Transcript JCDL IIV Workshop Slides

Interactive Information
Visualization in
the Digital Flora of Texas
John J. Leggett
Center for the Study of Digital Libraries
Texas A&M University
Introduction

Digital Flora of Texas
collaborative research effort
 web-accessible collections
 botanists and botanically-interested non-specialists


Herbarium Specimen Browser (HSB)
main portal to the collections
 ~ 300,000 specimen records
 13 herbaria

Herbarium Specimen Browser

Hierarchical taxonomic browser





expansion in context
Detailed specimen listings
Specimen and species distribution maps
Full-text querying on specimen records
Stackable bar graph displays showing temporal
aspects of the specimens
HSB Main Page
Specimen Distribution Maps
Full-text Querying
Visualizing Temporal Specimen Data



Herbarium bar graphs provide numerical summary of
individual collections
Stackable herbaria bar graphs provide collective
numerical summary and comparative analysis
Daily and Weekly bar graphs



flowering periods
collection activities
Yearly bar graphs


historical analysis of herbaria
influence of curator or individual collector
Herbarium Bar Graphs
Daily Bar Graphs
Weekly Bar Graph
Yearly Bar Graph
Example

Objective: Learn about collection activities of
the Brassicaceae family
browse or query for Brassicaceae
 see species and specimen counts and listing
 map density and distribution
 graph by herbaria, daily, weekly, yearly
 use distribution maps or bar graphs to find
collectors, locations, dates, etc.

Summary




Digital libraries supporting/changing scientific practice
Collaborative research driven by needs of biologists
(botanists, ecologists)
Interactive information visualizations in support of
daily scientific practice and education
Many benefits




cleaner data, comparative analyses, data mining
generate collection activities/educational opportunities
wide audience
endangered and protected species
URLs

Digital Flora of Texas:


http://www.texasflora.org
Herbarium Specimen Browser:

http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/tracy2/main1.html