IRRO Survey on Resources Covering Environmental Release of Organisms
E. Ross
eross at crc.ac.uk
Wed Dec 22 21:22:22 EST 1993
IRRO Secretariat
c/o MSDN MSDN at phx.cam.ac.uk
307 Huntingdon Road
Cambridge CB3 0JX Tel:+44-223-276622
UK Fax:+44-223-277605
** IRRO **
Information Resource for the Release of Organisms
into the Environment
IRRO Survey on Existing Databases and Information Resources
Relevant to the Release of Organisms into the Environment
IRRO is an information network, run on a non-profit basis, which
aims to provide access to all types of information relevant to the
release of animals, plants and microorganisms into the
environment. IRRO is an acronym for the Information Resource for
the Release of Organisms to the Environment. The decision to
establish the IRRO was taken in 1991, under initial impetus from
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the
intervening period has been used to establish priorities and to
search for funds.
Information of interest for IRRO might include details of, for
example, releases of non-indigenous, novel or genetically modified
organisms. It might cover ecological data relevant to receiving
environments. It could include information on the regulatory
oversight of releases of non-indigenous organisms or genetically
modified organisms. It could include information on the impacts of
biodiversity. There are many other possibilities.
IRRO is intended to be a network which will facilitate access to
existing relevant databases and other information sources located
throughout the world. It is envisaged that there will be many
types of users of the IRRO with many different interests. They
could include NGOs (non-governmental organisations), policy
makers, scientists interested in academic issues or those
interested in accessing information relevant to
regulatory/oversight purposes.
To initiate the establishment of a global information resource on
the introduction of novel and genetically modified organisms into
the environment UNEP has commissioned this survey which aims to
identify and describe databases and other information resources on
the environmental release of organisms which would be suitable for
access via the IRRO Network. This survey has been prepared by the
IRRO, in consultation with Steering Group Members and UNEP.
As a user and/or provider of relevant data resources your
cooperation in answering the questions overleaf is greatly
appreciated. If you know of another person(s) who could best
complete the form, please pass on to them.
Please return the form to the IRRO Secretariat (address below) by
31st December 1993. This is not a strict deadline, but is
requested to help ensure as complete coverage as possible of
available data resources in the report to UNEP and help identify
the gaps in the information.
The IRRO Survey on Information Resources
Covering Environmental Releases of Organisms
Please use a separate sheet for information on each
database/information source. The data resource could be in
electronic form (eg. computer disk, online database, electronic
bulletin board, list server, CD-ROM) or in printed form (eg.
journal, newsletter).
1. Please give your name:_________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Tel:_______________ Fax:_______________ E-mail_______________
2. If you are a user or "would-be" user of information resources
on environmental releases please describe:
i) what specific information you would like to have available
through the IRRO (eg. data not currently available or difficult
to access)?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
ii) any special problems you foresee (technical, political,
financial etc.) in accessing IRRO data resources?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Please draw a ring around the appropriate answer YES or NO
3. Are you aware of a suitable database or information source
which could be of interest to those using the IRRO? YES / NO
If YES, please go to question 4 and complete the rest of the
form.
If NO, please return this form to the IRRO Secretariat (address
below) with your answers to questions 1, 2 and 3.
4. Does this "database/information source" give information on:
i) animals YES / NO
ii) plants YES / NO
iii) microorganisms YES / NO
iv) viruses YES / NO
v) other YES / NO
(please specify) _____________________________________________
5. Does this "database/information source" contain information on
any of the following:
i) releases of non-indigenous organisms YES / NO
ii) releases of genetically modified organisms(GMOs) YES / NO
iii)ecological information YES / NO
iv) regulatory information YES / NO
v) health information YES / NO
vi) taxonomic information/identification YES / NO
vii)other YES / NO
(please give additional information)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. Please give the name, location and data provider of this
"database/information source", as well as a contact name,
address, telephone, fax and electronic mail id (if known):
i) name of resource: __________________________________________
ii) location of resource: _______________________________________
iii)data provider/publisher: ____________________________________
iv) contact name: ________________________________________________
v) address:______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Tel:________________ Fax:________________ E-mail________________
7. Please give a short free text description of the coverage and
scope of the "database/information resource." [If publications,
other literature or sample records are available describing the
resource please send with the completed form. If a thesaurus is
available please describe.]
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. Please list keyword(s) you would use to describe the "database/
information resource"?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
9. If known, what is the size of the "database/information
resource" eg. number of records, bytes of data?
Size of resource _________________________________________________
10. If known, how often is the "database/information resource"
updated?
i) daily YES / NO
ii) weekly YES / NO
iii) monthly YES / NO
iv) annually YES / NO
v) other YES / NO
(please specify)______________________________________________
11. Through what media is the "database/information source"
available:
i) online database YES / NO
ii) online bulletin board, conference or list server YES / NO
iii) computer disk YES / NO
iv) CD-ROM YES / NO
v) printed YES / NO
iv) other YES / NO
(please specify)___________________________________________
12. If the "database/information resource" is accessible online
please indicate whether access is possible using:
i) commercial public data networks (X.25,IPSS,PSS) YES / NO
ii) Internet YES / NO
iii) Academic networks YES / NO
(please specify which)________________________________________
iv) FIDONet YES / NO
v) other YES / NO
(please specify)______________________________________________
13. If the resource is available as a database please give
information on the type of Database Management System (DBMS):
i) type of DBMS: FREE TEXT / FLAT FILE /HYPERTEXT/
(please ring) RELATIONAL / EXPERT SYSTEM (A.I.)
OTHER
(please specify)______________________________________________
[Note: A free text DBMS can simply be a word processed or ascii file]
ii) name of DBMS (if known): ________________________________
___________________________________________________________
iii) interface used to search data (eg. graphical [such as
WINDOWS], menu, command language, etc):
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
14. If the "database/information resource" is available on
computer disk please give information on:
i) computer system and environment required (eg. Macintosh, IBM
compatible/MS-DOS, Sun SPARC/Unix): __________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
ii) software required: ___________________________________________
iii)any other requirements: ______________________________________
15. Is there a charge for accessing this "database/
information source"? YES / NO
If yes, please give details: _________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
16. Are any of the data of restricted availability (eg.
commercially sensitive data)? YES / NO/ SOME
17. Do you have any additional suggestions concerning the IRRO?
If so, please give details: __________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
18. Would you like to receive additional information about the
IRRO? YES / NO
19. Would you like to receive a copy of the report on the IRRO
survey findings?: YES / NO
Thank you for taking the time to complete this form.
Please return to the IRRO Secretariat c/o MSDN, 307 Huntingdon
Road, Cambridge CB3 0JX, UK. Tel:+44 223 276622 Fax:+44 223 277605
Email: msdn at phx.cam.ac.uk. Forms can be returned by electronic
mail as well as by post.
It would be most helpful if you would return the completed form by
December 31st although completed forms received after this date
will still be very useful and are welcomed.
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