Transcript GBIF Global Biodiversity Information Facility Background Presentation for Cyberinfrastructure for Environmental Research & Education Workshop Boulder, Colorado 31 October 2002 Meredith Lane Communications Officer, GBIF [email protected] www.gbif.org.

GBIF
Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Background Presentation for
Cyberinfrastructure for
Environmental Research & Education Workshop
Boulder, Colorado
31 October 2002
Meredith Lane
Communications Officer, GBIF
[email protected]
www.gbif.org
WCMC
ABI
GenBank
EMBL
WDCM
FishNet
CONABIO
INBio
AETFAT
ANGIS
NGO & science-driven resources and networks, mid-late 1990s
EIOnet
NBII
NABIN
IABIN
CONABIO
INBio
ERIN
Politically-driven content networks, mid-late 1990s
MEGASCIENCE FORUM of the OECD
(became Global Science Forum after the GBIF
recommendation was adopted)
 Examples of Working Groups:
 Neutron Sources
 Nuclear Physics
 Radio Astronomy
 Biological Informatics (1996–1999)
• Subgroup : Biodiversity Informatics
•
Subgroup : Neuroinformatics
Recommended that the Megascience Forum endorse development of
the Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Nature IS Networks
EIOnet
WCMC
ABI
NBII
NBII
GenBank
NABIN
EMBL
WDCM
FishNet
IABIN
CONABIO
CONABIO
AETFAT
INBio
INBio
ERIN
ANGIS
GBIF vision
Characteristics of this information domain:
Biodiversity
Itself
Developed World
Developing World
Biodiversity
Information
RATIONALE for a global biodiversity informatics effort

The biodiversity information domain is vast,
complex, and critically important to society.

However, most existing biodiversity data and
information are not at present dynamically
accessible, and therefore are not yet fully useful.

Recent technological and political developments
provide exciting research opportunities in
biodiversity informatics.
GBIF
What is GBIF?
GBIF
• An international scientific co-operative project based on
a multilateral agreement (MoU) between countries and
international organisations, dedicated to:
•
with links to molecular, genetic, ecological data levels
•
establishing an interoperable, distributed network of
databases containing scientific biodiversity information,
in order to:
•
make the world’s scientific biodiversity data universally
and freely available via the internet,
• with initial focus on species- and specimen-level data,
and
GBIF PRINCIPLES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Equitable sharing of information and its benefits
Providers maintain and upgrade their own data
Public-private partnerships
User-driven
Transparent
Best-practice use of technologies, standards and
procedures
Protection of intellectual property rights
International and inter-institutional coordination
GBIF
The Market for GBIF’s Products:
•
Biodiversity knowledge management at
the global level
•
•
Global biodiversity policy
•
Biological research support at global,
regional, national and local levels
Natural resource management at regional
and national levels
GBIF Relationships
GLOBAL
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Clearinghouse Mechanism (CHM)
REGIONAL
European Information Organization Network (EIOnet)
Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN)
North American Biodiversity Information Network (NABIN)
NATIONAL
LOCAL
CBIN (Canada)
CONABIO
(Mexico)
ERIN (Australia)
InBIO (Costa Rica)
NBII (U.S.A.)
Many examples:
Natural History Museum
Collections, research
databases, etc.
GBIF Relationships
GBIF Participant Nodes
GOVERNMENT
Clearinghouse Mechanism (CHM)
WCMC
NCEAS
ORGANIZATION
NatureServe
ETI
BIOSIS
CABI
COMMUNITY
Species 2000
TDWG
OBIS
GenBank
Protein DataBank
RESEARCH
FishBase
FlyBase
HerpNet
Characteristics of a Megascience Effort


Something that cannot be undertaken by only one country
 expense
 no one country has access to all the data
Some components of the research can be done at the national or
regional levels, but some must be truly global

Usually infrastructural in nature (e.g. CERN)

Involves Public-Private Partnerships

Scientists do some research in their own laboratories and some
in the megafacility
Involves collaboration among many scientists and others
The topic is hugely inclusive and affects many disciplines

•
Retroactive Data Capture is a Megascience Activity
Molecular
Biological
Informatics
“bioinformatics”
Age of “molecular
biology” virtually
equals age of
computers (ca. 50 yr);
Many of the data
automatically share
> 95% of all data
ATGC, amino acids,
etc.) with binary
structure
are digitized
Biodiversity &
Ecosystem
Informatics
Knowledgebase is
5X older than
computers (ca. 250
yr);
< 5% is
digitized
common
language (i.e.,
Data languages are
immensely
complex on
biological and
sociological levels (no
standardization; not
binary)
Minimum of
$500M spent per
year on
"bioinformatics"
$50M per year spent
on biodiversity
informatics, even
though a
minimum of $1B is
spent per year on
environmental
observations globally
How GBIF’s Tasks Were Chosen
Content area responsibilities of GBIF
Biological
Specimen
Data
GenBank,
et al.
Electronic
Catalog of
Names
Sequence
Data
(RNA,
protein, etc.)
Geospatial
Data
Climate
Data
Specialized
Search
Engines
Data
Access/
Interoperability
GBIF will enable synergism among existing
investments that is not possible at present
Ecosystems
Data
Ecological
Data
Existing
responsibilities of
other agencies
What is needed?
Computational Capacities
Connectivity
Content
Content Content
Content
Content
Content Content
Content
Content Content
Content
Content
Content
Content
ContentContent
• 1.5 - 3 B
specimens
worldwide
Data
Description,
Cleansing,
Indexing Tools
Data
Entry
Tools
Hardware
Legacy Active Databases Active Databases
Datasets
(disciplinary)
(cross-disciplinary)
Data from
static media
Software
Content
New data from
research and
monitoring
RAW
DATA
Appropriate
Processing
Capacity
Cross-Database
Linking Tools
STRUCTURED
DATA
Presentation
Tools
ANALYZED
DATA
INFORMATION
EDUCATION
ENTERTAIN MENT
Data
Management
Tools
Dynamic,
Append-only
Data Storage
Data
Correlation
& Analysis
Tools
Reporting
Tools
Bulk Data Information
Transport
Delivery
(T3 & up) (T1, ASDL)
Environmental Decision-Support
Example:
Species distribution
User =
Decisionmaker
working
on
location
of
Wildlife
Reserves
GIS
layers
Single species model
Using Biodiversity and other data interoperably
“Species Richness”
and/or
“Habitat conservation”
models
Example:
User =
Decisionmaker
working
on
location
of
Wildlife
Reserves
Combined
single
species
models
Presentation tools can simplify the analysis for end users
Dave Peters
Tasmanian Parks Dept.
•250 years of literature
• Sequences …
•
Art
• Images
• Film / Sound
COMPLEX
LEGACY
Megascience is Strategic
Beneficiaries of this Megascience Effort

