Using NBN data for research
NBN data is being used by various students in their coursework. Here are a few examples below.
University of Cambridge
This request was for access to sensitive records, full maximum best resolution, and attribute data for download. This was for a MPhil student at the University of Cambridge who was required to conduct an Environmental Impact Analysis Project and an Essay. They were particularly interested in the use of GIS and Remote Sensing for conservation, hence the reason for looking for data on the NBN Gateway.
One topic they were considering was modelling the restoration of wetlands after minerals to see if it can be truly successful. Another topic might be to map out sensitive areas in relation to demographic areas and analyse ways in which conservation strategies may be implemented in conjunction with sustainable development plans for the communities. Since there are a number of ways they could approach either of these topics they were likely to base theire final choice on the data available to them. This use would be for an academic purpose, with only a few students on the course and the data would not be going out to the public.
Cardiff University
This request was from a student studying Environmental Geoscience at Cardiff University and who was required to do a project involving Geographical Information Systems. They planned to look at the distibution of Red Squirrel within the UK as the basis for their project. For this reason they required the raw attribute and sensitive data to manipulatate and analyse and compare this with information on climate etc.
University College, Dublin
This request came from a researcher at University College Dublin, working on a project on liverfluke in Ireland on which they were developing a GIS model on the disease in Ireland. They wanted to obtain access to available records on the distribution of the intermediate snail host Galba truncatula (=Lymnaea truncatula) in Ireland and needed access to data on the NBN Gateway at resolution greater than 10km. Full resolution would help them to correlate the distribution to other variables such as climate, soil type, elevation, land use etc. They only required accurate location data of the snails and did not require any access to sensitive records.