====== Chameleon Wiki Home ======
===== Welcome to the Chameleon Bush Encroachment Wiki: a decision tool for farmers. =====
 It is an ongoing process to develop this Decision Support System, and thus there may be pages under construction at any time. We greatly encourage you to communicate with us, providing your suggestions for improvement, viewpoints etc.


:!: The Chameleon Bush Encroachment Research Group can be contacted by e-Mail: [[chameleon@polytechnic.edu.na]] 


===== Project Background =====
The Chameleon project was launched as a joint research project at the [[http://www.polytechnic.edu.na|Polytechnic of Namibia]]. Based on a state-and-transition model for semi-arid savanna dynamics, with particular reference to bush encroachment [[(Joubert, Rothauge and Smit, in prep.)|(Joubert, Rothauge and Smit, 2008)]],  the development of an online Decision Support System was started in 2003 and is since being developed further. Recently (2007) [[http://www.biota-africa.org/|BIOTA]] funding has allowed the project to be extended. [[more info|(More Information...)]]


===== Bush Encroachment Prevention =====



==== Wiki-Based Decision Support System ====
Please click ->**[[DSS|here]]** to start the Wiki-based Decision Support System for Bush Encroachment Prevention.

{{front.jpg|}}

**An old //Acacia mellifera// is seen in this photo dying off while new plants are establishing around the parent tree:a common occurrence.**

==== Scientific Information and Background Knowledge ====
  - [[wp>List_of_Acacia_species|List of Acacia Species]]
  - [[wp>Acacia_Mellifera|Acacia Mellifera]]
  - [[wp>List_of_Southern_African_indigenous_trees|List of Southern African Indigenous Trees]]

===== General Information and References =====

==== General Web Links ====
  * [[http://www.polytechnic.edu.na|Polytechnic of Namibia]]
    * [[http://se.polytechnic.edu.na|Department of Software Engineering]]
    * [[http://www.polytechnic.edu.na/academics/schools/nat_res_tourism/land_man/Lmhome.htm|Department of Land Management]]
    * [[http://www.polytechnic.edu.na/academics/schools/nat_res_tourism/conserv/conserv.htm|Department of Nature Conservation]]

==== Literature ====
=== Chameleon Web-Based DSS ===
  * Fendler, J.: {{chameleon-system-design.pdf|The Chameleon System. System Design and Technology Overview}}. Technical Report. 2003. Polytechnic of Namibia.
  * Fendler, J.: {{chameleonwaum.pdf|Chameleon Web Application User Manual}}. 2003. Polytechnic of Namibia.
  * Fendler, J.: {{chameleon-thesis.pdf|Chameleon. Development of a Web-Based Expert Systemn for Bush Encroachment Prevention}}. Diploma Thesis. 2005. Polytechnic of Namibia/University of Applied Sciences Wolfenbüttel.

==== Contact Information ====
^ Name             ^ Department           ^ Web Site           ^ e-Mail                          ^
| Dave Joubert     | Nature Conservation   | [[Dave Joubert]]   | [[djoubert@polytechnic.edu.na]] |
| Ibo Zimmermann   | Agriculture           | [[Ibo Zimmermann]] | [[izimmermann@polytechnic.edu.na]]   |
| Patrick Graz     | University of Ballarat| [[http://www.ballarat.edu.au/ard/sci-eng/staff/pgraz.shtml | Patrick Graz]]   |                                 |
| Jens Fendler     | Software Engineering  | [[http://se.polytechnic.edu.na/show?page=staff/fendler|Jens Fendler]] | [[jfendler@polytechnic.edu.na]] |
| Heike Winschiers | Software Engineering  | [[http://se.polytechnic.edu.na/show?page=staff/winschiers|Heike Winschiers]] | [[heikew@polytechnic.edu.na]] |