Software development for ecological data systems

Software development for ecological data systems is concentrated in the description, modeling, and standardization of large amounts of ecological data. Ecological data assembled in many formats is very difficult to reuse. This thesis develops a database model that supports the storage of heterogeneous data in standardized formats. Ecological data standardization is solved with the specification of a structure conversion system. Because input formats cannot be predicted, a scientific data description language was created to control the execution of the conversion system. System analysis is based on interviews with South Florida Water Management District scientists conducting ecosystem research, and ecological data collected at Lake Okeechobee, Florida, during a five-year study. Object-oriented and structural methods were used for analysis. Development is complemented with an introduction to user interfaces.