Instructions for uploading data to the web

Overview

The database is organized in four sections or parts: sites, events, plates, and observations. For each site there are multiple sampling events. All general information pertaining to the site is entered in the ‘site’ section including specific location, site use information, site pictures, and latitude and longitude. This information is only recorded once. You can also access individual events at a specific site in the ‘site’ section by clicking on events under the site of interest. Each time you deploy plates at a particular site, a new sampling event needs to be entered in the ‘events’ section. For each sampling event there are multiple plates and for each plate many observations. The ‘plates’ section includes information about the plate such as when it was deployed and retrieved, where it was hung (for example, which slip number), its plate ID number, and what it looked like at retrieval (photo). Information about the organisms attached to the plates are recorded under ‘Observations’, this includes percent cover data, close-up images, and specimen collection data. When you view the data on the website, it is nested under the site data, so that you can view most of the relevant information pertaining to an individual event at once. The data is also sortable and downloadable (csv) by Bay, site and event.

Picture Pointers

Taking pictures is one of the most important parts of this project. Though an SLR camera takes very high quality pictures, cameras on most cell phones are more than adequate for this task. Taking photos outside in good light, in a shaded area is generally best.

• place the label next to plate rather than over the plate when you photograph it
• place the panel in clean seawater to photograph, then also shoot without water
• take more than 1 shot both in and out of water
• don’t use a flash if you can avoid it
• make sure your digital photograph is not blurry before moving to next plate
• make sure there is not a big glare spot in the middle of your picture (shade photo if necessary)
• shoot 1 plate/picture and fill the frame
• hold the camera level so the shot is level
• use an umbrella or a tarp to shade the photo evenly (or your body in a pinch!)

Data Upload Pointers

• upload both deployments and retrieval information for each event on the event page. Make sure you enter both the deployment and the retrieval dates for each plate so we know how long they’ve been in the water- the deployment date for the plates with the photos should be for the plate in the photo, not those being deployed the date they were retrieved.