Genetic Diversity of the World’s 10,000 Bird Species 2009

Jean-Marc Gauthier and Mark Young Stoeckle from The Barcode of Life project, The Rockefeller University, created a 3D interactive visualization tool showing world bird species in 27 orders. The visualization includes names, texts, pictures, 3D models and animations.

Keywords:
3D visualization, scientific visualization, interdisciplinary, web browser, dynamic display of data, exploring data, bird species.

Goal:
This application is a multidimensional tool for the visualization of bird species. Description: Researchers around the world are collaborating on constructing a reference library of DNA barcodes derived from specimens identified by experts and stored in museums. The interactive "bird map" plot includes 10,000 squares, and each of the world's approximately 10,000 species is assigned a square, using x and y coordinates of a grid. The species are arranged on the grid according to their taxonomic order, which reflects evolutionary history and puts closely-related birds near to each other, starting with the most ancient lineages.

Genetic and other comparative data is overlaid on the grid as three-dimensional blocks, with height and color used to represent particular features, such as minimum genetic distances between species for example.

Innovation:
The visualization is generated in real time from a listing of the birds available online in spreadsheet, XML format. Texts, pictures, 3D models and animations are available inside the tool.

Client:
Mark Young Stoeckle, Senior Research Associate at Program for the Human Environment The Rockefeller University, The Barcode of Life project. “Working with Jean-Marc has thus far been an exciting collaboration that I believe will help us better understand genetic diversity among the 10,000 species of birds” Dr. Stoeckle.

Credits: Data -Dr Soeckle. Research, development, production, interface design - Jean-Marc Gauthier.

Publications:
Professor Designs 3-D Tool to Explore Diversity of World’s 10,000 Bird Species, NYU Today, April 16 Research Issue
ITP Professor Jean Marc Gauthier Designing 3-D Interactive Tool for Exploring the Genetic Diversity of World’s 10,000
New Software Allows Scientists to Navigate in 3-D, NYU Research, Vol. 3, #1, New York, USA

Links:
Live demo using the 3D Life Player from Dassault Systems

Visualization projects

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tCjAQbFkIw&list=UUXJOJlVmw1x4V63ZeobPsag&index=11