Highlights for May 28, 1998
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• Natural History Recognizes GAP in Top 10 Biodiversity Web Sites: The June issue of the American Museum of Natural History's magazine included the USGS Gap Analysis Program Web site <http://www.gap.uidaho.edu/gap/> in its review of the Top 10 biodiversity Web sites in the world. Natural History, with a circulation of over 500,000, is one of the world's leading popular publications on topics ranging from species evolution to biodiversity and conservation. The brief review notes that the USGS program is the only effort being made to map all components of biodiversity. GAP is a proactive geographic approach to protecting biodiversity. Satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems technologies are used to identify unprotected "gaps" that may be filled by applying alternative conservation strategies. The program is coordinated by the USGS and is managed by CBI. (Mike Jennings, Moscow, ID, 208/885-3555)

• USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Information Used in University Courses: On May 25, Professor Lynn Loomis of Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, requested information from CBI regarding the protocols and standards used in the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program for their course on Soil-Vegetation Systems of Far West Texas. CBI sent three Vegetation Mapping Program publications to Professor Loomis: "Standardized National Vegetation Classification System," "Field Methods for Vegetation Mapping," and "Accuracy Assessment Procedures." CBI administers and directs the scientific activities of the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. (Tom Owens, Denver, 303/202-4259)

• USGS Provides EPA with MetaMaker Training: On May 19-20, Sharon Shin (CBI) and Jennifer Gaines (OBIO) provided EPA Region 3 (through EPA's contractor, Technology Planning Management Corporation) with National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) metadata/MetaMaker training in Annapolis, Maryland. Fifteen participants from EPA, Assateague Island National Seashore, William and Mary University, and state offices in the region were present. The NBII is an electronic gateway to biological data and information maintained by federal, state, and local government agencies; private-sector organizations; and other partners around the nation and the world. MetaMaker is the metadata data entry software developed by the USGS to assist NBII participants with the preparation and management of standardized metadata. This PC-based software tool makes it possible for users to enter metadata in compliance with the Federal Geographic Data Committee geospatial metadata standard and the NBII biological profile. (Sharon Shin, Denver, 303/202-4230)

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.