A GIS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE LOW ALTITUDE 
EXPERIMENTAL STATION AT TAIWAN ENDEMIC SPECIES 
RESEARCH INSTITUTE 
Chieh-Chung Yang, Associate Research Scientist 
Jen-Teh Yen, Director 
Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute 
1, Ming-Shen E. Road, Chi-Chi, Nantou County 552, Taiwan, R.O.C. 
Tel. 886-49-761258 Fax. 886-49-764600 
Geographic information system, Endemic species research, Global positioning 
system,Spatial interaction model. 
KEY WORDS : 
ABSTRACT 
Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute is a provincial government agency in charge of endemic species research and 
conservation in Taiwan. The Low Altitude Experimental Station was created in 1993 to perform on site experiments to pursue 
conservation of endemic species. The station covers an area of 384 ha. and was a national forest with elevation in the range of 
700 meters to 1834 meters. A self- developed GIS was created at the very beginning accordingly. Remote sensing aud global 
positioning systems were also integrated with a GIS. Ten application modules have been created in the last two years, namely, 
basic application module, animal and vegetation inventory module, zoning module, animal inquiry module, vegetation inquiry 
module, station management module, global positioning system module, three-dimensional terrain analysis module, terrain 
animation module, spatial interaction module. All experiments in the station can be treated in spatial context at a continuous 
basis. Real time monitoring for a given animal species is now possible because radio communication and GPS were integrated 
with a GIS. Zoning of experiment sites is now managed not only in two dimensions but also in three dimensions. In addition, 
they can be reviewed in a spatial interaction model for a given period of time. All functions provided by a commercial GIS 
  
package can not solve all management problems in the station. The whole process gave a new horizon to endemic species 
research and conservation experiments. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Endemic species research in Taiwan is one of several 
approaches has been adopted to pursue conservation and 
environmental protection. Taiwan Endemic Species 
Research Institute is a quite new provincial government 
agency. There are three experimental stations to perform on 
site experiments at three different elevations to depict land 
forms of Taiwan. The Low Altitude Experimental Station 
was created in 1993. It covers an area about 384 hectares. It 
was a national forest with elevation in the range of 700 
meters to 1834 meters. Management of the station is a task 
that has to deal with vegetation, animal, meteorology, 
insects, soil, geology, and day to day business. Field 
experiments are not confined to a particular site that they 
should be in quite different forms and shapes. All factors in 
the field have to be taken into consideration on a continuous 
basis and everything has to be treated in an interaction way. 
A self-developed geographic information system ( GIS ) 
was created at the very beginning. Remote sensing, global 
positioning system, and radio tracking were also integrated 
with the GIS. Data bases creation is performed to cover a 
wide variety of data types at the station. Application 
modules were developed to manage the station such that 
experiments at the station can be treated in a spatial context 
and in a continuous basis. Commercial GIS packages have 
not been used. All programs were written in C and C++ 
languages. Every function provided in the GIS is on a 
module by module basis to solve different types of problems 
encountered in a daily business and the field experiments. 
One professor is working as a consultant and provided all 
programs for the station. The station is giving prescriptions 
of a certain type of modules has to be developed. All GIS 
functions are running in Chinese mode. It can be 
categorized as a customized design GIS. Every thing and 
every function in the GIS is developed on request. This 
developed GIS can be termed as a special purposed program 
which is good for the management of the experimental 
station. 
2. MATERIALS AND METHOD 
2.1 Management of the Station 
The major task at the Low Altitude Experimental Station is 
to perform on site experiments to ensure that endemic 
species can be conserved in a very good shape and in an 
ecological sense. Some endanger species have to bring into 
the station for further protection and studies. All 
environmental factors at the station have to be created in the 
databases. Every on site experiment at the station then can 
be monitored and analyzed closely and continuously. 
Management prescription has to adapt into its ecosystem. 
Spatial interaction has to be analyzed where it is possible. 
Day to day business other than experiments is also required 
to be managed in a GIS frame work. Thus, every thing at the 
station can be focused on the experiments to ensure that 
experiments at the station can be performed smoothly and 
efficiently. 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B7. Vienna 1996 
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