Prototyping the visualization of geographic and sensor data for agriculture

The effectiveness of decision-making processes in the agricultural domain can be improved by integrating current local environmental and agromonitoring with the Geographic Information System (GIS) and wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The presented paper describes conceptual approaches to context-based cartographic visualization methods for agricultural and metrological data acquired by WSN and a portal prototype for integrated visualization. Each sensor used for agricultural applications has a location and can be placed within a broader spatial context. In our study, sensor characteristics (soil temperature and moisture, atmospheric temperature and moisture) were automatically monitored at frequent intervals and these readings were aggregated with geospatial data from both local and remote (Web Map Service) sources. An experimental portal for the integration and visualization of sensor data and geospatial data was designed and prototyped on the basis of an open source interoperable platform. Conceptual approaches were successfully implemented on four experimental small-plot fields planted with different crop species and operated using different soil tillage practices. Experimental fields were situated in the southeast of the Czech Republic. Very Long range Identification Tag (VLIT) technology was used for wireless communication. Sensor observations verified differences in agrometeorological variables for the conventional tillage of soil and the no-tillage variant. Contextual cartographic visualization was successfully deployed for map view, dynamic cartographic symbology, and the dynamic measurement chart.