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

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

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

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

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

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