Gary GELLER NASA Ecological Forecasting Program Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology GEOSS Products Workshop Silver Spring MD March 2013 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (c) 2013 California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged. Sakurai Midori, Wikimedia Commons GEO Biodiversity Observation Network Coordination and interoperability of biodiversity systems

2 Overview  Background  Implementation  Challenges and considerations African wild dog/Martin Wegmann

3  Many biodiversity observations Dispersed among many systems Connections are missing Integrated products are difficult  Data gathering Limited coordination Current Situation Wikimedia Commons

4 GEO BON  Coordinate Data collection, management, distribution  Facilitate New products and services  Increase interoperability Develop global “network of networks”

5 GEO BON Key Roles  Facilitate collaborations  Build Community of Practice  Convene  Foster regional/topical BONs  Engage national governments Wikimedia Commons

6 Users Include…  UN Convention on Biological Diversity  UN Convention on Wetlands  Assessment bodies (e.g. IPBES)  Decision makers at all levels  Researchers  General public Wikimedia commons

7 Basic Questions 1.How is biodiversity changing? 2.Why is it changing? 3.What are the impacts?

8 Deliverable Types  Tangible, dynamic, & “operational” Calculated data product, or a service Need algorithm, inputs, production system  Tangible & non-operational Produced offline Periodic maps, Biodiversity Observation Handbook  Less tangible / intangible Capacity building Observation system coordination

9 Overall Implementation Approach  Voluntary  Collaborative  Opportunistic  9 Topical working groups  Regional and topical BONs Wikimedia commons

10 Implementation Approach, V1  Obtain “umbrella” funding  Develop a “coherent” system of related parts 2015 and beyond  Submit EU FP7 proposal  Rejoice  Implement  Temporary despair  Regroup and replan  Renewed energy Wikimedia commons

11 Implementation Approach, V2  Focus on 2015 delivery  Working group-driven  Not a single, integrated system Collection of useful products and services Organized around WG themes End result (2015) depends on what gets funded  Post-2015

12 (Nominal) Process for (re-)Planning Identify users Identify needs Identify inputs EBVs GEO BON items Non-GEO BON items Identify products & services Also: Identify supportive infrastructure(s)

13 Notional Structure for Dynamic Data Products

14 Also need…  Appropriate infrastructure(s) eg, to support interoperability of the different observation systems Wikimedia Commons

15 Example Product  Goal: Provide simple access to dispersed DBs  Desired approach Start with a few key databases Connect to GCI Provide a web page entry point for search Add more databases Marine WG + Data WG work together Marine Environmental Layers

16  Actual approach—similar but… Led by Data WG Start with local DB Part of AIP-6  Why? Leverage existing related activities Example of resource-driven development path Can’t do exactly what we want, have to do what is possible Example Product

17 A Major Challenge  Defining and implementing is an iterative process  Loosely coupled set of deliverables How can we plan for 2015 before the availability of resources is known?

18 Complications  Other groups doing similar work eg, Eye on Earth Not just complementary—some overlap Resources needed for coordination not always available  Volunteers are often constrained by their institution’s mission So—not just user-driven

19 GEOSS Common Infrastructure  Most GEO BON people don’t understand it  Vague sense of awareness  Intent to use is unclear Wikimedia commons

20 What Is Needed to Make GEO BON Successful?  Resources  Cool and useful deliverables  Engage with national governments  Outreach and visibility Martin Wegmann

21 Wrap-Up Main Challenges  Resources  Schedule  Maintaining focus  Coordination WG-WG Other GEO Tasks Other organizations  Ensuring partners receive net benefits  Making progress but much to do Martin Wegmann