Texas Endemics on the Web

[Hugh D. Wilson]

The Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group has been working with the
Flora of Texas Consortium to explore various aspects of networked
floristics.  One interesting application involves county-level
distribution mapping and 'overlay' mapping of multiple distributions
to depict geographic centers of diversity.  A prototype system,
dealing with vascular plants endemic to Texas is now available at:

http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/endemics/endemic1.htm

This system includes options that allow data manipulation on-line.
Confirmation, addition, and refutation of county records, based on
specimen data, can be entered from any herbarium with relevant
material and WWW access.  All maps produced by the system are
generated 'on the fly' and therefore immediately updated by on-line
'annotation' of the database.  Specimen data and source are tracked
and available for reference.

Biodiversity collection managers are invited to contribute
specimen-based data to this experimental system.  Machine-based
procedures used for on-line data development can only be tested and
refined through usage.  Collaborative development of floristic data
via networked, 'distributed' interactions is also a novel enterprise
that can be explored and developed by interactive use of this system.

So, please take a look at a 'live' visualization of vascular plant
endemism in Texas (select 'diversity map') and help us bring this
picture closer to reality (see 3 options at base of the page).


Hugh D. Wilson
Texas A&M University - Biology
h-wilson at tamu.edu (409-845-3354)
http://www.isc.tamu.edu/~hugh/homepage.html