ocean biogeographic information system edward vanden berghe
TRANSCRIPT
‘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• Provides the biogeographic context for
ocean research
Why do this?
• Proper management of natural resources requires properly managed data and information– Several organisations sharing fisheries data
• OBIS model makes data and information management more efficient– Share responsibilities, tools, standards…– Share data across different organisations and
countries• OBIS is a way of ensuring data is not lost
– Archaeology and rescue for historic data– Repositories for new data
• Assist in data discovery– Links with EoL, BOLD…
OBIS as part of GBIF
• Same technology– DiGIR, investigating IPT
• Same structure– Darwin Core, OBIS Schema– Investigating expansion
• Same philosophy and terms of use
OBIS as part of UNESCO
• Adopted by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
• As part of their International Oceanographic Data and information Exchange programme
• So no longer an project-based activity, but intergovernmental
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
• Biodiversity component of IOC– Under IODE programme– Contributing to GOOS
• Partner with FAO, UNEP (WCMC)• Hosted by Rutgers University IMCS• Funded by Sloan Foundation
OBIS records viewed
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Mar-2006 Oct-2006 Apr-2007 Nov-2007 Jun-2008 Dec-2008 Jul-2009 Jan-2010
Standards
• Biogeography: GBIF/TDWG– Darwin Core, Extended to OBIS Schema– ABCD
• Metadata: discovery metadata– Global Change Master Directory – NASA– MEDI – IODE; FGDC – US Gov?
• Taxonomy: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) – Contribution to Species 2000 and Catalogue of
Life• Geography
– Polygon sets• EEZs, FAO areas, IHO…
– Gazetteer
Extensions to Darwin Core
• Begin and end point– Position, depth, date/time– Accommodate trawls
• Sample size– Quantitative information
• In collaboration with GBIF working on system to extend standard– Ecological information, EML
Standards: taxonomy
• Aphia is general species register maintained at VLIZ– Consists of several overlapping subsets
• defined geographical (ERMS, NWARMS…) • defined taxonomic (Porifera,
Platyhelminthes…)• defined thematic (HABs, invasive species)
• Exposed through www.marinespecies.org
• WoRMS = Aphia + external GSDs– Algaebase, Hexacorallia, FishBase…
OBIS number of records
• 699 datasets• 20.1 million distribution records • 147,000 names, 107,000 taxa• Among the largest provider to
the Global Biodiversity Information Facility
• Who’s providing data?– Regional OBIS Nodes– Census of Marine Life
CoML & Ocean Observing
An example of how CoML technologies can be
implemented in earth and ocean observing systems
7 seals tracked during 2-3 month summer feeding migrations
Some animals dive 1000m
Some CoML Discoveries
Athorybia rosacea – a siphonophore from the
Sargasso Sea
Palinurus barbarae – a lobster from around Madagascar
Promachoteuthis sloani – a squid from the mid-Atlantic Ridge
Ceratoserolis – an isopod from the Weddell Sea
Kiwa hirsuta – a crab from around Easter
Island (nicknamed the Yeti crab)
Role of the regional nodes
• Ensuring true global cover for OBIS• Regional nodes are closer to the providers
of the data– 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
Public Accessibility
IOBIS
Global Datasets e.g.FAO, HexacoralliaFishbase &Seamounts
Data Found ByIOBIS Not FromGlobal Databases
Online Providers
Regional Node With Local DatasetsAnd Online Providers
RegionalSubset
All data
Regional Node With Local Datasets Only
GBIF
Global NodeRegional NodeProviderGlobal DatabaseRegional DatabaseProductsAll DataSubset of Data
OBIS Regional Node Architecture
RMB - March 14, 2004
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
Taxonomic bias
Taxon # species # in OBIS %Cetaceans 133 117 88Seals… 45 36 80Fish 24139 21258 88
Echinoderms 6199 1624 26Decapods 8227 3796 46Bryozoans 6000 1096 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
Marine fish to be discovered
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
Percentage completeness 1 100
Plans for the future
• More data and analysis• Develop thematic portals, on issues
of direct societal relevance– Invasive species, HABs…
• Develop demonstrator projects– Species distributions, hotspots…
• Support CoML scientists– Integration across themes– 2010 Synthesis– Publications: theme section(s)