Experimental Google Earth Phylogenetic Tree Server

One of the components of the CIPRES project is the development of TreeBASE II — a robust, scalable, and versatile re-design and re-engineering of TreeBASE. As part of this project, we are exploring other ways of browsing and visualizing trees. Google Earth is a fantastic 3-D browser for exploring geographic resources and has the potential to be a useful and fun tool for delivering biological information with a geographic component.

We have implemented a simple prototype tree viewer for Google Earth. To try it out, download and unzip this file, then open it in Google Earth. As you navigate the earth, trees will start appearing under the list of places on the left of your screen. Within each tree folder is a tree placemark (represented as a series of connected lines) and a folder that contains point locations for the leaf tips of the tree. Depending on which boxes are checked, the parts can be toggled on and off. To view and appreciate a tree you need to descend closer to the earth's surface and "horizontalize" your view. Use the rotate button to circle the tree.

We have also made it possible for biologists to upload trees to our server by going here. Please only upload real phylogenetic trees based on real specimen collection and GIS data. In the "extra information" field for the tree, please provide a citation and/or author/owner information. Ideally, please use taxon labels that are taxonomically informative for other biologists.

Please send comments, feedback, and bugs to piel<at>treebase.org.