RCN: Resource Discovery Initiative for Field Stations

已向新墨西哥州大学的Michener博士提供一笔赠款，用于开发信息学框架，以促进储存、发现和获得在北美生物野外站集体持有的战略环境信息资源。 项目目标将通过两项综合联网活动来实现：（1）研究重点，包括五个相互关联的资源发现组成部分;（2）强化培训组成部分，为外地台站人员提供计算和信息学技能的坚实基础，这些技能对于数据和信息资源的开发、存档、管理和交流至关重要。 通过这样做，将促进科学家和学生之间的交流、发现和数据与信息的交流，将使野外生物学能够进行整合和综合，并使生物野外站的巨大数据资源的初期价值得以开始实现，研究活动包括开发五个数据库，以支持在野外站发现生物数据和信息资源。 特别是，研究小组将：（1）建立一个北美野外台站数据登记和储存库;（2）启动一个野外生物学术语词库;（3）开发一个北美野外台站场地特征数据库;（4）创建一个北美野外台站出版物书目;（5）开发一个可通过万维网访问的野外台站质量保证/质量控制和标准方法数据库。 调查小组将与项目指导委员会成员生物学实地站组织的代表一起协调数据库的开发。 此外，调查队将协调为外地站工作人员开展教育活动。 这些外地站人员还将为数据库开发活动作出贡献。 教育将主要侧重于围绕一系列课程模块开发的生态信息学年度强化（2周）培训讲习班。 在适当情况下，将在网址上提供训练单元，以扩大整个潜在用户社区的潜在听众，生物实地站是北美的主要设施，在那里，科学和社会面临的最紧迫的环境挑战可以通过研究和教育直接面对和了解。这些挑战包括维持生物多样性、生态可持续性、环境预测、恢复和重建受损的生态系统、疾病的爆发和传播以及控制入侵物种。本项目支持的研究协调网络活动将有助于发现生物实地站所拥有的重要信息资源。 这些资源将促进生态学的综合，从而更好地了解我们的自然环境，合理的自然资源管理和更可持续的生活质量。 项目管理计划和核心研究小组和指导委员会的组成旨在使北美尽可能多的生物实地站及其相关的实地生物学家和学生受益，向国际社会扩大研究成果，促进实地生物学的跨学科观点，并提高劳动力的多样性。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Michener at University of New Mexico to develop the informatics framework that can facilitate storage, discovery, and access to the strategic environmental information resources that are collectively held at North American biological field stations. Project objectives will be accomplished through two integrated networking activities: (1) a research focus that encompasses five inter-related resource discovery components and (2) an intensive training component that provides field station personnel with a solid foundation in the computational and informatics skills that are critical for developing, archiving, managing, and communicating data and information resources. In so doing, communication, discovery and exchange of data and information will be facilitated among scientists and students, integration and synthesis in field biology will be enabled, and the incipient value of the enormous data resources at biological field stations can begin to be realized.Research activities include the development of five databases that will support discovery of biological data and information resources at field stations. In particular, the research team will: (1) establish a North American Field Station Data Registry and Repository; (2) initiate a Thesaurus for Field Biology; (3) develop a Site Characteristics Database for North American Field Stations; (4) create a Bibliography of North American Field Station Publications; and (5) develop a WWW-accessible Database of Field Station QA/QC and Standard Methods. The team of investigators will coordinate development of the databases in conjunction with representatives of the Organization of Biological Field Stations, who comprise the project steering committee. In addition, the investigative team will coordinate the development of educational activities for field station personnel. These field station personnel will also contribute to database development activities. Education will principally focus on annual intensive (2-week) training workshops in ecological informatics that are developed around a series of course modules. Where appropriate, training modules will be made available on a web site to broaden the potential audience throughout the community of potential users.Biological field stations represent the premier facilities in North America where the most pressing environmental challenges facing science and society can be directly confronted and understood through research and education. These challenges include maintenance of biodiversity, ecological sustainability, environmental forecasting, restoration and rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems, the outbreak and spread of diseases and control of invasive species. Research Coordination Network activities supported in this project will enable discovery of the critical information resources that are held at biological field stations. These resources will facilitate synthesis in ecology-leading to a better understanding of our natural environment, sound natural resources management, and a more sustainable quality of life. The project management plan and the composition of the core research team and steering committee are designed to benefit the largest possible number of biological field stations in North America and their associated field biologists and students, to amplify research results to the international community, to promote an interdisciplinary perspective in field biology, and to enhance workforce diversity.