Transcript Document

Ocean Biogeographic
Information System
Edward Vanden Berghe
‘Mission’
• OBIS publishes primary data on marine
species locations online through
www.iobis.org
– It facilitates data discovery and exploration by
• Searching by species, higher taxa, time, location,
depth, data set
• Mapping observed occurrences
• Modelling of potential environmental range
– Integrates data over marine themes
• Microbes to whales
• Genetics and morphology
• Poles to equator…
– Enables data capture for re-use
OBIS in context
• Data integration component of CoML
– Capturing and integrating data
– Support the 2010 synthesis
• Marine component of GBIF
– Fully inter-operable with GBIF standards
– Extending with marine-specific elements
• Marine component of Species 2000
– World register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
– http://marinespecies.org
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Partner with FAO, UNEP (WCMC)
Part of IOC/IODE
Hosted by Rutgers University IMCS
Funded by Sloan Foundation
OBIS functions
• More than a database, is a community of
practice
– Seeks out new datasets
– Develops standards for data exchange and
management
– Develops software tools for online use
• Data system very visible product of
community
– Caches species distribution data from many
databases
– Creates taxonomic and geographic indices
– Makes all data freely accessible online
Distribution of cod, Gadus morhua, shown as ‘csquares’ map
Predicting distribution of invasive species, Pterois volitans
OBIS records viewed
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
Mar-06
Oct-06
Apr-07
Nov-07
Jun-08
Dec-08
Jul-09
OBIS number of records
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>700 datasets
21 million distribution records
147,000 names, 104,000 taxa
Among the largest provider to
GBIF
• Who’s providing data?
– Regional OBIS Nodes
– Census of Marine Life
Map of CoML field projects
CoML & Ocean Observing
An example of how CoML technologies can be
implemented in earth and ocean observing systems
Some animals dive 1000m
7 seals tracked during 2-3 month summer feeding migrations
Location of RONs
Role of the regional nodes
• Ensuring true global cover for OBIS
– Better serving local/regional needs
• Regional nodes are closer to the providers
of the data
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Local visibility for global OBIS data
Mobilise data from region
Technical assistance, also with standardisation
Specialised information products and services
• Data available on the regional network are
also available on the global network
– Increased global visibility for local data and data
providers
– Data sharing
RONs in CarSA
• Tropical and subtropical Western Atlantic
– Fabio Lang da Silveira
– Brazil, University of Sao Paulo
• Argentina (also very active in Antarctica)
– Argentina, Centro Nacional Patagónico
– Mirtha Lewis
• South-East Pacific
– Chile, FONDAP COPAS
– Ruben Escribano
• Active groups in Venezuela and Columbia
• Preliminary discussions in Mexico (UNAM)
Still a lot of work…
• We don’t know the total
biodiversity
– New species are discovered
• Selective sampling in geography
– Mostly in surface waters
– Temperate zones
• Selective sampling in taxonomy
– Mostly big things, vertebrates
New species are discovered
Data from http://marinespecies.org
Geographical bias
Bias in depth: deeper than 2500m
Taxonomic bias
Taxon
Cetaceans
Seals…
Fish
# species # in OBIS %
133
117
88
45
36
80
24139
21258
88
Echinoderms
Decapods
Bryozoans
6199
8227
6000
1624
3796
1096
26
46
18
Analysis of OBIS data
• First attempts at diversity pattern on
a global scale, with a large number
of taxa
– Previously either local or on one taxon
(e.g. commercial large fish like tuna,
forams…)
– ‘Safety in numbers’
• Results not affected by idiosyncrasies of
single taxon or study
• Results very preliminary, and need
data cleaning and further checking
– E.g. by artificially removing datasets
from analysis
Species richness: ES(50)
Marine fish to be discovered
Percentage completeness
1
100
Mora et al (2007). The completeness of taxonomic inventories for describing the
global diversity and distribution of marine fishes. Proc. R. Soc. B, published on line
Collaboration?
• Forging links between RONs and
NODCs
• Assisting RONs with data
mobilisation
– Government agencies
• Marine Atlas
– Biodiversity component
– Creation of local portals integrating
physical oceanography and biodiversity
Get in touch
• www.iobis.org
• [email protected],
[email protected]