An Instructional Module FieldScope Unit 1 www.budburst.org/fieldscope Introduction to National Geographic Society s FieldScope Program
Unit Contents Overview 3 Learning Objectives Time Commitment Technical Requirements National Geographic Society s FieldScope Program 4 About the Program Activity 1 - How does FieldScope compare to everyday maps? The FieldScope Tools Introduction to the Data Discovery Tool 7 Overview Data Discovery Tool Map Layers Activity 2 - Which map layers will you use? Navigating the Data Discovery Tool 10 The Data Discovery Tool Interface Map Controls Activity 3 - How do I find my location on the map? Turning Map Layers On and Off Icons and Layer Options Viewing Individual Project BudBurst Observations Base Layers Activity 4 - How do I customize and save my map? Review and Glossary 16
Unit Overview Maps are part of our daily lives we find them in newspapers, weather forecasts, navigation devices, and on the Internet. Mapping systems are also being used to track UPS & FedEx vehicles, to share information about environmental issues, to sell houses, to manage 911 services, and for homeland security. Animated maps and other visualizations have become key tools in studying a range of scientific problems. Because of the widespread use of maps today, learning how to read, interpret, and produce them has become an essential skill for everyone, from the general public to park visitors, education staff, and students. This unit will help develop the spatial thinking and map skills needed to use concepts of space and tools of representation, like maps, to organize and solve problems. In this unit, we will look at an interactive map application developed by the National Geographic FieldScope Program. This application is freely available and incorporates basic mapping tools that allow you to view and analyze data. This unit will specifically focus on data collected through Project BudBurst. Working with the FieldScope mapping tools, you will learn how to bring together data from multiple sources onto a map in order to answer environmental questions related to plant phenology (the study of periodic plant life cycle events). In addition to making data analysis easier, knowing how to create and save maps allows you to share spatial information with others in an easily understood format. Helpful Background Information Project BudBurst is a citizen science program that engages a network of people across the United States to monitor plants as the seasons change. To get the most out of this unit, you should have background knowledge in the National Ecological Observatory Network s Project BudBurst. Please review Project BudBurst Unit 1 Introduction to Project BudBurst and Phenology if you need a refresher. The first instance of each glossary word in the text is italicized. FieldScope Unit 1 Learning Objectives Understand the mission of the FieldScope Program Understand how to use the FieldScope Data Discovery mapping interface Gain experience creating a basic FieldScope map of Project BudBurst observations and working with different layers of map data Learn how to save a FieldScope map for future use and sharing Time Commitment The anticipated time commitment for completing this unit is, on average, 1 2.5 hours. Readings Activities 30 min 1 hour 30 min 1.5 hours Technical Requirements This course requires Internet connectivity and access to an Internet Browser (i.e. Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox). In order to use the FieldScope tools, the Internet Browser will need to support Adobe Flash. Adobe Reader is also required and available free of charge. Note: the FieldScope tools do not support tablets at this time. What You ll Do Learn about maps and map layers Create a FieldScope map Customize your map Save and export your map As part of a National Science Foundation Informal Science Education grant to the National Geographic Society, NEON s Project BudBurst is making these resources freely available for use by educators. Please visit National Geographic Society s FieldScope Program website to learn more.
