USGS Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Grant: Enhancing Biological Data Sharing in the Pacific Northwest

The NBII is a collaborative effort among federal, state, local, agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, and private sector groups to provide an integrated gateway to biological data and information. NBII is used by land managers, researchers, decision makers, educators, and the general public for many purposes that include land-use decisions, scientific research, policymaking, and general information needs of its users.

The NBII provides the nation with a mechanism for accessing the vast amount of existing disparate biological and natural resources data, information products, and analytical tools that support and enhance science-based decision-making. Using enterprise portal technology, the NBII helps provide an integrating framework for making these data and information accessible. In 2001, the NBII program was authorized to establish a series of regional and thematic Nodes throughout the country with the objective of providing data and information relevant to those areas available that support efforts of federal, non federal, university, non-profit, and citizens of each Node.

The NBII is looking for collaborative opportunities with a University to increase the availability and usefulness of biological and natural resources related scientific data and information by developing or enhancing them through visualization products, tools, models, web based applications, and/or semantic systems. Technical assistance relates to the following research areas:

Pacific Northwest Region
The purpose is to enhance data sharing within the region including the states of Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana. The Pacific Northwest cooperative effort brings together scientific data, models, tools and other resources that provide information for researchers and managers that help address regional issues. The effort includes interaction with various state and federal organizations as well as interested research and educational institutions. The products will be available to scientists, policymakers, and the public.

Efforts include developing a user friendly web-database interface that brings together widely dispersed information about cryptogams (e.g., lichens and mosses), forestry, and other natural resources to facilitate access, perform queries, and encourage collaboration among regional partners.

Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey Database
The purpose is to further the development of data sharing for the Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Database. The cooperative effort brings together peer reviewed scientific data on bald eagles surveys conducted from 1986-2005 along 746 routes in 43 states that includes interaction with various state and federal organizations as well as interested research and educational institutions. The products will be available to scientists, policymakers, and the public.

Efforts include integrating additional count data, integrating summary information such as trends, means, high and low counts, updating the database with the most accurate and current point data and descriptors, and enhancing the GIS interface to include a dynamic survey retrieval capability that can be linked through the map application to occurrence/point data.

Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Fish Virus Database
The purpose is to further the development of data sharing for the Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Fish Virus (IHNV) Database. The cooperative effort to build a genetically based fish virus data system to support IHNV research and management includes interaction with various state, federal and international organizations as well as interested research and educational institutions.

Efforts include enhancing access to the research and development studies which create, modify and apply modern biological technologies to increase understanding of the basic biology, molecular biology, epidemiology, immunology, and host-pathogen interactions of viruses that cause significant disease in salmon and trout in the western U.S , develop a GIS interface that displays the geographic distribution of genetic diversity in the IHN virus on maps, and allows comparison by number of base pairs the difference between isolates.

Threatened and Endangered Mammals in Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem
The purpose is to further the development of the data sharing component of the Threatened and Endangered Mammals in Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and surrounding region. This cooperative effort brings together scientific information for researchers and managers that include interaction with various state, federal and international organizations as well as interested research and educational institutions.

Efforts include developing an integrated database system and application that brings together widely dispersed scientific information throughout the region to facilitate access, enter data, perform queries, and retrieve customizable reports.

Fire Research and Management Exchange System
The purpose is to further the development of data sharing within the region on fire data, models, and tools in support of the Fire Research and Management Exchange System (FRAMES). The FRAMES cooperative effort brings together scientific data, models, tools and other resources that provide information for researchers and managers across the country that includes interaction with various state and federal organizations as well as interested research and educational institutions. The products will be available to scientists, policymakers, and the public.

Efforts include developing a user friendly web-database interface that brings together widely dispersed information throughout the fire community to facilitate access, perform queries, and promote collaboration among FRAMES partners including Forest Service, NOAA, and USGS.

Overall, the USGS and CESU participants will collaborate to develop and deliver biological data and information, tools, models, products, and web based systems, and in ensuring the information reaches professionals in federal and state agencies, educators, and ultimately the public. The CESU partnership will supplement and enhance work already underway on these various geographic and thematic Nodes and their projects to contribute in the development of a national NBII network.

Award Information

The USGS NBII expects this cooperative agreement to last up to 3 years with the opportunity for renewal. The USGS NBII anticipates making a single award for this project in FY2008 to an existing CESU Program university within the Pacific Northwest CESU. It is anticipated that the total amount of funding available for the project is $380,000, of which $86,500.00 will be made available in FY2008. Continuation of the project in years 2 and 3 will be based on successful performance and available funding. Award of funding through this year’s competition is not a guarantee of future funding.