), NC Bot. GardenNSF (SEEK, VegBank), NC Bot. Garden