Using the GIS





			*Using the OceanQuest GIS*

A) The Tool bar on the page.

1. To enter the GIS map go to http://sciq.netera.ca/kamap/

2. Currently only the Race Rocks map is available on the drop down menu

3. On the tool bar: The plus sign is for adding a sighting.

4. The i sign is for finding out which sightings have been entered at the location of the blue dots.

5. The hand sign is to move the map around, to centre the area you want to zoom in to.

6. The scale between the magnifying glasses goes in closer with the plus one and out further with the negative one.

7. The small arrow tool on the right of the tool bar returns the scale to the starting size.

B) Locating a Sighting:

1. You may add sightings either by being at the location and making an observation or by using one of the cameras on the website www. racerocks.com .

Camera 5, a camera you can control remotely from your computer, is the best one to use currently, but cameras 1 and 3 may also be used.

2. On camera 5 click on control and if no one else is using the camera, a control pad will come up on the left hand side.

There will also be a white box under the arrows which you can click on to see areas around the islands entered as presets. Use the arrows and zoom to navigate from there.

3. In order to identify the area you are looking at, go the sector maps: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/curricula/projects/sectormap/rrsector.htm

Click on one of the areas outlined in red to see a photograph taken of that view on the remote camera. These areas are the same as those identified on the pull down menu you can use when adding a sighting.

C) Adding a Sighting:

1. Click on the + sign in the tool bar.

2. Position the cursor (now a question mark) where the sighting occurred after you have zoomed in to be as precise as possible. Click on the location.

3. An entry box appears. into which you can add your ID and password. For now use student and student.

4. In the Add a Sighting box,

for Add Photo: click on choose file- then find the picture you just downloaded.

You may add up to three pictures on any one observation. After adding each picture, click on Preview to make sure they got in the observation record.

5. In the Add a Sighting box, give the entry a short descriptive title. Include any further notes describing the observation in the Notes box. You may also wish to sign the note, and indicate where you are from. Note the Location is automatically generated, based on the location that you put the question mark to add a sighting.

6. You can change the Date and Time if you are making the entry

at a different time from the observation.

7. Now click Next for the Data Menu

D) Using the DATA menu

1. For the most commonly observed birds or mammals you will see at Race Rocks,

choose from the first drop-down menu .Note that it will record the common and the scientific name of the organism.

2.If the species you are reporting on is not on the common species list,

find it in the longer full species list, organized in a taxonomic hierarchy.

3. If your observation is of a marine vessel

or other action in the area, scroll to the bottom of the Observation Ecosystem list and choose the type.

4. For Behaviour choose from the typical list of animal behaviours.

If you are observing something different, then make a note of it in the notes box on the previous page.

5. Quantity: Give an estimation of the number of this species in the sector being observed.

6. For the Location details, choose the location referred to from the sector map, discussed in Part A above.

7. Click on Next

E) Weather

1. This page is linked to the racerocks.com weather station so it will by default, record the current conditions at the Ecological Reserve.

If you are making your observation at one time and then entering them later, you should go to the weather station at the time of observation: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/data/weatherlink/Current_Vantage_Pro.htm
and record the six pieces of weather data shown on this list. Then you can enter them manually here so that it is more accurate.

2. After checking your entry over thoroughly.. you can go back and check, return to this menu and click on Save. You have now contributed a permanent record to the database.

F. Doing a SEARCH for Sightings

1. Click on the i on the tool bar.

Then position your cursor, which is now a question mark, over the area in which you want to search. By double clicking on any item, you can open just that sighting page.

2. To search for all records within a defined time frame, scroll to the bottom of the list of sightings for the area. The box at the bottom of the page allows you to refine your search to a certain time frame that you want to define,

The advantage here is that you can check for seasonal variations or compare records of different years.

Return to the Assignment on Horizontal Structure

Return to the OceanQuest Index

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Garry Fletcher