National Geographic Society s FieldScope Program About the Program The National Geographic Society s FieldScope Program provides free web-based mapping, as well as data analysis and visualization tools to the public. These tools are a great way to engage the public, students, visitors, and citizen scientists in working with spatial data (i.e. data that includes a geographic location). National Geographic FieldScope is a web-based mapping, analysis, and collaboration tool designed to support geographic investigations and engage students as citizen scientists investigating real-world issues - both in the classroom and in outdoor education settings. FieldScope enhances student scientific investigations by providing rich geographic context - through maps, mapping activities, and a rich community where student fieldwork and data is integrated with that of peers and professionals, adding analysis opportunities and meaning to student investigations. From the FieldScope Program s website Activity 1 - How does FieldScope compare to everyday maps? Many of us use online applications such as Google or Bing maps on a daily basis to get directions to a friend s house or find the nearest grocery store. These interactive, online maps contain many of the same features as the FieldScope mapping tools in this unit. 1. When was the last time you used a map? 2. What did you use it for? 3. What map features did you use? 4. What features of Google or Bing maps might you expect to be the same as the FieldScope map tools? Which features might be different? Page 4
The FieldScope Tools National Geographic Society s FieldScope Program The FieldScope Program has worked with Project BudBurst to create six data visualization tools: Data Discovery Tool Species Comparison Tool Seasonal Visualization Tool Phenophase Comparison Tool Growing Degree Days Tool Growing Degree Days vs Photoperiod Tool Mapping Tools The FieldScope mapping tools allow you to visualize Project BudBurst observations over space and time. Many features are similar between the FieldScope mapping tools, making it easy for you to go back and forth between them. Data Discovery Tool See all of the Project BudBurst data. You can click on individual observation locations (which are displayed on the map using a leaf icon) to learn more about each one. Seasonal Visualization Tool Look at green-up (events that occur in the spring) and browndown (events that occur in the fall) phenophase events as they have been observed by Project BudBurst participants over time. Growing Degree Days Tool Explore how the onset of phenological events is affected by temperature (as measured by growing degree days). Compare the Project BudBurst phenophase data to estimates of growing degree days. Page 5
National Geographic Society s FieldScope Program Plot (Graphing) Tools We encourage you to explore these engaging tools and think about how they could be used in an informal education environment or in the classroom. Species Comparison Tool Compare phenophase timing for different plant species within different geographic locations. Phenophase Comparison Tool Discover the seasonal timing of varying phenophase events for a particular plant species, in a particular region. Growing Degree Days vs PhotoperiodTool Investigate the influences of accumulated warm temperatures (growing degree days) and daily sunlight exposure (photoperiod) on phenophase timing. PLEASE NOTE: These tools are still being improved by National Geographic. Please email us if you discover any bugs when working with the mapping interface - or if you have suggestions for improvement! Page 6
Introduction to the Data Discovery Tool Overview The FieldScope Data Discovery Tool was designed to allow you to view Project BudBurst observations within an interactive, online mapping interface. The tool displays all of the Project BudBurst observation data. Along with viewing observations on a national scale, you can click on individual observation locations (which are displayed on the map using a leaf icon) to learn more about observations at that location. Observation data includes: Figure 1 - Screenshot of the Data Discovery Tool. The observation date The phenophase observed The common name of the plant observed The scientific name of the plant observed The plant group of the plant observed Figure 2 - Pop-up window displaying Project BudBurst observation data. In addition to the Project BudBurst Observation Data layer, you can add environmental data layers to the map using the Themes tab on the left. Combining these map layers with the Project BudBurst observation data will allow you to draw conclusions about how plant phenophase timing may be influenced by different environmental factors. Page 7
