Dave SmithPetrology Collections Manager

Global EMu Users Meeting, NHM (11-14th Oct 2011)

Mapping museum pest activity

Dave SmithPetrology Collections Manager

Global EMu Users Meeting, NHM (11-14th Oct 2011)

Mapping museum pest activity

Overview

• Problem facing Natural History Museum, London (NHM)• The solution• Review of Ke EMu

– Record creation– Record query– Analysing data

The situation

• IPM Committee with cross-museum representation

• Consistent and regular trapping in collection and exhibition areas

• Development of risk management approach using risk zones

The problem

• No centralised database for trapping data

– Inability to query and analyse the data

• Inconsistent departmental reports

– Unable to compare across the Museum

– Incoherent hard evidence

• Department-centric boundaries

– Individuals know situation within their area

– No strategic overview

GIS in the Literature

The solution

Record structure

• Pest trapping data consists essentially of two components:

– Data which describes the physical location of the trap

– Data which records the species diversity, and number of insects found within the trap at any point in time.

Trap

LocationTrap

Event TrapEvent

TrapEvent

Query the data

• Increase in number of moths in the gallery spaces!

• Where?

Query - Search trap events

Query - Search trap events

Query - Search trap events

Analysis

Botany - General trends

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Anthrenus sarnicus

Anthrenus larva

Attagenus smirnovi

Attagenus larva

Stegobiumpaniceum

Constructive criticism

• Support for multiple sites

• Support for temporal changes in the building infrastructure

• Display only the data queried for

• The ability to overlay additional data layers (e.g. risk zones)

• Ability to choose a fixed colour for a species for both charts and mapper.

• More control over the scaling key

Phase 2..?

Benefits

• Single, central repository for pest trapping data.

• Familiarity of the interface.

• Close association with specimen/collection information.

• Emulate professional GIS without complexity.

• Inform senior management based on evidence.

• Applicable to all EMu clients, but standardised for data interchange with non-EMu users.

Conclusion

• Spatial mapping provides a management tool:

– to remove the department-centric boundaries of conventional methods

– to more effectively monitor the overall situation

– to more effectively prioritise resources in reacting to situations

– to observe trends and patterns for pro-active measures

– to communicate the issues effectively

Questions?

Dave Smithd.a.smith@nhm.ac.uk

Friday showcase