Development of a Marine Biological Data Portal within the framework of EMODNet

1. Development of a Marine Biological Data Portal within the framework of EMODNet Simon Claus, Leen Vandepitte & Tjess Hernandez Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)

2. Outline Presentation • Introduction • Development phase • Standards & networks • System & functionalities • Data inventory & gaps and quality control • Challenges & recommendations EMODnet

3. The overall objectives • Assemble fragmented and inaccessible marine data into interoperable, contiguous and publicly available data streams for complete maritime basins. • define the appropriate processes, best technology and approximate costs of a final EMODNET • provide first components of a final system which will be useful to provide value-added services. • Temporal/Spatial distribution Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Angiosperms, Macro-algae, Invertebrate bottom fauna, Birds, Sea mammals, Reptiles. Parameters: Abundance, Biomass. Geographic Focus: North Sea incl. Kattegat, Channel; Bay of Biscay, Iberian Coast • Proposal Biological Lot: • Inventory of holdings • Gap analysis • Building data/metadata portal + integrate biological data • Strategy plan for future EMODnet

4. Current stage of EMODnet Biology • Finalizing the development phase of the preparatory action • Final report • Prototype portal • Analysis, lessons learned • Recommendations for future and for a final EMODnet • Start ‘maintenance phase’ in may 2011 (for one year) EMODnet

5. The data portal system → Existing network of distributed data systems→ OGC compliant data system→ Standardized data system → System integrating data with different levels of accessibility→ User friendly, can be used by non-specialist EMODnet

6. The data portal system → Based on EurOBIS data system: standards → Uses OBIS scheme for integrating biogeographic data → Linked with global systems (OBIS-IODE/IOC-GBIF) → Taxonomy matched with World Register of Marine Species → Geographic standards: OGC compliant, Marine Gazetteer for geographic names EMODnet

7. The portal functionalities → Data querying (taxa; parameters, datasets, layers) WoRMS View List Filter Download Metadata EMODnet

8. The portal functionalities → Taxonomic functionalities (WoRMS) Autocompletion taxonomic search queries Show map, include child taxa Show map, including synonyms EMODnet

9. The portal functionalities → Data visualization EMODnet

10. The portal functionalities → Data table (list) EMODnet

11. The portal functionalities → Selected Data attributes from EurOBIS: DateLastModified, CatalogNumber, ScientificName, Year, Month, Day, Longitude, Latitude, Precision(m), MinDepth(m) , MaxDepth (m), Sex, Observed Individual Count, SampleSize, InstitutionCode, Citation, TaxonLSID, Metadata EMODnet

12. The portal functionalities → Selected Data attributes from EurOBIS: WHAT? + WHERE? EMODnet

13. The portal functionalities → Selected Data attributes from EurOBIS: BY WHO? + WHEN? EMODnet

14. The portal functionalities → Selected Data attributes from EurOBIS: HOW MANY? EMODnet

15. The portal functionalities → Filter Data EMODnet

16. The portal functionalities → Data downloading EMODnet

17. The portal functionalities → Data catalogue (metadata) EMODnet

18. The portal functionalities → Help & feedback EMODnet

19. Data inventory and gaps EMODnet

20. Data inventory and gaps EMODnet

21. Data inventory and gaps EMODnet

22. Data inventory and gaps: EurOBIS EMODnet EMODnet

23. Data inventory and gaps: EurOBIS Relative distribution Number of records per species group in EurOBIS (total=14.245.339) EMODnet

24. Data inventory and gaps: EurOBIS EurOBIS in April 2009 EurOBIS in February 2011 EMODnet

25. Data inventory and gaps EMODnet

26. Data inventory and gaps: EurOBIS EMODnet

27. Data inventory and gaps: precision EurOBIS polygon of a placename is translated to a centroid lat/long and the precision corresponds to the maximum radius of the bounding circle of that polygon EMODnet

28. Data inventory and gaps: Taxonomic Quality control www.marinespecies.org EMODnet

29. Data inventory and gaps: Taxonomic Quality control www.marinespecies.org EMODnet

30. Data inventory and gaps: Geographic Quality control Communication with provider

31. Some examples “Monitoring in Belgian part of the North Sea” “Monitoring in Kongsfjorden area” Latitude & longitude switched “+” & “-” signs switched

