Ocean Biodiversity Informatics

1. Ocean Biodiversity Informatics International Conference on Marine Biodiversity Data Management Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

2. Objectives • Stock-taking • where are we? • where do we want to go? • Technological changes • necessitate re-thinking of data management and role of data centres • How to create large databases • content • technology Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

3. Specific objectives • bring together biological data managers to discuss the present state, and progress, in this field since the meetings in Hamburg (1996) and Brussels (2002) • provide an opportunity for biological data managers to find out what is happening at international organisations • discuss potential gaps and overlaps in the taxonomic and geographic scope of existing data systems • discuss standards and protocols for data exchange • how to integrate data from separate databases • learn how these integrated databases have provided new insights Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

4. Follow-up from previous meetings • International Workshop on Oceanographic Biological and Chemical Data Management. Hamburg, Germany. 20-23 May 1996 • Bundesamt für Seeschiffahrt und Hydrographie, • IOC, NOAA (WDC-A) • Colour of Ocean Data Symposium. Brussels, Belgium. 25-27 November 2002 • Flanders Marine Institute • OSTC, IOC, OBIS Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

5. Hamburg 1996: objectives • identify parameters that the IOC/IODE system can effectively handle • describe minimum meta data requirements that make the data useful for future users of the data • identify problems that may limit the usefulness of historical data • identify users of these data and their requirements Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

6. Hamburg 1996: topics • Need for biological and oceanographic data • Standardization of biological data collection • Development of chemical and biological oceanographic data management • Future technology • Capacity building • Funding Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

7. Brussels 2002: objectives • Bring together marine/oceanographic data users and providers from different backgrounds • Biological vs physico-chemical • Data manager vs scientist • Identify common needs • Identify points of common interest Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

8. Brussels 2002: conclusions • Differences between physico-chemical and biological databases • Physicochemical data are larger volumes; biological data are more complex • Better established system for data exchange for PC data • Commonalities more important than differences • Need for proper data management: archiving… • Make databases citable (incentive for data submission) Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

9. International organisations • IOC • Lesley Rickards in opening session • Several talks by people from NODCs • ICES • Julie Gillin in opening session, chair of session, closing session • Talk/poster from ICES collaborators • ICSU/WDCs • Nick Michaelov, Robert Gelfeld • Support from WDC-A to participants • OBIS, GBIF, FAO… Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

10. Gaps and overlaps • Needs inventory of activities • Too much integration, too little work on the ground? • ‘inverted pyramid’ • Too little work in the tropics? • Too much observer bias to ‘sexy’ groups like fish and molluscs? Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

11. Standards and protocols • Standards • species lists, classification • gazetteer • information content/db structure • Protocols • mechanics of data exchange • eg DiGIR, BioCASe Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

12. Distributed systems • Data creator remains in control of data • Technological changes make re-thinking of the role of data centres necessary • ICES re-inventing its data centre • IODE review • Discussions during COD conference Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

13. Integrate data • Within discipline • OBIS, GBIF • Create large databases, make distribution patterns visible • Across disciplines • physic-chemical parameters • IOC/IODE, WDCs • correlate distribution patterns with environmental information • How to get at the data? Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

14. New insights • Integration leads to larger geographic and taxonomic scopes, longer time basis – patterns clearer • Turn data into information • Data retrieval and visualisation tools • Analysis • Analysis tools • Fisheries examples Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

15. Four thematic sessions • Information system development • Taxon-based systems • Geography-based systems • Analysis Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

16. Closing session • Revisit COD panel discussion • Consensus statement on need for large databases • IODE review Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

17. Publications • Book of Abstracts • Proceedings • Theme section in Marine Ecology Progress Series Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

18. Proceedings • Content • all papers • approx 10 pages/article, black and white • submit before 31 January • Publisher • IOC, VLIZ, others? Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

19. Theme section MEPS • Deadline for submission is now • Only those papers that have scientific content that would pass the normal peer-reviewing process of MEPS • See Mark Costello Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

20. Organisers Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004

21. Financial support Ocean Biodiversity Informatics conference Hamburg, 29/11-1/12/2004