6.4 Bio Web

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Database Title	6.4 Bio Web
Keywords Type1. Type 11.	Biodiversity, threatened plants, weeds, ecosystems, birds, invertebrates, reptiles, animal pests, distribution, status, Herpetofauna, archaeological sites, taxonomy.
Abstract	This database holds data about New Zealand's natural and historic heritage that is of importance to the Department of Conservation. It is still being built. The database (Assets Project) is the first of three projects in the Department's computer based BioWeb Programme. The second project is the Monitoring Project that will contain the Departmental monitoring protocols, monitoring data collected according to Department approved methods and protocols and the data analysis. The third project is the Conservation Management Project that addresses operational assessment and reporting. A common template is being used for all sub-applications in the Asset Project. Observations are made for species (based sub-applications such as threatened plants) and for sites (for place based applications such as archaeological sites). Each sub-application has additional fields designed to address the special needs of that sub-application, (e.g. threat status for threatened plants) and to record biological attribute data that is relevant to different types of organisms. The BioWeb Assets Project currently contains the following sub applications or sub projects: Weeds (separate metadata entry) Threatened Plants (separate metadata entry) Casual observation input for any organism or place The following sub-applications are in the process of development: Archaeological sites Birds - the blue duck component and the bird banding data is operational. Herpetofauna Invertebrates It is intended to also develop sub-applications for: Fish/aquatic life (scope to be determined) Mammals (scope to be determined) Wetlands Ad hoc reports can be prepared combining a variety of a data within a sub-application. Pestlink addresses animal pest management in the Department. It is in the early stages of development as part of the Conservation Management Project. At this stage it is primarily for operational reporting of the Department's animal pest management. A link has been made to the old Biosite database. This allows users to access the data held in this database for bats, falcons, amphibians, kaka, wren, blue ducks, reptiles, some fish, kea, plants, invertebrates, and other bird species. It is intended that over time this data will be transferred to BioWeb.
Geographical Coverage	New Zealand
Dataset start date.	The first sub-applications began operating in 2000.
Dataset end date.	Current
Status/currency.	In progress
Update frequency.	New entries continually added by a variety of authorised staff.
Maintenance.	Each sub-application has its own data administrator to ensure data quality is maintained.

Technical Evaluation
Parameters- what is measured	Variety of parameters relating to species attributes (including taxonomic classification); alternative names and species that it could be confused with); observations (attributes relating to the type of observation and any specimens/maps/photos etc); place (including position and site attribute data) Variety of parameters specifically tailored to each sub-application (See separate metadata entries for BioWeb-Weeds and BioWeb-Threatened Plants)
Parameters- what is calculated	Varies according to sub-application (See separate metadata entries for BioWeb-Weeds and BioWeb-Threatened Plants)
Methods used to measure parameters	Varies according to sub-application (See separate metadata entries for BioWeb-Weeds and BioWeb-Threatened Plants)
Secondary sources of data	Taxonomic and species attribute data for plants from Landcare Research.
Scale of use.	N/A
Number of records	Will be numerous
GIS compatibility.	Data is spatially referenced. Some BioWeb data can now be seen in GIS. This will be further developed.
Available formats for users.	Electronic database Ad hoc reports can be prepared using a variety of data within any sub-application
Access constraints.	Currently a DOC database. Will be available to other users in future under specific arrangements. Security design allows parts of the database (e.g. fields, tables, observations etc) to be hidden from certain types of users.
Measurement Accuracy	To be completed by database manager.
Completenss of dataset	To be completed by database manager.
Positional accuracy	To be completed by database manager.
Database steward	Department of Conservation
Database custodian	DOC
Database custodian contact person	Pauline Penny
Database custodian Contact Address Phone Fax Email	Science, Information and Technical Services P.O. Box 10 420,Wellington + 64 4 471 0726 + 64 4 471 3292 ppenny@doc.govt.nz
References
Date metadata record prepared.	December 2001
Author of metadata record.	Victoria Froude

Management Evaluation
Original purpose.	To develop an integrated system for managing and storing data collected and used by the Department in its management of New Zealand's natural and historic heritage.
Relationships with classification systems.	Uses taxonomic classifications as determined by Landcare Research for plants
Relationships with other databases	Directly uses the New Zealand Plant Names Database Incorporates data from the Landcare Research Threatened Plants Database Links directly to the old Biosite database. This allows users to access the data held in this database for bats, falcon, amphibians, kaka, wren, blue ducks, reptiles, some fish, kea, plants, invertebrates, and other bird species. It is intended that over time this data will be transferred to BioWeb
Known relationships with proposed EPIP indicators.	To be developed
Who uses this database?	Department of Conservation staff Authorised other users
Public awareness of the database	Relatively low as this is still an internal database and it is still being developed.
Database strengths.	The database provides a common system for storing all the Department's data on natural and historic heritage. This will make all data available (with some exclusions for sensitive data) to staff and approved users. This will provide better information for managers and decision makers. It will remove the need for many of the small databases previously operated in the Department by individuals/offices for their own needs. The database is intended to be user friendly and able to provide ad hoc reports using data from within a sub-application to answer a variety of questions. A nationally standardised database means that it can be used for national reporting purposes.
Database limitations.	The database is still in the early stages of development and so has not yet been fully established for a number of topic areas. There is a difficult transition phase with old data not being readily available although it is intended that this data will be transferred to the new system over time. A link has been made to the old Biosite database as an interim measure. Not yet able to do time comparisons of data using GIS, but this is proposed. Location algorithms are not yet available for the Chatham Islands and offshore islands.

What are the Current and Emerging Uses of the Database for:
Assisting with determining historic state/baseline.	This will depend on the amount and type of historical data entered into the database.
Assisting with determining current state/baseline.	This is intended for a wide variety of natural and historic resources.
Assisting with modeling possible future outcomes.	This should be possible with at least some components especially if there is time series data.
Risk assessment.	This is intended. The threatened plants sub-application identifies the threat status of each listed species, while the weed sub-application gives the weediness score for each listed species.
Monitoring site selection and sample design.	This is intended.
Aggregating and reporting data locally, regionally or nationally.	The construction of the database makes this possible.