Introduction to the Data Discovery Tool Data Discovery Tool Map Layers Figure 3 - Graphic showing how multiple data layers are combined to create a map. Maps are often composed of multiple datasets, also known as data layers or map layers. When you re looking at Google maps, you re actually looking at many layers. The road map includes lines which represent different roads that you drive on daily. The lines may be labeled with road names (which are attributes of each road line). The map may further have other layers of information including streams, lakes and maybe even parks. The Data Discovery Tool has many different data layers that can be used to customize maps of Project BudBurst observations. These layers include not only the Project BudBurst observation data, but also additional information including roads, terrain, temperature and even land-use data. The FieldScope Data Discovery view is also interactive, allowing you to turn data layers on or off. Thus, you can create custom maps of Project BudBurst data. Below you ll find a list of the Data Discovery Tool layers. Becoming familiar with the layer options will be helpful in the next section where we ll show you how to turn on/off and use the layers on the Data Discovery map.. List of Available Layers in the FieldScope Data Discovery Tool: Project BudBurst Data Layers 1. Project BudBurst Observation Data: These are the Project BudBurst observations. They are updated every day to reflect the most current Project BudBurst data. 2. Project BudBurst Seasonal Behavior: This data layer animates Project BudBurst green-up and brown-down events. Environmental Data Layers 1. Land Cover: This data layer is known as the National Land Cover Dataset. It shows land cover types (e.g. developed, forested and agricultural) across the United States. 2. Vegetation Health/Density (NDVI): This layer shows the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data for the continental United States for varying months during 2011-2012. This layer was created by NASA earth observations group using MODIS data. Page 8
Introduction to the Data Discovery Tool Environmental Data Layers (cont.) 3. Land Surface Temperature: This layer shows temperature in degrees Fahrenheit for the continental United States for varying months during 2011-2012. This layer was created by NASA earth observations group using MODIS data. 4. Observed and Predicted Climate Conditions: The Koppen-Geiger Classification displays past, present and predicted future climate regions based on average annual precipitation, average monthly precipitation, and average monthly temperature. 5. Land Cover and Satellite Imagery: Imagery is displayed in false color similar to a traditional color infrared aerial photo. The imagery is derived from the NASA Landsat sensor. 6. Average Tree Height: This layer represents tree heights, weighted by tree diameter, across the United States. 7. Soil Type: The Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) dataset displays data on the map by soil type. 8. Growing Degree Days Comparison: This map shows the number of Growing Degree Days accumulated so far this year vs. this time last year. Figure 4 - Left: Screenshot showing the Vegetation Health/Density (NDVI) layer with data from Dec-Jan 2011-12 on the left and data from Aug 2011 on the right. Right: Screenshot showing the Observed & Predicted Climate Conditions layer for 2001-2025 (predicted). Activity 2 - Which map layers will you use? Think about which layers you would combine to learn more about plant phenology. Are you interested in how Project BudBurst observations relate to surface temperature data and vegetation density? What about patterns of phenophase timing associated with human and physical landscape characteristics such as land-use / land cover and elevation? Page 9
Navigating the Data Discovery Tool The Data Discovery Tool Interface This section will introduce you to the features of a FieldScope map and how you can use these features to create your own map using the Data Discovery Tool. As previously mentioned, even though we will use the Data Discovery Tool as an example, becoming familiar with this tool s interface will help you use the other FieldScope mapping tools as well. Open up the Data Discovery Tool now. Take note of a few things within the Project BudBurst FieldScope interface below: 1. Leaf Symbols Notice the leaf symbols. Each leaf represents at least one Project BudBurst observation for that particular location on the map. Leaves with numbers on top of them (for instance notice the 5 on the leaf in the image to the right), represent locations where multiple stations or Project BudBurst observation locations exist. Leaves without a number associated with them represent one single station. 2. Themes Tab On the left side of the map are three tabs: themes, search and drawing tools. We will look at these in greater detail later in this unit. 3. Zoom Bar On the right hand side of the FieldScope map viewer, is a zoom toolbar. This can be used to zoom in and out of the map (to change the scale at which the map is viewed). Figure 5 - Key parts of the Data Discovery Tool interface. Page 10
Navigating the Data Discovery Tool Map Controls You can customize both the amount of area (by adjusting the scale of the data) and region that is displayed on the map (known as the map extent) using the following methods: Zoom: click on the plus sign to zoom in on an area (to blow that area up in size) or click on the minus sign to zoom out Pan: drag the map using your mouse to change the area that you are viewing Double click: centers the map on the clicked location Figure 6 - Zoom bar located at the top right corner of the FieldScope map. Control + double click: zooms out Activity 3 - How do I find my location on the map? This activity will guide you through finding your location using the search feature and adjusting the map extent. Getting comfortable with the map interface will be helpful when you want to start analyzing Project BudBurst data on a map. Let s go through the steps to create a map showing Project BudBurst observations in your area. 1. Open up the FieldScope Project BudBurst Data Discovery Tool if it is not already open. 2. Click on the Search tab located on the left side of the map to open the search tool. 3. Type the name of your desired location (city name or zip code) in the search box at the top of the window. 