Both these tools are available as in independent mode, external from the Atlas, as in integrated mode, into the Atlas. The taxonomy tool allows users to make an advanced search on the Atlas depending of a specific set of parameters. The biovolume tool allows users to select a specific shape among the shapes of the species into the atlas, to manually insert parameters and to obtain surface area and biovolume calculation.

The work process for the two tools is substantially similar, it can be divided into the 3 following steps:

• Database Project: the relational database underlying the project was implemented to allow structured information storage. So for example the information about a specific species is divided into different information units (Taxonomy fields, Morphological Charateristics, Morphometric Data, ecc.), and shape formulas are stored both in string format (to allow formula interpretation) and in image format (to obtain a better browser visualization).
• Structured Data Entry: the next step is the data entry that has to be done independently for each information unit to lead to a correct information retreival and elaboration.
• User Module Implementation: the last step is the implementation of the two modules that collect input data from the user, do the data elaboration (respectively a search query for the taxonomy tool and formula interpretation for the biovolume tools) and show the results to user (respectively a list of species for the taxonomy tool and the calculated surface area and the biovolume for the biovolume tool).

Staff

• W. Ingrosso, Post-Graduate Fellow
• A. Fiocca, Technician on term/ Temporary researcher fellow
• L. Roselli, Temporary researcher fellow
• E. Stanca, Temporary researcher fellow