Diversity Collection

Distribution maps

If WGS84 coordinates are available for your collection sites, you can create distribution maps of your samples in the database. To use this service you need access to the internet. Choose Map in the header to show the maps. To display distribution maps choose the appropriate option from the first drop down list in the mapscontrol.

To add data sets to the distribution search for the data sets you want to see in the map, mark them in the list (either use the button to mark all data sets, mark a list/single data sets or check the option for the distribution map) and click the button. To display the map click on the button. The displayed localities in the map will not change until you add new localities or click the button to start with a new distribution map. If you want to set different icons for the positions of different series of your samples, set the style of the icon (symbol, color, size etc.) in the menu before you add them to the distribution list.

To show a distribution map of all the specimens found in your query as shown below, select the option Distribution from the drop down menu. For the display in the map you can choose either the Browser (see below) or the GIS-Editor. In the browser all objects will be shown with their center coordinates and the number of specimens that can be depicted is limited, thus, it may be necessary to restrict your query. With the GIS editor all objects will be shown with their whole geography (e.g. an area will not be reduced to its central coordinates) and there is no limit to the number. Furthermore you can vary the symbols for different groups.

The upper distribution map is restricted to coordinates of the collection event . If you want to include coordinates from the organisms , choose the distribution map including organisms . For the positions of the organisms in this map, the ID of the organism ( = IdentificationUnitID, 528577 in example below) is shown as identifier and the last identification ( = LastIdentificationCache) as display text (Ajuga reptans L. in example below).

If you want to restrict the display to the organisms, click on the  button to open the window for custimizing the display (see below) and deselect all localisation systems for the collection event.

While in the GIS tool the objects are represented with their real geography (see above), in the browser every object is reduced to a single point. For an introduction see a short tutorial .