Bringing advanced GIS research to Poland
The Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences (MRI PAS) received support from the Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Programme to create a Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity Conservation and Mammal Research in Terrestrial Ecosystems (BIOTER). The BIOTER funding helped establish MRI PAS as a state-of-the-art academic facility focussed on environmental research and education. One of the aims of BIOTER was to develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) laboratory at MRI PAS. A critical component of the set-up of the lab involved providing access to several land-use databases, including PELCOM (Pan-European Land Use and Land Cover Monitoring), CORINE (Coordination of information on the environment) and FPAR (Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation), as well as digital forestry maps. These databases are derived from analysis of data collected from Earth-orbiting satellites. Having this wealth of information at their fingertips opens up a whole new area of research to the MRI PAS scientists. Studies of changes in land-use in time and space will provide insight into the effects of climate change and other anthropogenic impacts on the natural environment and biodiversity. The new GIS laboratory will also enable the MRI PAS to attract more and better students to their postgraduate research programmes. This will add value to the institute and help raise its international profile.