SDI Convergence - Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association

study described in the next section is on model metadata pertinent to finding and using
models.
4. CASE STUDY
4.1 Overview of the study and prototype tool
The overall goal of the case study is to support researchers in understanding the availability,
use and application of models and landscape analysis tools by providing pertinent
and current information through a spatial web environment (metadata tool). The
key questions that the tool was designed to address include:
– What models are in use and what are they, what do they do?
– Who is using them and where?
a) What data do these models require, and
b) Is it available?
Some of the key functions that the tool was designed to support include:
– Search and query of model and data metadata;
– Registration of models;
– Registration of modelling instances or activity, and
– Display and visualisation of metadata.
The case study area comprises the State of Victoria, Australia. Victoria is the smallest
mainland state in Australia with an area comprising approximately 228,000 square
kilometres and a population of just over five and a quarter million people. It has significant
mineral and coal deposits and is a major producer of food and fibre. Natural resource
management challenges include food and resource security associated with
land degradation, salinity, climate change bio-security and changing land use. In recent
times water shortage has become a major issue at an unprecedented level across the
state. A large number of models are being applied to assist in understanding opportunities
and responses to these and other issues. However, the number of models examined
for trial in the MIKE was constrained to ensure the work remained manageable.
The key functional elements to the MIKE are outlined in Figure 2. The greyed out sections
indicate areas for future development that were not the focus of development at
this time. The storage of both model and data metadata is via a simple 4 tier hierarchical
data model that can readily be converted to XML. Where possible the ISO 19115
and ANZLIC 2 geospatial data standards were applied; especially in respect to naming
and code lists. The metadata content stored includes data associated with models (including
versions), model instances, model features and elements associated with
model features (see Table 1). The data repository is a Microsoft SQL 2005 database
and an ESRI product suite, ArcGIS, ArcIMS and Spatial Data Engine (SDE) was used
to the spatially enable functions within the tool. A web front end is provided and supported.
4.2 Facilitation of spatial referencing
The spatial registration of modelling projects is essential to enable collaborators to understand
who is using what models and where. To enable users of the prototype system
to do this easily and efficiently the spatial boundaries were determined for a subsample
of known modelling projects (i.e. Catchment Analysis Toolkit, SLEUTH, MOD-
FLOW, BC2C) identified in the study by Nichol et al. (2006). The results indicated that
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