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Responsiveness to management needs and predictive capability can be significantly facilitated by use of computer technology. The potential of computerized processing is immense; but to provide for maximum usefulness, biologic data systems must be carefully planned. Planning should include the researcher, data processing personnel or system analysts, and management interests. Of utmost importance is the necessity to lucidly define the objectives of data-banking or how stored information is to be used. Although it is not possible to obtain a consensus on the foregoing considerations at this time, it is possible to identify first steps and critical enabling activities that must precede any large Bay-wide Automated Data Processing (ADP) effort. These preliminary steps can form the basis for future planning and coordination. Computer needs can be arbitrarily divided into "hard" and "soft" data requirements. "Hard" data are here defined as numeric information accompanying a specific observation; sample-specific salinity, temperature, or biomass fit into this category. "Soft" data are considered interpretive or descriptive, such factors as life history phenomenon belong in this category. Attempts were made to review these needs in terms of the biota of Chesapeake Bay. A concurrent effort was made to inventory existing systems and capabilities. This effort was divided into three parts: a report on Bay institutional capabilities with particular reference to both hardware and languages available, a report on a first attempt at achieving standardization of descriptive data and a tentative program for standardization of "hard" biologic data. The latter report proposes a taxonomic code and certain analytic techniques for use. This section deals with the computer systems and data files which are available to research and regulatory personnel involved with the biota of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Hardware and software systems in several institutions will be described. Present uses of |
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