Ecological Informatics: Data Management and Knowledge Discovery

2017 | Computing & IT

The book introduces Ecological Informatics as an emerging discipline that takes into account the data-intensive nature of ecology, the valuable information content of ecological data and the need to communicate results and inform decisions, including those related to research, conservation and resource management. At its core, ecological informatics combines developments in information technology and ecological theory with applications that facilitate ecological research and the dissemination of results to scientists and the public. Its conceptual framework links ecological entities (genomes, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, landscapes) with data management, analysis and synthesis, and communicating and informing decisions by following the course of a loop. In contrast to the 2nd edition published in 2006, the 3rd edition of Ecological Informatics is completely restructured based on the generic conceptual framework provided in Figure 1.

It reflects the significant progress in data management, analysis and synthesis that have occurred over the past 10 years including new remote and in situ sensing techniques, the emergence of ecological and environmental observatories, novel evolutionary computation for knowledge discovery and forecasting, and new approaches for communicating results and informing decisions.

Friedrich Recknagel (Author)

William Michener (Author)