How will the Report be designed (how much writing is involved)?
aka: "How many pages of text can I (or must I) write if I participate?"
The entire IGMETS report is currently planned to be about 200 printed pages total. Of those 200 pages, roughly half will be dedicated to informational appendices and maps highlighting the participating time series programs (IGMETS Element #2). The remaining pages will be used for an eye-catching "executive summary" followed by regional chapters of spatio-temporal overviews and trends (IGMETS Element #1). [ The first half of the report is designed to allow a non-scientist (e.g., policy maker) to quickly get an idea of the importance of time series through an overview on current trends occuring across the globe and within and between ocean basins. ] The remaining half of the report is designed to be a brief informational index to guide researchers to information and contact points for marine ecological time series across the globe. There will also be an online interactive component, which will allow you to write much more detail about your site (IGMETS Element #3).
We realize this report is going to be short, in view of each site and regional contribution, but even with these restrictions the printed copy with be upwards of 200 pages. We want to design a report that will be picked up and perused, something to quickly catch attention and then direct the reader to additional material (online or in the literature). With that said, if your regional chapter group (e.g., the North Atlantic, the Southern Ocean) finds some really exciting results, your group is welcome to pursue this an additional/outside publication. (IGMETS has only facilitated the get together of great minds and great data.)
IGMETS Element 1: Regional Overview (see also Chapters & Layout)
With roughly 100 pages to share across eight oceanic chapters (and the global overview and introduction), each chapter will have around 10 pages each for figures and text. Note that in addition to the static printed chapters, expanded online chapters would be an option. Citable to the printed publication itself, these online interactive chapters would allow in-detail examination of the figures and results.
Writing Length: Cooperatively written text of around 10 pages +/- figure spaces.
Due Date: Spring of 2015 (with work starting in late Fall/Winter)
IGMETS Element 2: In-publication appendix of participating sites
With an expected 200+ time series participating, each site will have approximately 1/3 of a page to summarize their sampling program. (210 sites x 1/3 page = 70 pages). This short blurb will provide a short introductory text to the site and link to the Online Interactive METabase (IGMETS Element #3).
Writing Length: One paragraph
Due Date: Spring of 2015 (for final text)
IGMETS Element 3: Online Interactive METabase
The IGMETS METabase will have a variety of searching and visualization tools (e.g., time series plots by country, by variable, by plankton taxa, by length, by geographic region). Each "star" on the map will also link to interactive metabase interfaces. An example of a "work-in-progress" version of this is available here [ click to see an example ]. The final IGMETS version will include a new, easier to navigate interface based on the material in this example.
Writing Length: One or two pages (suggested). This text can include literature references and links to other material or programs.
Due Date: When we receive your data, a METabase entry will be created for it. You can provide a brief text at that point and can expand/change it at any time.