Using the Advanced query of GBIF occurrence data

Go to the Advanced query

The advanced query allows visualization of GBIF occurrence data geospatially (point coordinates) and temporally (time slices). In addition the degree of precision of the coordinates is also represented. Three-dimensional (3-D) figures are created for Google Earth to represent the year of collection or observation (range of years) and the coordinate precision. The year of collection is generally provided and the degree of coordinate precision (in meters) is available for some records. GBIF recommends to test for the availability of coordinate-enabled records for each taxon before using the Advanced Query.

Filling out the Advanced Query form

1. Enter the GBIF taxon. Enter a scientific name. If you have used the link above to test for the availability of coordinate-enabled records the successful taxon name will be automatically inserted into the input box when returning to this Advanced Query page.

2. Range by Years. This part is already populated with example year-ranges, colors, shapes and opacity. However, you have complete control over all elements of this part.

• Choose to include or not include any row.
• Change the year ranges. For example, you only need two rows if you want to view only recent records (e.g. 1990 to 2006) and all the rest (1989 to 1753).
• 1753 is a good start year for old records (that is the year of publication of Species Plantarum by Linneaus, often called the Father of Taxonomy).
• Click on the palette icon to change the default colors. A popup box lets you highlight colors with your mouse. There is a separate color palette available for the Windows and Mac operating systems.
• The figures can have 3 to 8 sides (triangle to octagon).
• The last row is a default for occurrence records that do not have a year of collection or observation.
• The opacity is set at the bottom of the form. 100% opacity is a solid color, values less than 30% are essentially invisible.

3. Coordinate Precision. This part is also populated with example precision ranges, radius, and height of the figures (all in meters).

• Figures with greater precision will be narrower and stand higher from the Google Earth surface.
• Figures with low or no precision will be wider and stand low on the Google Earth surface.
• The last row is a default for occurrence records that do not have a precision information.
• There are also radio buttons for Extrusion at the botton. Extruded figures (Yes) attach to the surface with sides. Non-extruded figures (No) are shapes that float above the surface.

Hints on using the downloaded files in Google Earth

• Taxa with large numbers of records might take over a minute to be obtained from GBIF and transformed into a Google Earth file. Please be patient.
• Taxa with a reasonable number of records (up to a few thousand) will be automatically offered for download to your Google earth client.
• Taxa with a large number of records will be offered on a web page as two separate files, on for the Query and tracking layer and another for the Year Range layers. Do not download the second file until the first file is available in your Google Earth client. These two files can be recombined into one folder on your Google Earth client.
• The file will download to your Google Earth client and open in the Temporary Places folder.
• The file can be saved permanently into the My Places folder.
• The main folder will have the scientific name of the taxon. Click on that folder and a popup box appears in the Google Earth Viewport. The popup box has web links to the GBIF home page, the species page for that taxon from the GBIF data portal and to retrieve any images from Google images. A browser will open in the lower half of the Google Earth client or separately.
• There will be several subfolders. These can all be turned on and off independantly. The subfolders include:
  • View legend. Put a check mark beside this folder to view a popup legend that shows the color and shape of each year range. This layer is generated dynamically each time from a remote server so it might take a few seconds to appear.
  • Query and Tracking layer. This layer provides icons that are immediately visible when the file downloads. It provides two functions. First of all it allows you to easily see the locations of the records (the 3-D figures are only visible when the Google Earth viewport is zoomed closer to the surface). Secondly click on any icon and a popup box appears with the coordinates of that record as well as a link to view the complete data from GBIF for that record.
  • Year Range subfolders. There will be one subfolder for each year range that you requested. Subfolders that contain occurrence records will be turned on. Use the legend described above to determine the shapes and colors represented for each Year Range subfolder.
• There is a checkbox called terrain in the Google Earth Navigation Panel. The terrain checkbox controls whether the Google Earth surface is rendered in 3-dimensions or not.
  • If terrain is check on, the downloaded 3-D figures may appear partially embedded into hillsides and mountains.
  • If terrain is not checked, then all 3-D figures will be completely visible on the Google Earth surface.
• Non-extruded figures will follow the shape of the underlying terrain if terrain is checked on.

Use of data

GBIF Participants have made their data available for use according to the terms of the GBIF Data Use Agreement. Please understand these terms before using GBIF data: GBIF Data Use Agreement

These scripts have been contributed by Derek Munro of the Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility (CBIF) to GBIF beginning on 2005-09-28. More...