LTER Site Byte

LTER Site: Arctic LTER

Contributor: Jim Laundre (Oct 27, 2006)

Site Byte:

This past year EML implementation and new web design has been a major focus of the Arctic LTER IM. We have successfully moved our legacy data to EML level 2 using a Perl/java script developed by the LNO. For new metadata we have developed a simple one sheet Excel form (modeled after FCE’s form) for new metadata entry (see http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/arc/metadata_forms/MetadataBlank.xls). The one worksheet Excel form will help researchers easily include metadata with their Excel datasheets. A rich text Metadata form is available for researchers who do not use Excel. EML is then generated using a VBA macro. Currently the EML produced is level 3-4. There is still some coding to be completed in order to meet the “Best Practices” guidelines. As soon as this coding is done and documentation completed a version will be placed on the LNO’s CVS site.

In order to update legacy metadata a script was also developed to populate an Excel workbook with a metadata sheet and a data sheet. The code made best guests at the attribute table based on our previous text metadata. We have begun check and update these files. At the same time where possible we will combine yearly files into multi-year files.

We started to redesign our web site more then a year ago but have been waiting to deploy it until after the Web Design Recommendations were completed. In designing our new web site we are moving away from a frame base web site to using templates. We also plan to use style sheets to dynamically display metadata and have the Excel metadata and data workbook file available as a download.

From the field: This winter will be the start of Toolik Field Station having year round power. At least two staff will be on station all winter. For the Toolik Field Station webcam see http://www.uaf.edu/toolik/webcam. With power the fiber optic internet connection will be available year round and will provide continual downloads of weather data (http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/ARC).

Web design by Wade Sheldon, Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER