State of Data Management at BNZ-LTER

1. State of Data Management at BNZ-LTER Jason Downing BNZ-LTER Data Manager

2. B.S. Natural Resources Management -University of Alaska Fairbanks : 1997 Minor: Wildlife Biology Interests: Silviculture, Wildlife, GIS, and Resource Policy Field Technician for Forest Service FIA Program (Tongass and Chugach N.F.) Research Technician - UAF Forest Soils Lab Data Manager Introduction ProfessionalBackground

3. BNZ Data Management Goals • Increase the attention paid to ‘CORE’ data sets with respect to quality, availability, usefulness and collection protocols • Improve the data submission and updating process for both data providers and managers • Integrate additional metadata information with data where possible and relevant • Increase outreach and data sharing activities

4. BNZ Data Management Goals • Develop stronger connections with respect to data files, investigators, publications, and specific research tasks • Improve the data managers knowledge and understanding of all BNZ research activities

5. Data Interactions

6. Achieving Our Goals • Improving CORE Data Quality • Identify a Senior Investigator to conduct analysis and evaluation of each data type • Establish annual reviews of the data and evaluation of collection techniques • Develop explicit category for core data files

7. Senior investigators responsible for analyzing BNZ “core data” • Climate Data • Precipitation (Rain and Snow) – Yarie • Atmospheric (AirTemp/RH/BP/Solar Radiation/Sun Photometer/Wind) – Yarie • Soil Data • Active Layer Data and Soil Temp – Romanovsky • Soil Carbon and Soil Moisture – Harden and J.Hollingsworth • Hydrology and Chemistry Data • Stream Hydrology and Chemistry Data - Jones • NRCS Snow Survey Data and NADP – Jones • Primary Productivity • Tree Band Data – McGuire and Ruess • Tree Inventory Data – McGuire and Ruess • Litter Tray Data – McGuire and Ruess • Vegetation Composition Data – T. Hollingsworth • Population Data • Insects – R. Werner • Mammals – K. Kielland • Seed Tray Data – Johnstone

8. Achieving Our Goals • Improving Data Submission Process • Redesigned metadata submission form • Automated entry of metadata to reduce errors • Improved documentation and functionality • Refined metadata requirements and utilization • Provide instruction and assistance with data submission procedures • Provide annual demonstrations and instruction on data procedures • Data management staff available for consultation

9. Achieving Our Goals • Improving Data Submission Efficiency • On-line data submission and tracking system • Provide a record of database transactions • Prevent loss of untracked data over time • Provide prompt feedback to data providers • On-line keyword association interface • Build a dynamic keyword vocabulary • Improve the searching capabilities of the data catalog

10. Achieving Our Goals • Provide annual database report to all senior investigators and data providers • Evaluate data and publications information • Request additional information • Use in conjunction with NSF reports to streamline process and improve quality • Increase interactions with senior investigators and core research staff • Annual conference to review database report (senior investigator with data manager and data manager’s supervisor) • Arrange field/lab interactions of PIs research with data manager

11. Data Management Handouts • Table of Tasks and Responsibilities • Table of Roles and descriptions • List of data files • List of publications

12. Task

13. Data file Roles for people

14. Data Files

15. Publications

16. Conclusion • We already have a robust and powerful platform to manage and utilize our data. • Opportunities to improve are abundant and we are working to identify and prioritize our activities over time. • Our database can grow and adapt to greatly improve our archive, integration and synthesis activities at Bonanza Creek and within the LTER network.