One of the most useful advances in technology for ecosystem work is the Geographic Information System (GIS). An introduction to what a GIS is, its use, types of data, and information on hardware and software specifications is excerpted and modified from Graves and Watts (2000a).
Another good reference is Koeln et al. (1994), a chapter in The Wildlife Society’s techniques manual. A more general-interest introduction is found in a GIS Primer at: http://www.innovativegis.com/education/primer/primer.html. The parent site is http://www.innovativegis.com/.
The periodical "GeoWorld" contains a monthly column called "Beyond Mapping" that provides a 1-2 page tutorial on different aspects of GIS applications and development. To access the columns, go to http://www.geoplace.com/gw/ for the current issue and scroll down to the section on columns. To access previous issues, click on "Archives," find "GeoWorld," select a year, and search for "Beyond Mapping." Catalogs of previous years are being added at this time.