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Measuring Biodiversity: Google Sheets Tutorial
INTRODUCTION
This database contains a subset of data from Snapshot Wisconsin cameras deployed in two different
Wisconsin ecoregions: Southern Wisconsin Till Plains (SWTP) and Northern Lakes and Forests (NLF). The
columns of the spreadsheet refer to different pieces of metadata, metadata is defined as a set of data
describing and giving information about other data (in this case the trail camera photos). The metadata
describes the compass bearing of the trail camera, height from the ground, height from the trail, trigger
ID (the name that the photo is stored as), camera number, animal, number of animals, data the photo
was taken, time, and temperature.
These step-by-step instructions are designed to help students take a raw dataset and convert it into a
series of Pivot Tables. The Pivot Tables will allow students to view the abundance of species for specific
ecoregions, and calculate biodiversity indices.
PART I: ACCESSING THE DATABASE
1. Download “Measuring Biodiversity Database.xlsx” file.
2. Go to google.com/sheets. Under “Start a new spreadsheet” at the top of the page, select
“Blank.” Once in Google Sheets, select File Open Upload Select a file from your
computer navigate to “Measuring Biodiversity Database.xlsx”.
3. Now that Google Sheets will display the Measuring Biodiversity Database we can begin
manipulating the data to calculate biodiversity indices.
Step 3. View of Measuring Biodiversity Database in Google Sheets.