Themes in OBIS-USA, for Discussion in Arctic ATN Workshop

1. Themes in OBIS-USA, for Discussion in Arctic ATN Workshop Philip Goldstein March 25, 2013 Ocean Biogeographic Information System

2. OBIS-USA Program – Three Aspects • US Node of International OBIS • UNESCO/IODE • Part of Federal Marine Biological Data Architecture • Includes OBIS-USA, OBIS-SEAMAP, NODC • Compatible with DMAC • Motivated by specific Federal funders • USGS Core Science, Analytics and Synthesis • USGS Internal Missions such as Biological Data and CMSP • Operational Help! Ocean Biogeographic Information System

3. OBIS-USA Functions • Biogeographic data: • Taxon Name • Location, depth, time, precision (x, y, z, d, t, e) • Circumstances of observation • Standards-based • National Resource • Bring together: • Data originators • Discovery and continuing applications • Archival requirements and access (NODC) Ocean Biogeographic Information System

4. Delivered Results of Enrollment - Checklist Enrollment is the process of bringing data on board and making it accessible to the required channels. When enrollment is complete, check these items off – these products will all be complete. Ocean Biogeographic Information System

5. Qualitative Results of Enrollment: Wealth of Data Ocean Biogeographic Information System

6. Flavors of Enrollment • Assisted Enrollment • Self-Enrollment • “Train-the-Enroller” creating experts in the community - “Points of Light” • Reference Implementation • Contrast requirements and opportunities of machine-generated data vs human-generated data • Don’t neglect metadata Ocean Biogeographic Information System

7. Enrollment Communications: Perhaps the Main Pre-Condition Data Participants Enrollment Activities OBIS-USA and friends Consensus and communications at several levels must be established and remain healthy through enrollment. Most of the effort involved in enrollment will be done by data staff with input from science team(s). Leadership and decision levels must be aware and oversee prioritization if necessary. Agency Agency Management and leadership levels give “go-ahead” and address prioritization if needed. PI / Mgmt Program Mgmt Science Science The bulk of the work is done at science and data levels. Data Data Ocean Biogeographic Information System

8. OBIS-USA Dataset Enrollment (steps a-j) This chart is provided only as an example of a process; it is not intended to be a model for a specific Arctic ATN data management process. =Philip Occurrence Data Format Image Table Gather Human Metadata Map to MBG Generate Machine Metadata a b c d e Get data into taxon-location-time format; from data originators’ various original technologies. Load occurrence format to MBG server location (if not already) Descriptive metadata for all purposes: citation, abstract, georef, taxon ID, sampling and calc methods. Create mapping document; identify questions at field- and dataset-level; review and resolve with data originator. Capture metadata that can be queried or calculated from dataset contents. Metadata to FGDC XML dbGenerate and service configs Publish Metadata Sync NODC Sync iOBIS f g h i j Populate FGDC format metadata in XML using human and machine contents from previous steps. Run script(s) to incorporate new dataset into OBIS-USA total database; run scripts to update web service configs. FGDC accessible by Clearinghouse and verified; FGDC to GCMD; FGDC to ISO (potential). Make new dataset (data and metadata) available to NODC; verify transfer and accession information. Make data available to iOBIS; verify transfer; verify GCMD. Ocean Biogeographic Information System

9. OBIS-USA Dataset Enrollment • Interaction: • Steps in highlighted in orange indicate substantial and essential involvement of data originator • Here is where to balance cost and detail, and build enthusiasm • Here is the excellent opportunity to build community Occurrence Data Format Image Table Gather Human Metadata Map to MBG Generate Machine Metadata a b c d e Get data into taxon-location-time format; from data originators’ various original technologies. Load occurrence format to MBG server location (if not already) Descriptive metadata for all purposes: citation, abstract, georef, taxon ID, sampling and calc methods. Create mapping document; identify questions at field- and dataset-level; review and resolve with data originator. Capture metadata that can be queried or calculated from dataset contents. Metadata to FGDC XML dbGenerate and service configs Publish Metadata Sync NODC Sync iOBIS f g h i j Populate FGDC format metadata in XML using human and machine contents from previous steps. Run script(s) to incorporate new dataset into OBIS-USA total database; run scripts to update web service configs. FGDC accessible by Clearinghouse and verified; FGDC to GCMD; FGDC to ISO (potential). Make new dataset (data and metadata) available to NODC; verify transfer and accession information. Make data available to iOBIS; verify transfer; verify GCMD. Ocean Biogeographic Information System

10. Discussion Topics • Redundant biological data programs? • No – the goal is to be complementary. This is challenging in practice and communication. • Put data in one place and be done with the task of sharing • Not a question of channel, it’s a question of process. Make sharing a well-defined process that can be done flexibly when, where, by whom, with what resources. • Spectrum from operational to research • This spectrum will influence data technology for sharing; also influences investigator’s motivation for sharing; also external motivation (customer) varies Ocean Biogeographic Information System

11. Discussion Topics • Be strategic about data types • It takes resources to be able to support and integrate different data types. • If you are reusing existing data types, don’t re-import them; integrate with them remotely on a standard-interface basis. • If you are innovating new data types or extending features of existing data types, get funded for it. It will require effort and this effort will contribute value to your community and others. Ocean Biogeographic Information System