6.1.1 The Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Sites (TEMS) database was originally developed in the mid to late 1980's by UNEP's Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) as a register of sites where integrated, multidisciplinary terrestrial ecosystem monitoring is carried out. The GTOS Planning Group extended this activity to develop a more comprehensive metadata base and to determine if the existing managed (largely long-term agronomic sites) and unmanaged monitoring sites could provide the starting point for a global observation system. Over the years TEMS expanded the original list of 150 sites to about 650 sites and networks with reasonably complete information and a further about 650 sites with limited information. The GTOS Planning Group concluded that many of the existing sites met the required criteria for integrated terrestrial ecosystem monitoring and were a good starting point for GTOS although there were important regional, biome and issue related gaps that remained to be filled.
6.1.2 A PC version of the data base has been developed for use by those with limited web access. In addition, two additional enhancements were added during 1997: a capability to search for networks with relevant information, and a capability to search variables by specific GCOS or GTOS issues.
6.2.1 The meeting participants recognized that the existing TEMS was originally defined more than 10 years ago and for a different purpose. Numerous capabilities were added and modifications made since then. A sub-group of the TOPC discussed the issues and options relating to the further development of TEMS.
6.2.2 The subgroup found that the present TEMS contains many of the functionalities required for a metadata base of terrestrial sites and networks for G3OS purposes. It made the following recommendations which contain minor modifications agreed to by TOPC.
Recommendation 10: TEMS should remain as a metadata base of network and site descriptors, providing users with lists of major categories of variables and guiding them to the holders of the data.
Recommendation 11: Version 2.0 of TEMS should be developed. Initially, the networks and sites involved in GT-Net and the NPP demonstration project should be used to test revised formats and procedures. The glacier and permafrost networks should be included in this process as soon as the required financial and other resources become available. Version 2.0 should include the following revisions:
modified questionnaires and web-based page formats to ease data assembly and updating;
searching capabilities should continue to be based on the present main categories, that is, country, network, ecoregion, latitude and longitude, and variables but with the following changes;
improved precision for site location with coordinates being given in degrees, minutes and seconds;
better site size and shape information by specifying them in terms of a rectangle or polygon, thereby accommodating sites of large, narrow or irregular size;
replace the ecoregion classification (based on that of Bailey) by a more flexible one that can accept a range of alternatives;
restrict the list of variables to the main categories i.e. a reduction from 530 to some 150;
provide agreed definitions of the main variables;
add a searchable map;
add principal scientists to the list of contact points and delete funding agency contacts;
maintain both PC and web based versions and consider the need for Spanish and French versions.
Recommendation 12: TEMS should be managed by GTOS but GTSC should examine the case for TEMS evolving towards a G3OS system and make proposals to the Co-Sponsors.
Recommendation 13: GTSC should decide on priorities for the GTOS issues so there is sound mechanism for prioritizing future expansion of TEMS.
Recommendation 14: GTSC should consider a structured approach to determining geographical and thematic requirements for critical observations that are needed for the GTOS issues such as biodiversity and desertification. Once this is done TEMS can be used to determine where there are gaps in critical observations.
