Improving the visual communication of environmental model projections

Abstract

Environmental and ecosystem models can help to guide management of changing natural systems by projecting alternative future states under a common set of scenarios. Combining contrasting models into multi-model ensembles (MMEs) can improve the skill and reliability of projections, but associated uncertainty complicates communication of outputs, affecting both the effectiveness of management decisions and, sometimes, public trust in scientific evidence itself. Effective data visualisation can play a key role in accurately communicating such complex outcomes, but we lack an evidence base to enable us to design them to be visually appealing whilst also effectively communicating accurate information. To address this, we conducted a survey to identify the most effective methods for visually communicating the outputs of an ensemble of global climate models. We measured the accuracy, confidence, and ease with which the survey participants were able to interpret 10 visualisations depicting the same set of model outputs in different ways, as well as their preferences. Dot and box plots outperformed all other visualisations, heat maps and radar plots were comparatively ineffective, while our infographic scored highly for visual appeal but lacked information necessary for accurate interpretation. We provide a set of guidelines for visually communicating the outputs of MMEs across a wide range of research areas, aimed at maximising the impact of the visualisations, whilst minimizing the potential for misinterpretations, increasing the societal impact of the models and ensuring they are well-placed to support management in the future.

Research on Oil Painting Layout and Expression Form Based on Multi Data Visual Communication

“…At the equal time, it additionally brings high-quality stimulation to present day viewers in experience. In the usual visible conversation design, the media that undertakes the transmission venture is on the whole in the structure of airplane drawings [2]. Both ordinary textual content snap shots and regular photograph photographs have a frequent function that the mode of verbal exchange is two-dimensional.…”

Design of public cultural sign based on Faster-R-CNN and its application in urban visual communication

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Towards smart nutrient retention networks to improve water quality: perspectives, theories and tools

“…Linking the communities of modelers (e.g., AEMON) and nonmodelers (e.g., stakeholders, managers, policymakers) is essential to bring model outcomes to practice because many decision makers who are responsible for lake restoration have limited modeling research background but eagerly need the modeling outcomes to guide the management strategies. Despite the recent advances in modeling, communicating model results and their uncertainties with non-modeling communities remains challenging (Liu et al 2008;Bannister et al 2021). To this end, we deem that the EscapeBLOOM could bridge the gap between modelers and nonmodelers.…”