Regional Information and Analytical System on Insect Biodiversity of the Baikal Region

Abstract

Regional information and analytical system for assessing and monitoring of insect biodiversity in the Baikal region has been created. This system is consisting of three blocks: (a) relational databases, (b) the geoinformation system, (c) the software environment R. Relational databases are designed to quickly find the necessary information and to automate the collection and structuring of data. Besides, these databases were created to analyze the requested information and to create an information basis for geoinformation system. In the structural and semantic respect, the databases consist of several parts: taxonomic, ecological, geographic. The geoinformation system was created to study the spatial distribution of insects. It covers the territory of three subjects of the Russian Federation (Irkutsk oblast, Republic of Buryatia and Zabaykalsky krai). All cartographic information in the geoinformation system is organized in the form of vector and raster layers: base (topological) layers, including rivers, roads, buildings, etc.; thematic layers (for example, entomological and landscape). Raster layers (cosmic images and digitized paper maps) were used when creating base vector layers. R is one of the most popular platforms for statistical computing and graphics, because it is free, open-source software, with versions for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems. At the present time, the features of spatial distribution of ants and buprestids have been explored by means of this information and analytical system.