Results tagged “technical” from EcoMap Costa Rica

I've updated the new 2010 map to include the new buildings, the HOBO temperature sensor points, and the changes to the bird points.

The bird nest data has yet to be collected - I will update this map when we get the data.

The main page now offers a link under the Reference section containing an annotated bibliography for the project.  The bibliography was compiled by the students in BIO 3416 as they researched background material on mapping techniques and the flora/fauna of Costa Rica.  It is important to have a broad overview of what this research will entail by looking at what others have conducted in the field.  We hope to add to this bibliography with even more detailed citations and additional references after we return from Costa Rica.

We added a new piece of equipment to the range of tools available for the project, a Trimble GeoXM handheld field computer with integrated GPS and Bluetooth wireless:


Photo from Trimble, www.trimble.com

The Trimble unit is the essential item to have not only for obtaining our GPS data on specific points, but for allowing us to collect a wide range of data attributes, visualize our data using GIS, and download our information for analysis on-site and back in Dallas.  This particular unit will be able to resolve features within 1-3 meters, which for our purposes should be enough to enable a fairly accurate view of the features of our reforestation site.  The unit retails for about $4,500, which includes the software for both the XM and our own computers for post-processing.

Many thanks go to Cody Cantrell, Western Data Systems, for spending several hours with us yesterday helping to set up the unit and work on collecting a few field points for practice in using the XM.  Cody has extensive experience working with Trimble, and helped us get through a few glitches due to computer difficulties (from our network, not from the unit) to have us in the field collecting data just a short time after the unit arrived.  He also created his own tutorial for the XM, which we'll be able to provide to Samantha, Noah, and Adaire who will be working on the mapping part of the project. 

Cody works for Western Data Systems in Southlake, TX, so if you have a need for tools for a similar application, give him a call (972-245-4337).

The 'Website Technology' page is up. This is an initial page and lists the technologies and data sources that we have used for the site. It will be expanded over the next few weeks to give more information. It may be expanded into multiple pages if I decide to give a more in-depth discussion of specific areas. The page is here:

http://www.ecomapcostarica.com/ref/website.shtml

The descriptions for the website and this blog are only included for completeness. The panoramic photographs and online maps are more interesting.