4. Hit the Search button. A red marker will appear on the map to highlight the searched location. If your search returned multiple location results, you will see the options listed underneath the search box. 5. To zoom to your location, double click on the appropriate result search underneath the search box. To remove the red marker, click the x on the right side of the search box. 6. Use the zoom toolbar to view the Project BudBurst observations around your area on different scales. You can customize the map extent by zooming and panning (dragging the map using your mouse to change the area that you are viewing). The zoom tool is on the upper right hand corner of the map (Figure 5). Page 11
Navigating the Data Discovery Tool Turning Map Layers On and Off In the Introduction to the Data Discovery Tool section, you learned about the many map layers available in the Data Discovery Tool. Now let s look at how to add these layers to your map: 1. Click on the Themes tab on the left hand side of the map. Notice all the layers that you can add to your map. In this example, we will add the Land Surface Temperature layer to the map. 2. To turn on the Land Surface Temperature layer, click the small box, next to the word Land Surface Temperature on the side bar. When you click on the box next to the Land Surface Temperature text, notice a check mark appears and the land surface temperature data layer appears on the map. 3. Experiment with moving the vertical slider from left to right on the map. This slider allows you to view and compare Land Surface Temperature data from two different time periods on the same map. You can change the dates by selecting an option from the Left and Right drop-down menus underneath the transparency slider. You can also turn off the slider by unchecking the checkboxes by the Left and Right drop-down menus. Figure 7 - Data Discovery Tool with the Themes tab open on the left side of the map. The box next to Land Surface Temperature layer is checked and the data has been added to the map. Notice the vertical slider that divides Land Surface Temperature data with data from Jun-Jul 2011 on the left side and data from Dec-Jan 2011-12 on the right side of the map. Page 12
Navigating the Data Discovery Tool Icons and Layer Options Also notice the other icons and options that are available for each layer in FieldScope as listed below: Experiment with the transparency of the Land Surface Temperature Layer by moving the blue triangle from 0 to 90. You can also change the dates of the data displayed on the left and right side of your map using the Left and Right drop-downs or remove the map slider by unchecking the Left or Right box. Click on this icon to view more settings that are available for that layer. Click on the blue i to open up the legend which explains what each color or symbol represents on the map. Viewing Individual Project BudBurst Observations You can view information about each Project BudBurst observation by clicking on a leaf icon. When zoomed out to view all of the Project BudBurst data, keep in mind that each leaf may represent more than one observation. As you zoom in, the leaves with numbers will split into multiple leafs that more accurately represent the location of the stations. Figure 8 - Click on a leaf icon to open the information pop-up window for that observation location. Note the station name at the top of the window. Click next and previous to switch stations at that location. Page 13
Navigating the Data Discovery Tool Base Layers Figure 9 - Base layers available in the Data Discovery Tool. The base background dataset that is drawn in FieldScope is known as a base layer. This base layer is the layer that Project BudBurst observation data are drawn on top of. You can change the base layer that is visible on the FieldScope map; however, you can only select one base layer at a time. While you can change the base layer for the map, you cannot turn it off. The default base layer is the NatGeo or National Geographic base layer. This base layer contains some labels including names of major cities. If you zoom in further on the map, you will also notice roads and road names. Click on the NatGeo icon in the upper right hand corner of the map to display all available base layers. Select the Satellite basemap instead. Zoom in to an area of your choice to see what the satellite imagery looks like up close. While base maps act as a background for your map, they can also add to data analysis. For example, if you are interested in investigating how Project BudBurst observations relate to elevation, you would select the topographic base map which displays contour lines. Figure 10 - Close up of the Denver, Colorado area with the Topo base layer turned on. Note how the Rocky Mountains, an area of higher and elevation, on the left side of the image is represented on the base map compare to the relatively flat area around Denver. Page 12
