8 
Bulletin of the EANHS 29(3) 
of data are manually cross-checked periodically 
The BDB application enables field observations to 
be analysed with respect to environmental themes, 
including topography, climate, hydrology, vegetation 
and land use. This allows the NBDB to model the habitat 
preferences of different species in terms of the 
environmental conditions in which they arc observed. 
Thus, tor example, based on a number of separate 
specimens or distribution records of a certain mammal, 
ns habitat preferences could be determined as ‘above 
altitude X. min rainfall Yl. max Y2 . in areas with 
human population density lower than Z’ 
This approach has been applied extensively to the 
prediction of bird species' distributions, leading to the 
imminent publication of a Bird Atlas of Uganda in 2000 
Further studies have enabled biodiversity ‘hotspots' to 
be located, and overall biodiversity ‘values' to be 
assessed (Tushabe et al, in press) 
APPLICATION DESIGN 
It is well recognised that information lor conservation 
planning and policy development must be clear, timely 
and brief (sec WCMC 1998 for a full analysis) For 
this reason the BDB application was designed to enable 
data to be analysed rapidly and output in the form ol 
standard information products Factors which allow the 
application to respond quickly to information requests 
include. 
• Manual and electronic error-checking 
procedures for quality assurance 
• A well-structured electronic filing system, 
capable of handling large volumes of data 
• Quick and easy searching methods based upon 
standard query language (SQL) 
• Predesigned analytical capabilities, including 
area-based species’ lists, diversity figures and 
predictions ol species distributions 
• Integration with other computer applications, 
notably desktop mapping and geographic 
information systems (GIS) 
• A dedicated database development leant 
supported by an expert array of biodiversity 
researchers and discipline specialists 
USES OF THE NBDB 
Major uses to which the NBDB has been put include 
• Analysts of biodiversity data for the Sango Bay 
region (Fuller et al. .1995. Bakamwesiga el al. 
in press), to enable the production of an 
integrated conservation and development plan 
(this work was supported by the United 
Kingdom's Darwin Imitative) 
• Analysis ol biodiversity data tor Karamoja 
(Pomeroy & Tushabe, 1996) to enable the 
Uganda Wildlife Authority to reassess ns 
protected areas policy, including prioritisation 
of different areas in terms of their relative 
biodiversity values. 
• A Bird Mias of Uganda (to be published in 2000) 
containing species' descriptions and both actual 
and predicted distribution maps, supported by 
the British Ornithologists' Club (BOC) 
• Continuous provision of data and information 
products to researchers and other groups 
working in conservation projects in Uganda 
CONCLUSION 
The National Biodiversity Data Bank al Makerere 
University has established itself as a centre of excellence 
for the management of biodiversity data. The NBDB's 
aim is to achieve a higher uptake of such data land 
derived information products) in conservation planning 
and policy development, whether in government, 
industry or civil society 
By exploiting the best available knowledge on the 
status and distribution of Uganda's living resources, 
conservation measures can be designed in a cost- 
effective and strategic manner, rather than the reactive 
or ad hoc approaches which have characterised some 
past endeavours. 
Al present (he Uganda Wildlife Authority and the 
Uganda Forest Department arc both subject to long 
term reform It ts hoped that both organisations will 
decide to utilise the extensive resources developed by 
the NBDB 10 place Ugandan conservation onto a secure 
scientific basis 
Acknowledgements 
MUIENR is grateful to both the United States Agency 
lor International Development (USAID) and the Global 
Environment Facility (GEF) lor supporting the National 
Biodiversity Data Bank The support of the Uganda 
Wildlife Authority (UWA) is also appreciated, as is 
the continuing support of WCMC We thank Alan 
Rodgers and Derek Pomeroy for their comments on 
this paper 
Juke Reynolds 
University of Cambridge Programme for Industry. I 
Trumptnglon Street, Cambridge CB2 1QA. UK 
Herbert Tushabe & Pant a Kasoma 
Makerere University Institute of Environment and 
Natural Resources. P O Box 7298. Kampala. Uganda 
References 
Bakamwesiga. H . P Kasoma. D Katabarwa. and D E. 
Pomeroy (in press) Conservation of Biodiversity 
in the Sango Bay area in southern Uganda Journal 
of East African Natural History Society 
Fuller. R M.. G. B Groom. P Ipulet. S Mugisha. 
D E Pomeroy. A B Katcnde. R Bailey. R Ogutu 
Ohwayo. and S B Wandcra (1995). Darwin 
Initiative : computers in terrestrial ecology, Sango 
Bav. Uganda Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. 
