About Data Basin

• What is Data Basin?
• Why was Data Basin created?
• Who is Data Basin built for?
• What does Data Basin do?
• Why should you join Data Basin?
• Who created Data Basin?
• What type of data is in Data Basin?
• What type of documentation comes with each dataset?
• Who gives datasets to Data Basin?

What is Data Basin?

Data Basin is an innovative, online system that connects users with spatial datasets, tools, and expertise. Individuals and organization can explore and download a vast library of datasets, upload their own data, create and publish projects, form working groups, and produce customized maps that can be easily shared. The building blocks of Data Basin are:

• My Workspace: My workspace provides a private area for accessing Data Basin. Users can easily organize content they contributed or found in the system. Users can create and edit personal profiles; manage their account; track creation of datasets, maps, and galleries; and, manage their group activity.
• Datasets: A dataset is a spatially explicit file, currently Arcshape and ArcGrid files.  These can be biological, physical, socioeconomic, (and soon to be imagery) that can be uploaded, downloaded or visualized.
• Maps: Maps are visualized datasets created with easy-to-use tools in Data Basin.  Maps, customized by users, can be kept private, shared with groups, or published for everyone.  Users can critique maps with provided drawing and commenting tools.
• Galleries: Galleries are meaningful collections of datasets and/or maps created by Data Basin users.  Users and organizations can publish galleries (including studies, atlases and books) that others can easily find and use. 
• People: People are members of the Data Basin community.  Users can search profiles to find data providers, potential collaborators or interested audiences. 
• Groups: Groups are user-defined subset of Data Basin users collaborating around a specific topic or issues.  Group members can share, analyze, and discuss datasets and maps.  Data Basin allows for private (closed) and public (by request) groups.
• Centers: Centers are topics or geographies of special interest to Data Basin users.  Users can find specific datasets, maps, galleries, people, groups, and analytical tools under each center.

[TOP]

Why was Data Basin created?

Time and resources are routinely wasted locating and accessing conservation-related datasets, reviewing data quality, modifying file formats, and buying and learning proprietary software. Data Basin alleviates these problems by making well-documented data available for download and by providing visual and analytic tools that everyone can use for free. Data Basin helps people explore, publish, and visualize conservation data.

[TOP]

Who is Data Basin built for?

Data Basin's tools are designed to meet the specific needs of scientists, practitioners, managers and policy-makers, yet Data Basin does not require any technical skills. Data Basin is designed for people interested in integrating spatial data into their daily work (i.e., inquiry, problem-solving, communicating messages, etc.).

[TOP]

What does Data Basin do?

Data Basin makes it simple to find reliable data and make compelling visualizations. Locate datasets, combine multiple layers together in a visualization session, and then share a map with your colleagues and members of the Data Basin community. Data Basin provides the following functionality:

• personal work spaces to organize data
• extensive documentation (e.g., metadata, reports, links) for each dataset
• capability to upload your data then share it publicly or keep it private
• ability to download publicly shared data
• visualization tools that allow you to combine datasets and make customized maps
• searchable profiles of all users including science and policy experts
• searchable projects (collections of datasets and maps)
• user-defined working groups that enable negotiating, collaborating, and reviewing specific issues
• features specific topics or geographies found in Data Basin Centers

[TOP]

Why should you join Data Basin?

Data Basin is a vibrant, online community. It works because individuals and institutions are willing to share information and expertise to solve problems. By joining Data Basin you are given access to the datasets, maps, and tools. You also get to connect to a broad spectrum of people working on conservation-related efforts. Registering is easy and free. Our system is powered by Environmental Systems Research Institute ArcGIS Online (ESRI), and therefore requires all Data Basin users to obtain an ESRI global account during registration. Each user is given 2 MB of free data storage space by ESRI for their uploaded data. Click "JOIN NOW" to sign up.

[TOP]

Who created Data Basin?

Data Basin is being designed and implemented by the Conservation Biology Institute. The alpha version of Data Basin was built in partnership with Rhiza Labs, using Insight software. This version of Data Basin was built in partnership with ESRI and is powered by ArcServer and ArcGIS Online.

Data Basin is supported by the generosity of the Wilburforce Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), and private donors. Digital marketing is conducted by Mambo Media. Business planning is done with assistance from Autopoiesis. Legal support is provided by Lane Powell.

[TOP]

What type of data is in Data Basin?

Data Basin contains geospatial information that resides in datasets. Data Basin contains four searchable categories of datasets:

• biological
• physical
• socio-economic
• imagery

A dataset could be coordinates where a bird species has been observed, boundaries of land managed in various ways (e.g., US Forest Service), a thematic image of vegetation types, or the results of a model that shows changes in the habitat distribution of a species under different climate change scenarios. Data Basin is populated with a large and continually growing body of datasets, including both raw data (e.g., monitoring data on temperature and precipitation, road networks) and analytical results (e.g., projected changes in suitability for a species or ecosystem, interpretations, or recommendations).

[TOP]

What type of documentation comes with each dataset?

Data Basin requires data contributors to provide documentation to ensure that the data are adequately described and can be cited. All datasets are attached to metadata. The metadata describes who should receive credit for the dataset, what it represents, when it was created, and much more.

[TOP]

Who gives datasets to Data Basin?

Data contributors are users that have uploaded data to the system. Data contributors are required to add metadata to the datasets that they upload to ensure that the datasets can be correctly cited and understood by users in Data Basin. Data contributors are responsible for ensuring that they are permitted to share the datasets they upload to Data Basin according to the Terms of Service.

Any organization or individual that has made data available for upload to Data Basin is credited with providing the data, even if they were not the ones who uploaded (contributed) the data to Data Basin. Data Basin is actively seeking data partnerships with data-providing organizations to help streamline processing and uploading of their datasets. Please contact us if you need any assistance providing or contributing data.

[TOP]