Navigating the Data Discovery Tool Activity 4 - How do I customize and save my map? In the previous activity, you practiced finding a location and setting up the map area. In this activity, you ll learn how to add labels and annotation to your map. Finally, you ll learn how to save your map as an image file (.png format) so you can share it easily with others! Customizing Your Map with Labels and Annotation 1. Open up the FieldScope Project BudBurst Data Discovery Tool if it is not already open. 2. Find your current location by using the zoom tool in the top right corner of the map or using search tool located on the left side of the map. For more instruction on finding your location, please see the previous activity in this lesson. 3. Click the Drawing Tools tab on the left side of the map. 4. Use the straight line tool, free-form tool, and polygon tool to draw on your map. Once on the map, you can move or delete your drawing using the buttons at the top of the Drawing Tools tab. 5. To add labels to your map, click on the label button on the left. Type the name of your label in the text box that appears. Click the location on the map to place the label. Saving Your Map 6. Click on the save/open button in the upper right hand corner of the map. 7. Save the map as a.png file on your hard drive. 8. A.png file (Portable Network Graphics) is a type of image file (similar to a.jpg or a.gif) that is especially well-suited for displaying maps. 9. Find where you saved your map file. Then open and view your saved map. Files can be opened in most image viewing programs, all web browsers, and embedded in documents & presentation slides. You can even share them via Facebook! Figure 9 - Map of the Washington, D.C. area with highlighted with a red line and labeled with Where I Live in purple. Figure 10 - The save button is located on the top right of the FieldScope map interface. Figure 11 -Save pop-up box that appears after clicking the save button. Page 17
Review And Glossary Review In this unit, you learned about the National Geographic FieldScope Program and the mapping and graphing tools they created to help citizen scientists visualize Project BudBurst observation data. In the activities, you gained experience using the Data Discovery Tool to create, customize and save maps of actual Project BudBurst phenology data. Along the way, you considered scale, data layers, the map extent, and other geographic concerns. After completing this unit, you are on your way to thinking spatially and analyzing Project BudBurst observation data using the FieldScope Tools. Now that you are comfortable working with the Data Discovery Tool, you re ready to learn more about the FieldScope Seasonality Tool. In the next unit, Exploring the FieldScope Seasonality Tool, we ll introduce the concepts of green-up (phenophase events that occur in the spring) and browndown (phenophase events that occur in the fall), and dig in to the environmental factors that influence their timing. Learned about maps and map layers Created a FieldScope map Customized your map Saved and exported your map Page 16
Review and Glossary Links from this Unit National Geographic FieldScope Program: http://fieldscope.org/ Project BudBurst: http://www.budburst.org/ Google Maps: https://maps.google.com/maps Bing Maps: http://www.bing.com/maps/ Data Discovery Tool: http://budburst.fieldscope.org/map/24 Seasonal Visualization Tool: http://budburst.fieldscope.org/map/11 Growing Degree Days Tool: http://budburst.fieldscope.org/map/22 Species Comparison Tool: http://budburst.fieldscope.org/map/47 Phenophase Comparison Tool: http://budburst.fieldscope.org/map/49 Growing Degree Days vs Photoperiod Tool: http://budburst.fieldscope.org/map/48 Email Project BudBurst: budburstinfo@neoninc.org National Land Cover Dataset: http://www.mrlc.gov/nlcd2006.php Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/normalized_difference_vegetation_index NASA Earth Observations Group: http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/search.html Koppen-Geiger Classification: http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/present.htm Soil Survey Geographic: http://soils.usda.gov/survey/geography/ssurgo/description.html Page 19
Review and Glossary Glossary Definitions of technical terms used in this unit. Glossary definitions have been compiled from the Project BudBurst, USA National Phenology Network, and Esri websites. Base Layer: A data layer in a map to which all other layers are geometrically referenced. Contour Line: A line on a map that connects points of equal elevation based on a vertical datum. Map Extent: The limit of the geographic area shown on a map, usually defined by a rectangle. In an interactive map, the map extent can be changed by zooming and panning. Map Layer: The visual representation of a geographic dataset in a digital map environment. Phenology: Phenology refers to recurring plant and animal life cycle stages. It is also the study of these recurring plant and animal life cycle stages, especially their timing and relationships with weather and climate. Phenophase: An observable stage or phase in the annual life cycle of a plant or animal that can be defined by a start and end point. Phenophases generally have a duration of a few days or weeks. Examples include the period over which newly emerging leaves are visible, or the period over which open flowers are present on a plant. Spatial Data: Information about the locations and shapes of geographic features and the relationships between them, usually stored as coordinates and topology. Topographic Map: A map that represents the vertical and horizontal positions of features, showing relief in some measurable form such as contour lines or relief shading. Page 12
Unit 1 Introduction to National Geographic Society s FieldScope Program An Instructional Module 2016 Chicago Botanic Garden. All rights reserved. www.budburst.org/fieldscope