Biodiversity Information SystemsPrasanna J. KolteAshoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore

E-ForestsInformation Systems for Decision making in Forestry11th May 2013

Karnataka Biodiversity Atlas

Initiated and funded by Karnataka Biodiversity Board

Created by Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore

In Collaboration with School of Ecology and Conservation, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore and Strand Life Sciences, Bangalore

School of Ecology

and Conservation

Objectives To develop a comprehensive geo-environmental database from existing information related to biodiversity distribution and conservation in Karnataka

To design, develop and implement a dynamic Biodiversity Atlas based on WebGIS and associated technologies

To strengthen the ongoing national level efforts to build biodiversity information infrastructure

The ProposalTo map prioritized information - Priority themes and speciesSpecies distributionData quality to reflect distribution at Karnataka level through to taluk level

Application structureDatabase

Web Application

Storage of spatial data

Species checklists Map descriptions

Query Visualisation

Administration Module

Admin

Data updates

Technological Structure

Thematic Structure Seven themes + PBRs and Species Checklists Thirty sub-themes

Administrative Forest Revenue Infrastructure

Other

Physical Habitat Species Bioresources Conservation Socio-cultural Climate Land Water Landscape Zones

Ecosystem Services

Habitat Change

LULC

Mammals Plants Amphibians Reptiles Birds Arthropods Molluscs Fungi Microbes Fishes

Animals Plants Fungi Other

Administration

Conservation Action

Conservation Challenges

Prioritised Areas

Historical

Culture Demography

ContentBiodiversity data such as species occurrence, distribution, conservation, etc.Associated environmental variables such as topography, temperature, rainfall, etc.Text descriptions and photos

Striking Features g2c model – Government to Citizen Developed using open source technologies Open for public access User friendly interface to access biodiversity data Data ownership with the respective data provider Suitable for various user group – researchers to government personnel to citizens in general

Suitable for various uses – citizen conservation action, official decision making, conservation planning and research

Content Status (contd…)

Data under preparation

Species including Marine Microbes

100+

20+ Environment

al and Administrative

Physical Habitat Administrati

ve Conservatio

n

Expected Data

10+

++ Species Mammals Butterflie

s Amphibia

ns

Environmental and Administrative

Hobli/village boundaries

Soil Geology Geomorphol

ogy

600+

100+

Data processed and curated till date

Environmental and Administrative

Physical Habitat Administrati

ve Conservatio

n

SpeciesincludingBioresources

Constraints in Data Collection

Slow response from data providers including government departments

Most data in hard copy format – needs greater amount of time for digital conversion

Future Work Application Development Query and retrieval modules Kannada Module Administrative module

Data PBR species data processing Addressing major data gaps Layer Descriptions in English and Kannada

Acknoweldgements KBB: Sri. R. K. Singh, IFS Sri. H. S. Devaraj

Sri. Prajapathi, IFS (Retd.) Sri. K. S. Sugara, IFS

Advisors: Dr. K. N. Ganeshaiah Dr. R. Prabhakar Dr. Gladwin Joseph

Major Data ProvidersKarnataka Forest Department

FRLHT, BangaloreIIRS, Dehradun

Birdlife InternationalIUCN

School of Ecology and Conservation, UAS, GKVK, BangaloreIndia Biodiversity Portal, BangaloreBombay Natural History Society, BombaySahaja Samruddha, BangaloreVanastree, SirsiATREE, Bangalore