Biodiversity-rich countries
 repatriation of data
 access to global biodiversity knowledge-base

Information networks (CHM, IABIN, EIOnet, et al.)

Governments and others responsible for management of living
natural resources

Private Sector, e.g.
 agriculture, forestry, fishing...
 publishing and biotechnology
 pharmaceuticals and other health-related areas

Scientific research

Education (formal and informal)
Characteristics of GBIF
GBIF
• Equitable sharing of information and its benefits
• Providers retain control over their own data
• Protection of intellectual property rights
• Complement existing biodiversity information
networks
• Open facility architecture
• Reduces duplications of effort
• Coordinated by Secretariat staff, but
• Most of the real work de-centralized
GBIF
Membership
• Voting membership is open to any country or economy that
agrees to:
 Sign MoU
 Make required financial contribution
 Share scientific biodiversity data
 Establish a national GBIF node
• Associate (non-voting) membership is open to any country,
economy or organisation that agrees to:
 Sign MoU
 Share scientific biodiversity data
 Establish a GBIF node
Established: 2001
GBIF
• March: 1st Governing Board Meeting (GB1)
•
•
•
 Elected Christoph Häuser Chair
 Established Ebbe Nielsen prize
June: GB2: Denmark (University of Copenhagen) selected to
host the GBIF Secretariat
September: GB3:
 Selected Dr. James L. Edwards to be Executive Secretary
 Established Science and Budget Committees
March 2002: GB4:
 Awarded first Ebbe Nielsen Prize
 Established Participant Node Managers Committee
Where we are now:
GBIF
•
October 2002: GB5:
 Work Programme
 Participant Nodes
• 24 Voting Participants
• 25 Associate Participants (11 countries, 14
organizations) as of 31 Oct 2002
What we’ve done - YEAR 1
Secretariat established in Copenhagen
•
IT infrastructure designed and in process of
implementation
•
Work Programme developed by Secretariat and
approved by Science Committee and the Governing
Board
GBIF
•
•
•
Secretariat staff hired
STAG meetings held to aid in developing the priority
work programmes
GBIF
Work Programmes
• Data Access and Database Interoperability (DADI)
• Electronic Catalogue of Names of
Known Organisms (ECAT)
• Digitization of Natural History Collections (DIGIT)
• Outreach and Capacity Building (OCB)
• Down the road:
 “Species Bank”
 Digital Biodiversity Literature Resources
GBIF
Relationships & IT Services
GLOBAL
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
CBD Clearinghouse Mechanism (CHM)
REGIONAL
European Information Organization Network (EIOnet)
Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN)
North American Biodiversity Information Network (NABIN)
NATIONAL
CBIN (Canada)
CONABIO (Mexico)
ERIN (Australia)
INBio (Costa Rica)
NBII (U.S.A.)
LOCAL
Natural History Museum Collections,
libraries, research databases, etc.
What GBIF will do - YEAR 2 -
GBIF
working with the Participant Nodes:
• Adopt standards for interoperability (DADI)
• Development of appropriate search engines, the GBIF
central portal and Participant portals (IT)
• Build on the Catalog of Names of Known Organisms
(ECAT)
• Increase rate of digitisation of biodiversity data (DIGIT)
• Plan for installing GBIF hardware and software and for
training individuals in their use (OCB)
• Data-rich biodiversity databases agree to affiliate with
GBIF via Participant Nodes (Participants)
GBIF
The Participants are GBIF ...
Supporting partnerships
Open Architecture
Access and Interoperability
Capacity Building
GBIF
Data-rich Nodes (institutions,
organizations)
Human Resources
(GB, Committees,
STAGS, GBIF users
& data providers)
Computing and
Communications
Databases
(including legacy
data)
GBIF
GBIF WILL:
Provide comprehensive information to
Respond to environmental questions;
Avoid duplication of effort;
Cost-efficiently leverage funds;
Track data, software and human resources; and
Inform internationally in support of
Coordination of informatics efforts in order to
Achieve sustainability goals and
Learn about biodiversity.
TOXICOLOGY NEUROSCIENCE
DATA
DATA
MOLECULAR CHEMICAL
DATA
AND
INFORMATION
BIODIVERSITY
GENETIC
EDUCATION
AND
DATA
ECOSYSTEMS HEALTH ENTERTAIN
MENT
DATA
SCIENCES
PHYSIOLOGY
DATA
DATA PHYLOGENETIC
DATA
industry
policy
management
public
informal
formal