Integrated Approach To Environmental Data Management Systems

An integrated approach to environmental data management is necessitated by the complexity of the environmental problems that need to be addresses, coupled with the interdisciplinary approach that needs to be adopted to solve them. Agenda 21 of the Rio Environmental Conference mandated international programmes and organizations to take steps to develop common data and information management plans, and steps have been taken in this direction. The key word that defines the framework of the present book is `integration'. The book establishes the basics of integrated approaches and covers environmental data management systems within that framework, covering all aspects of data management, from objectives and constraints, design of data collection networks, statistical and physical sampling, remote sensing and GIS, databases, reliability of data, data analysis, and the transformation of data into information.

The diverse nature of environmental problems mankind has encountered within the last decade has developed a new understanding of the nature of environmental processes. Currently, the environment is considered as a continuum of air, soil and water as the vital components for sustaining life on earth. The interactive nature of these components requires that the environment is managed and protected as a cohesive whole. This can only be accomplished through an integrated approach to environmental management. Besides the concept of environmental continuum, prospects for sustainable development of natural resources and the recent recognition of global climate change impacts have also necessitated such an integrated approach to environmental management. Two basic tools for integrated management of the environment are modeling and environmental data. Both tools were available and valid in the past; however, the recent requirements for integrated environmental management have also led to a significant evolution of both modeling procedures and data management systems.

Covers the most recent topics in the field of environmental management and provides a broad focus on the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of environmental management Provides an up-to-date survey of the field from the perspective of different disciplines Covers the topic of environmental management from multiple perspectives, namely, natural sciences, engineering, business, social sciences, and methods and tools perspectives Combines both academic rigor and practical approach through literature reviews and theories and examples and case studies from diverse geographic areas and policy domains Explores local and global issues of environmental management and analyzes the role of various contributors in the environmental management process Chapter contents are appropriately demonstrated with numerous pictures, charts, graphs, and tables, and accompanied by a detailed reference list for further readings

In recent years, the adequacy of collected water quality data and the performance of existing monitoring networks have been seriously evaluated for two basic reasons. First, an efficient information system is required to satisfy the needs of water quality management plans and to aid in the decision-making process. Second, this system has to be realized under the constraints of limited financial resources, sampling and analysis facilities, and manpower. Problems observed in available data and shortcomings of current networks have led researchers to focus more critically on the design procedures used. The book is intended to present an up-to-date overview of the current network design procedures and develop basic guidelines to be followed in both the design and the redesign of water quality monitoring networks. The book treats the network design problem in a comprehensive and systematic framework, starting with objectives of monitoring and elaborating on various technical design features, e.g. selection of sampling sites, sampling frequencies, variables to be monitored, and sampling duration. The design procedures presented are those that the authors have recently applied in a number of national and international projects on the design and redesign of water quality monitoring networks. Thus, the book covers real case studies where not only the methods described in the earlier titles are used but also new techniques are introduced. Where earlier methods are used, they are assessed with respect to their efficiency and applicability to real case problems. Audience: Essentially, the framework adopted in the book applies as well to other hydrometric data collection networks besides those of water quality. In this respect, it is expected that planners, designers, scientists, and engineers who are involved in hydrometric network design will benefit from the in-depth approach assumed in this book. It will also be of interest to research and data centers, international programs and organizations related to environmental monitoring. The book may also be used as a reference text in graduate courses of water resources and environmental engineering programs.

This book presents the proceedings and the outcomes of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on Integrated Technologies for Environmental Monitoring and Information Production, which was held in Marmaris, Turkey, between September 10- 14, 200 I. With the contribution of 45 experts from 20 different countries, the ARW has provided the opportunity to resolve the basic conflicts that tend to arise between different disciplines associated with environmental data management and to promote understanding between experts on an international and multidisciplinary basis. The prevailing universal problem in environmental data management (EDM) systems is the significant incoherence between data collection procedures and the retrieval of information required by the users. This indicates the presence of problems still encountered in the realization of; (1) delineation of objectives, constraints, institutional aspects of EDM; (2) design of data collection networks; (3) statistical sampling; (4) physical sampling and presentation of data; (5) data processing and environmental databases; (6) reliability of data; (7) data analysis and transfer of data into information; and (8) data accessibility and data exchange at local, regional and global scales. Further problems stem from the lack of coherence between different disciplines involved in EDM, lack of coordination between responsible agencies on a country basis, and lack of coordination on an international level regarding the basic problems and relevant solutions that should be sought.

When your environmental project reaches the point where the amount of data seems overwhelming, you will need a robust tool to help you manage it. Written by a recognized expert and software author with over 25 years of industry experience, Relational Management and Display of Site Environmental Data begins with an overview of site data management c

"Describes the application of statistical methods in different environmental fields, with an emphasis on how to solve real-world problems in complex systems"--Provided by publisher.

Twelve papers, some of which are drawn from a June 2001 symposium of the same name as the text, address issues the use of geographic information systems and spatial modeling software to environmental or hydrologic problems. The major themes of the papers are: accuracy and uncertainty in spatial data