It’s a busy time for LTER information managers, as the 21 articles from 27 authors in this Spring 2013 issue of Databits can attest. We have an astounding number of workshop reports and announcements and network working group project updates this time, running from information management systems to sensor networks to GIS to NIS components. We also have a wide range of commentaries, good reads and tools, and articles from guest contributors to keep you glued to your screen, reading long past your bedtime. Enjoy!
DataBits continues as a semi-annual electronic publication of the Long Term Ecological Research Network. It is designed to provide a timely, online resource for research information managers and is supported by rotating co-editors.
Aaron Stephenson (NTL) and Hope Humphries (NWT), Spring 2013 Co-Editors
Table of Contents
| Featured Articles | ||
| A New Way to Use PASTA for Synthesis: Results from the Second VEG-DB Workshop | Emery Boose, Fox Peterson, Suzanne Remillard, Don Henshaw, Mark Harmon | 1 |
| Coweeta LTER Upgrades Sensor Stations by Implementing the GCE Data Toolbox for Matlab to Stream Data | Richard Cary, John F. Chamblee | 2 |
| Integrity Checks for Large Scale Databases | Kali Abel | 4 |
| Data Package Inventory Tracking: Slicing and Dicing with SQL | M. Gastil-Buhl, Margaret O’Brien | 5 |
| Metabase Adoption by SBC and MCR | Margaret O’Brien, M. Gastil-Buhl | 6 |
| The New Drupal Ecological Information Management System | Inigo San Gil | 7 |
| Commentary | ||
| My Experiences as a Participant in the Sensor Training Workshop | Fox Peterson | 8 |
| I Was Told There Would Be Cake | Kali Abel | 9 |
| News Bits | ||
| GCE and CWT Host Successful Workshop to Demonstrate, Improve, and Promote the Adoption of the GCE Data Toolbox for Matlab | John Chamblee, Wade Sheldon, Richard Cary | 10 |
| Sensor Networks Training Conducted at LNO | Don Henshaw, Corinna Gries | 11 |
| Integrating Open Source Data Turbine with the GCE Data Toolbox for MATLAB | Corinna Gries, Wade Sheldon, Tony Fountain, Chad Sebranek, Matt Miller, Sameer Tilak | 12 |
| Vista Data Vision Software Training Workshop | Jason Downing | 12 |
| GeoNIS Project Update | Adam Skibbe, Theresa Valentine, Aaron Stephenson, Jamie Hollingsworth, Ron Beloin | 13 |
| Coming Soon: LTER Landsat Catalog | Theresa Valentine | 13 |
| LTER Controlled Vocabulary Workshop Planned | John Porter | 14 |
| The IMC meets the PASTA challenge | John Chamblee, Margaret O’Brien | 15 |
| LTER Data to be Part of Web of Knowledge | James Brunt, Margaret O’Brien | 15 |
| Good Tools and Programs | ||
| New DataONE Tools Help with Information Management Tasks | John Porter | 16 |
| Using Python for Web Services and GIS Analysis | John Porter | 16 |
| Good Reads | ||
| Big Data and the Future of Ecology | Hope Humphries | 17 |
| Emerging Computer Security Issues | Aaron Stephenson | 18 |
