CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION FACILITY Biodiversity and uses of biodiversity data: Introduction Garin Cael (Royal Museum for Central Africa Tervuren, Belgium) ‏ CEPDEC-TZ Training Course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information Dar Es Salaam July 2009

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania What are biodiversity data? - plant and animal specimen data held in museums and herbaria (2,5 to 3 billion worldwide) ‏ - survey data - observational data

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Value of digitised specimen data? outdated and unreliable? no: used with great success many efforts to improve quality making available allows for qualified researchers to compare and correct them historical value (impossible to replace) ‏

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Standards no real standards when first electronic exchange 1974: first discussions about standardising 1979 first standard in Australia extended into HISPID (Herbarium Information Standards for the Interchange of Data) ‏ was later adopted by TDWG (Taxonomic Databases Working Group => Now Biodiversity Information Standards)

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Benefits of making species- occurence data available Consolidation of collections infrastructure and holdings within museums, herbariums, botanical gardens, zoological gardens, germplasm banks, etc.; A reassignment of resources toward increased research and curation; Improvements in the standardization, quality, maintenance and organization of important biodiversity collections; Reduce physical handling of specimens, ensuring their longevity; Reduce costs of shipping, insurance, etc. of transferring loans and specimens between institutions; The sharing of information between institutions and researchers, including with countries of origin; A more rapid advancement of the biodiversity knowledge-base as researchers build on the information in a more timely manner; Establishment of international biodiversity information networks between institutions involved with biodiversity research, conservation, genetics, production, resource management, tourism, etc.;

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Benefits of making species- occurence data available Improvements in the management and availability of image, cartographic, genetic,and other databases that will subsidize biodiversity research; Improvements in the management of conservation units as knowledge about biodiversity becomes more readily available; Improved evaluation of the representativeness of existing conservation units and reserves, and the identification of priority areas for the establishment of new ones; Development of projects to study problems that affect conservation, such as the effects and consequences of habitat fragmentation and climate change on biodiversity; Improvements in border controls for managing and monitoring movements in endangered species, pests and diseases as identification tools and knowledge about the distributions of taxa are improved;

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Benefits of making species- occurence data available Production and dissemination of checklists of all known biota of conservation areas, regions, States, and countries, etc.; Increased and more efficient production of identification tools, keys, catalogues and monographs (electronic and/or paper publications); More and improved inventories and studies for identifying biodiversity information gaps (both taxonomic and geographic); Development of research projects that aim at understanding the temporal and spatial distribution of biological diversity processes and functions; Comparative and retrospective studies for estimating biodiversity loss within regions, habitats, ecosystems, and across political and geographic boundaries; Comparative studies on environmental impact, such as climate change, urbanization, agriculture, fisheries, etc. and establishment of reference patterns for evaluation and monitoring of environmental impact with respect to biological diversity; Increased opportunities for bioprospecting, and the linking of programs with related and similar interests;

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Benefits of making species- occurence data available Improvements in capacity building in biodiversity and biodiversity-related subjects; The development of professionals in new fields of knowledge and in new interfaces, such as biodiversity informatics, image services, and geographic information systems; Production of improved teaching material, such as field guides, identification keys, image databases, and on-line information for students and educators; Improved guides and information resources for use in ecotourism; Improved rates of publishing in taxonomy as researchers spend less time on identifications and on making data available on an individual basis; Improved linkages with local people for collecting, ecological research and preliminary identification using parataxonomists; transfer of some of the burden of sorting and preliminary identification of field samples from the extremely small number of highly-skilled taxonomists to technically-skilled parataxonomists; Development of new sources of funding for supporting collections. Etc.

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy Taxonomic research Mapping Checklists and inventories Image databases …

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data

Nectarinia dartmouthi MRAC A.2986 Puffinus lherminieri temptator MRAC A-756

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies Distribution atlases Distribution modelling

Coturnix coturnix : open spaces at high altitudes

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations Biodiversity hotspots Species inter-relations (e.g. parasites)

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species Endangered species Species recovery plans Threats Species decline Invasive species and translocation studies Migratory species

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics Habitat loss

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation Dividing into regions with similar environmental conditions

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation 9. Conservation planning

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation 9. Conservation planning 10. Natural resource management Exploitable species

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation 9. Conservation planning 10. Natural resource management 11. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation 9. Conservation planning 10. Natural resource management 11. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining 12. Health and public safety Diseases and disease vectors Antivenoms, parasites, bioterrorism,…

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Disease Vectors l Aedes albopictus “Asian Tiger Mosquito” l Invader - fastest spreading mosquito in the world l Aggressive daytime biter and pest l Known to transmit Dengue, La Crosse, St. Louis, Eastern Equine, Ross River, Rift Valley, and West Nile Viruses

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Aedes albopictus – native range Modeled native range in Asia from specimens & observations (ENM)

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Aedes albopictus: world risk-map (present)

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation 9. Conservation planning 10. Natural resource management 11. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining 12. Health and public safety 13. forensics

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Bird strike identifications

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation 9. Conservation planning 10. Natural resource management 11. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining 12. Health and public safety 13. Forensics 14. Border control and wildlife trade

Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation 9. Conservation planning 10. Natural resource management 11. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining 12. Health and public safety 13. Forensics 14. Border control and wildlife trade 15. Education and public outreach

Uses of biodiversity data 1. Taxonomy 2. Biogeographic studies 3. Species diversity and populations 4. Life histories and phenologies 5. Endangered, migratory and invasive species 6. Impact of climate change 7. Ecology, evolution and genetics 8. Environmental regionalisation 9. Conservation planning 10. Natural resource management 11. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining 12. Health and public safety 13. Forensics 14. Border control and wildlife trade 15. Education and public outreach 16. ecotourism

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania AND MANY MANY MORE!!

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Acknowledgements This presentation was partly based on the following presentation: GBIF – building the biodiversity informatics commons, by Nick King And chapter one of the GBIF training manual, by Arthur D. Chapman

CEPDEC-TZ Training course: Digitisation of Biodiversity Information 13th – 17th July 2009 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Thank you for your attention!