Ocean Biogeographic Information System

1. Ocean Biogeographic Information System Edward Vanden Bergheevberghe@iobis.org

2. ‘Mission’ • OBIS publishes primary data on marine species locations through www.iobis.org • It facilitates data discovery and exploration by • Searching by species, higher taxa, time, location, depth, database • Mapping, overlaying species distributions on ocean environment, modelling of potential environmental range • Integrates data over marine themes • Microbes to whales • Genetics and morphology • Poles to equator… • Enables data capture for re-use

3. Why do this? • Proper management of natural resources requires properly managed data and information • More data -> more knowledge • OBIS model makes data and information management more efficient • Share responsibilities, tools, standards… • Share data across different organisations and countries • OBIS is a way of ensuring data is not lost • Archaeology and rescue for historic data • Repositories for new data • Assist in data discovery • Links with EoL, BOLD…

4. OBIS in context • IT component of CoML • Capturing and integrating data • Support the 2010 synthesis • Marine component of GBIF • Fully inter-operable with GBIF standards • Extending with marine-specific elements • Marine component of Species 2000 • World register of Marine Species (WoRMS) • http://marinespecies.org • Partner with IOC, FAO, (UNEP) • Several OBIS Nodes are NODCs • FAO is large data provider and consumer

5. OBIS functions • Caches species distribution data from many databases • Creates taxonomic and geographic indices • Seeks out new datasets • Develops standards for data exchange and management • Develops software tools for online use • Makes all data freely accessible online

7. Distribution of cod, Gadus morhua, shown as ‘c-squares’ map

8. Predicting distribution of invasive species, Pterois volitans

9. Standards • Biogeography: GBIF/TDWG • Darwin Core, Extended to OBIS Schema • ABCD • Metadata: discovery metadata • Global Change Master Directory – NASA • MEDI – IODE; FGDC – US Gov? • Taxonomy: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) • Contribution to Species 2000, Catalogue of Life • Collaboration with ITIS • Geography • Polygon sets • EEZs, FAO areas, IHO… • Gazetteer

10. Standards: taxonomy • Aphia is general species register maintained at VLIZ • Consists of several overlapping subsets • defined geographical (ERMS, NWARMS…) • defined taxonomic (Porifera, Platyhelminthes…) • defined thematic (HABs, invasive species) • Exposed through www.marinespecies.org • WoRMS = Aphia + external GSDs • Algaebase, Hexacorallia, FishBase…

14. WoRMS plans • 100,000 valid species end 2007 • 2x0,000 valid species end 2008 • 85-90% of known species • Distribution records for all of these by 2010 • Many species only known from holotype!! • Management classification • Species 2000, ITIS • Gap analysis • Filling gaps in collaboration with ITIS

15. Standards: ‘OBIS Schema’ • Minimum data • Taxonomic name • Position: lat/long • Bookkeeping fields: unique ID, date last modified, collection name • Highly recommended • Date of observation • Depth • Taxonomic authority • Others • Date of identification, specimen accession number…

16. Standards: metadata • Global Change Master Directory • Separate portal • Enriched with information extracted from the database • Taxonomic, geographic scope • First/last observation • Map of distributions • Needs revision!

17. OBIS Nuts and Bolts • Distributed system • Making use of recent developments in technology (XML, DiGIR) • Web based • Three-tier system • OBIS provider installed at site of contributing database • Registry of providers • OBIS portal, which can be accessed by the end-users

18. DiGIR

19. DiGIR • Distributed Generic Information Retrieval • Semantics decoupled from protocol and software • Need to agree on a ‘federation schema’ • Defined as an XML schema • OBIS Schema, Darwin Core Schema (GBIF) • Specifies which data elements are exchanged, and how they are labeled • Data exchange and query formulation are XML files

20. OBIS number of records • 231 databases • In cache: • 13.6 million records, 147,000 names • In index: • 6.9 million records at genus level and below, 80,000 species • Among the largest provider to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility

21. Limitations of OBIS and OBIS data • We don’t know the total biodiversity • New species are discovered • Selective sampling in geography • Mostly in surface waters • Temperate zones • Selective sampling in taxonomy • Mostly big things, vertebrates

22. New species are discovered Data from http://marinespecies.org

23. Geographical bias

24. Bias in depth: deeper than 2500m

25. Taxonomic bias Taxon # species # in OBIS % Cetaceans 133 117 88 Seals… 45 36 80 Fish 24139 21258 88 Echinoderms 6199 1624 26 Bryozoans 6000 1096 18 Decapods 8227 3796 46

26. Analysis of OBIS data • First attempts at diversity pattern on a global scale, with a large number of taxa • Previously either local or on one taxon (e.g. commercial large fish like tuna, forams…) • ‘Safety in numbers’ • Results not affected by idiosynchrasies of single taxon or study • Results very preliminary, and need data cleaning and further checking • E.g. by artificially removing datasets from analysis

27. Global pattern of sampling effort

28. Pattern in number of species

29. Corrected for bias: ES(50)

30. Current priorities • Filling some of the gaps • In collaboration with existing RONs • By creating new RONs • Philippines, Oman • Completing the inventory of known marine species: WoRMS • Prioritise on having at least one distribution record per species, preferably the type locality • Creating an inventory of existing data • Also data not now available through OBIS • Importance of metadata

31. Plans for the future • More data and analysis • Develop thematic portals, on issues of direct societal relevance • Invasive species, HABs… • Develop demonstrator projects • Species distributions, hotspots… • Support CoML scientists • Integration across themes • 2010 Synthesis • Publications: theme section(s)