About


What is BioMaps?

BioMaps is a portal to Australian biodiversity data held by government, and scientific organisations in Australia and around the world. It is based on a distributed data structure. This means BioMaps can use the data but the custodial institutions remain responsible for its creation, management and maintenance.

BioMaps provides tools for accessing and analyzing biodiversity data. It enables visualisation of data, and data analysis products, as a digital map. By pioneering web delivery techniques for biodiversity data, the BioMaps team is broadening access to both biodiversity information and innovative methodologies for conservation planning in Australia.

The system will help identify places of biodiversity significance in Australia and be a guide to direct survey and conservation efforts. BioMaps is being developed as a modular application with components being developed and released over a period of time. The first component is the mapping application which came online in September 2005. Subsequennt components will include species mapping and survey planning applications. When completed in 2007, BioMaps will enable environmental and land planners to access tools for identifying Australian conservation priorities.

What institutions' data is available?

Currently BioMaps accesses fauna data from the Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums (OZCAM) network. This includes the Australian Museum, Museum of Victoria, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, South Australian Museum, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Australian National Wildlife Collection, and the Queensland Museum.

Other institutions will be made accessible through BioMaps as it develops. By the end of June 2007 it will enable access to flora and fauna data from institutions in Australia and around the world. These will include the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, Australian Biological Resources Institute, and the University Of California, Berkeley, Natural History Museum.

Who developed BioMaps?

The Australian Museum / Rio Tinto Partnership initiated the BioMaps project and provides funding for its development.

The team behind the development of BioMaps is the Australian Museum GIS Unit. The GIS Unit is made up of Paul Flemons (Manager), Gareth Carter (GIS Analyst), and Michael Elliott (Taxonomy and Database Specialist). All code for BioMaps has been written by Ajay Ranipeta and the design work was by Ruby Blessing of Kinetic Media.

The implementation of the BioClim and Domain models was provided by Robert Hijmans. You can also use these models in the freely available desktop GIS program Diva GIS.