document Expert Group on Antarctic Biodiversity Informatics (EG-ABI) Report 2014

Executive Summary

Title:  Antarctic Biodiversity Informatics

Authors: Bruno Danis, Ben Raymond

Introduction/ Background:

Biodiversity Informatics is the application of informatics techniques to biodiversity information for improved management, presentation, discovery, exploration and analysis. The application of modern computer techniques can yield new ways to view and analyze existing information, as well as predictive models for information that does not yet exist.

The SCAR Expert Group on Antarctic Biodiversity Informatics (EG-ABI) was created during the LSSSG meeting at the SCAR Open Science Conference in Portland Oregon, in July 2012. Its terms of reference include to:

• Coordinate biodiversity informatics activities across SCAR for research, management, conservation and monitoring purposes;
• Promote free and open access to primary Antarctic biodiversity data, source code, and relevant resources;
• Promote community-driven biodiversity data projects;
• Provide advice to SCAR groups which require access to biodiversity data and advise on strategies to embrace future data streams;
• Advise SCAR groups on best practices in biodiversity data management, standardization, interoperability and biodiversity information networks designs;
• Advise on the involvement of SCAR with bodies such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) or the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (IODE-OBIS) on matters relevant to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean;
• Contribute to the establishment of a dynamic, data-driven benchmark of the state of Antarctic ecosystems;

More specifically, EG-ABi plans to optimize ongoing developments in biodiversity informatics for the SCAR community.

Important Issues or Factors: crucial factor here is the maintenance of the coherence of the community, achieved through the organization of regular, hands-on meetings.

Recommendations/Actions and Justification:  promotion of ABI in general and of the sets of initiatives it is facilitating

Expected Benefits/Outcomes: enhanced buy-in by the SCAR community, progressive optimization of the information ecosystem ABI is building

Partners: mostly global initiatives involved in biodiversity informatics, including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) or the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS)

Budget Implications: 5.000 USD per year