32. Data inventory and gaps: national long term monitoring EMODnet

33. Data inventory and gaps: national long term monitoring: REPHY monitoring EMODnet

34. Data inventory and gaps: species observations per group Linked with http://www.marinespecies.org EMODnet

35. Data inventory and gaps: species observations per group EMODnet

36. Challenges & recommendations • Main strategies/barriers to the provision of data • Scientific datasets • Through questionnaires to partner networks: metadata ok • Data grant program (e.g. Black Sea, IBSS) – mini grants for digitizing/standardize/qc • Through organisation of ‘scientific data workshops’ (MarBEF experience), in progr. • Identified bioloigcal data products during workshop • Implementation data products through data analysis workshops: • distinct diversity patterns and hotspots (using diversity indices) of European Marine Waters based on EurOBIS data? • species distribution patterns and trends of some selected higher organisms based on available data • Monitoring programs: in progr. • Provided and in progress (France, Germany...) • Stimulation by EU desirable EMODnet

37. Challenges & recommendations • Main strategies/barriers to the provision of data • Time gap.... EMODnet

38. Recommendations • Recommendations for the overall EMODnet • Sustainability • Welcomed the communication Marine Knowledge 2020, in which a common architecture and governance model for marine observations and data across the EU is proposed • The model for governance by actors in the system • All relevant actors; these include the large data collating centers, national organizations in charge of the monitoring of the marine environment, the private industry and the scientific research community • Availability of standard procedures facilitating data flow • Link with EU initiatives, EU directives (WFD, MSFD), national monitoring activities: facilitating data flow • Future activities for the biological project • Focus on data identified gaps (Also during maintenance phase) • Ecological tagging (functional group, invasive, protected...) • Improve link between other emodnet lots (cfr habitat mapping project (biological validation), abiotic data...) • Technical improvements (visualise temporal component...) • Genomic data EMODnet

39. Monitoring effectiveness/performance of portal • Intensity of use: launched end of February 2011 • After three months: • Feedback forms received (20) + feedback from MODEG • 150 downloads PhD, informative, Scientific research (Governmental institute), Research, Integration into OBIS, validation routines, For classes, Biogeographic research, marine data mgt. training, Data comparisons, science, species mapping and marine protection zones, I will use these data to estimate the ecological requirements of the species, The purpose of my research is to understand the impact of the environment on behaviour of species, I study the ecological requirements of the species, Ecological Niche, The assess the ecological niceh of the species, Ecological Niche, information, Variation of Copepod behaviour and effect of biomass variation, Effect of biomass on copepod behaviour, Habitat modelling., environmental analysis, Data vergelijking…. EMODnet

40. Monitoring effectiveness/performance of portal • Comments from EU on draft final report • In depth analysis, very useful input (combination from MODEG and feedback) • Launched new version of portal based on input • Comments on MRAG • Lacking some detail in analysis (most comments on data catalogue, not on data portal) • ‘Odd’ statements in summary: • It is not possible to directly extract data on one species • Much of the metadata, for instance dates and species are missing • Expert in INSPIRE thematic groups • Species observations • Habitats/biotopes • Biogeographic regions • Use same standards as EMODnet: WoRMS, marine Ecoregions,... EMODnet

41. Thank you EMODnet

42. Challenges • Fitness for purpose (measuring ecosystem health): link data EMODnet Bio portal to descriptors for GES • Descriptor 1 states that Biological diversity is maintained. The quality and occurrence of habitats and the distribution and abundance of species are in line with prevailing physiographic, geographic and climate conditions => 14 million distribution records of which 50% contain abundance data. • Descriptor 2 mentions that non-indigenous species introduced by human activities are at levels that do not adversely alter the ecosystem=>Although there are data on several non indigenous species available, the species have yet not been ‘tagged’ as non-indigenous • Descriptor 4 states that All elements of the marine food webs, occur at normal abundance and diversity and levels capable of ensuring the long-term abundance of the species…=>the abundance data and taxonomic diversity information of the distributions could be used in order to test this. • Descriptor 6 mentions that Sea-floor integrity is at a level that ensures that the structure and functions of the ecosystems are safeguarded and benthic ecosystems, in particular, are not adversely affected. The benthic data counts for about 20-25% of the data EMODnet