1. Ecoinformatics Technical Projects Workgroup
Ecoinformatics International Technical Collaboration 
April 8, 2008
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
Bruce Bargmeyer
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
University of California
Tel:

2. Topics
What we do
Topics for this meeting
Progress

3. Implementing Arrangement
The Technical Projects Workgroup is leading coordinated research as called for in the Implementing Arrangement between the European Commission and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to Promote Cooperation on Environmental Research and Ecoinformatics which was signed under the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America
The implementing arrangement should give some continuity and stability to our efforts.
We are working on creating tighter collaboration under the arrangement
Two main thrusts: Ecoinformatics Test Bed and Information Exchange

4. What We Do
Collaborate between organizations on specific projects and activities, especially the Ecoinformatics Test Bed
Some R&D oriented
Some more “operations” oriented
Exchange information about major information system advances that are under development
Organize/participate in demonstrations and conferences to vet and disseminate Ecoinformatics approaches, techniques, and technologies
Communicate via meetings, teleconferences, , collaboration web site, etc.

5. Ecoinformatics Test Bed Topics for this Meeting
Semantics demonstration for water information – Use of Metadata Registries
SPIRE Update - Semantic Eco-blogging, Aquatic Invasive Prediction, Linked Data
GEMET and related systems -- status and plans for future enhancement
Open Ontology Repository--possible interaction with GEO/GEOSS/GMES
Terminology Web Services
Ecoterm activities
Progress on US and EU Science and Technology - Joint Consultative Group meeting (Ecoinformatics Implementing Arrangement) in regard to coordinated research

6. Information Exchange Topics
Consolidation of Water Information System for Europe, Shared Environmental Information System
EPA Terminology and registry work – fit into enterprise architecture, integration with web services
USGS initiatives, NBII Metadata Catalog, Gap Analysis Program - GAPServe
Semantics and Ontologies in Biodiversity
UNEP Information System plans
From DNA Barcoding to the Encyclopedia of Life: Initiatives in Biodiversity Informatics - Smithsonian Institution

7. New Topics
Joint Session, Technical Projects Workgroup -- Ecoinformatics and Environmental Research Implementing Arrangement
Friday morning, April 11, 2008

8. Progress & Plans
A major focus of this WG meeting is on assessing the progress that we have made and making plans for future work. We will report on both in a short presentation on Thursday afternoon.
Examples:
GEMET is now part of the INSPIRE infrastructure. We will discuss how to evolve the content, capabilities, and services
SPIRE advances include SWOOGLE, ELVIS, Semantic Eco-blogging, and Linked Data (demo Friday)
The XMDR Metadata Registry effort is working with Microsoft eScience initiative and is working with an Open Ontology Repository effort that could be particularly useful to GMES/GEO/GEOSS

9. Challenge: Combine Data, Metadata & Concept Systems
Inference Search Query:
“find water bodies downstream from Fletcher Creek where chemical contamination was over 10 micrograms per liter between December 2001 and March 2003”
Concept system:
Biological
Radioactive
Contamination
lead
cadmium
mercury
Chemical
Data: ID
Date
Temp Hg A
4.4 4 B
9.3 2 X
6.7 78
Metadata:
Name
Datatype
Definition
Units ID
text
Monitoring Station Identifier
not applicable
Date
date
yy-mm-dd
Temp
number
Temperature (to 0.1 degree C)
degrees Celcius Hg
Mercury contamination
micrograms per liter

10. Linking Concept Systems to Data

11. Same Fact, Different Terms
Algeria
Belgium
China
Denmark
Egypt
France
. . .
Zimbabwe
Name: Country Identifiers
Context:
Definition:
Unique ID: 5769
Conceptual Domain:
Maintenance Org.:
Steward:
Classification:
Registration Authority:
Others
Data Element Concept
Data Elements
Algeria
Belgium
China
Denmark
Egypt
France
. . .
Zimbabwe
L`Algérie
Belgique
Chine
Danemark
Egypte
La France
. . .
Zimbabwe DZ BE CN DK EG FR
. . . ZW
DZA
BEL
CHN
DNK
EGY
FRA
. . .
ZWE
012
056
156
208
818
250
. . .
716
Name:
Context:
Definition:
Unique ID: 4572
Value Domain:
Maintenance Org.
Steward:
Classification:
Registration Authority:
Others
In order to reduce costs associated with managing metadata, we want to enable interchange of metadata including terminology between metadata registries.
Organizations that are responsible for particular terminology and data elements can propagate these changes to other metadata registries.
ISO 3166
English Name
ISO 3166
French Name
ISO 3166
2-Alpha Code
ISO 3166
3-Alpha Code
ISO 3166
3-Numeric Code

12. Challenge: Gain Common Understanding of meaning between Data Creators and Data Users
A common interpretation of what the data
represents
ambiente
tiempo
agricultura
salud hunano
industria
turismo
agua
tierra
aero
123
345
248
670
445
308
591
3268
0825
2708
5038
1348
2178
0000
text
data
EEA
environ
climate
agriculture
human health
industry
tourism
water
soil
air
123
345
445
670
248
591
308
3268
0825
1348
5038
2708
0000
2178
text
data
USGS
text
data
DoD
environ
agriculture
climate
human health
industry
tourism
soil
water
air
123
345
248
670
445
308
591
123
345
248
670
445
308
591
3268
0825
2708
5038
1348
2178
0000
3268
0825
2708
5038
1348
2178
0000
Users
text
data
environ
agriculture
climate
human health
industry
tourism
soil
water
air
EPA
123
345
445
670
248
591
308
123
345
445
670
248
591
308
3268
0825
1348
5038
2708
0000
2178
3268
0825
1348
5038
2708
0000
2178
text
data
3268
2708
0000
5038
1348
0825
2178
tiempo
agricultura
ambiente
turismo
industria
salud huno
agua
tierra
aero
123
345
248
670
445
308
591
123
345
248
670
445
308
591
1348
0825
3268
5038
Others . . .
Users
Information
systems
Data Creation