Storing, integrating and managing the ecological data of the Kruger National Park
The rapid developments in computer techniques and the availability of large datasets open new perspectives for a better understanding of the ecology and functioning of ecosystems. Within this upcoming field of biological research, the development of information systems has proved to be very promising, offering new tools for the analysis of biodiversity. Such information systems may integrate different biological levels, viz. species, community and landscape. They incorporate a GIS platform for the visualization of the various layers of information, enabling the study of patterns and processes which relate the individual levels. SynBioSys Netherlands and SynBioSys Europe are examples of such information systems, initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the European Vegetation Survey respectively. Now, a third SynBioSys package is under development, called SynBioSys Kruger, benefiting from the experiences gained in the Netherlands and Europe.
SynBioSys Kruger is a collaborative project between Alterra Wageningen University Research, University of Pretoria and South African National Parks, aiming at the development of a biological information system, which will operate as a tool for supporting the evaluation and management of biodiversity in Kruger National Park. By bringing together the wealth of existing data at the levels of – plant and animal – species, ecosystems and landscapes, the system will strongly contribute to understanding the ecology of the biological levels involved. The power of the computer software package SynBioSys Kruger is threefold: (1) the entire system is data driven, (2) it is an open-ended system, and (3) large datasets can be analyzed and displayed visually using a GIS platform. Due to the availability of scientifically sound vegetation data, the first version of SynBioSys Kruger is focused on vegetation and plant species data, together with available environmental data influencing the vegetation of the KNP. Data from fields such as zoology, entomology, tourism and management programs will be incorporated as data become available. Any data containing spatial or temporal information can therefore be incorporated into this open-ended multi-disciplinary information system. Until recently, data such as species distribution, population demography,migrations, ecosystem composition and dynamics, plant-herbivore interactions, predator-prey relationships, landscape changes were stored, managed and analyzed as separate entities. SynBioSys Kruger will safeguard and integrate the existing data and will enhance data compilation. This synthesis of data and information into a single system will be of great importance to managers of different disciplines, acting as an electronic encyclopedia, from which data may be extracted for further analysis. The software package will be of great help in training programs and education, including tourism. The system will be developed with the specific needs of the KNP staff in mind. The unauthorized use of sensitive datasets will be curbed by incorporating the centralized electronic data storage facility of the Kruger National Park, and by limiting access to such data. A full operative version of SynBioSys Kruger is planned within three years, including a cd-rom for the wider public.
