Chavan 02 02 Gbif Small To Big

Every datum counts! Capitalising on small contributions to the big dreams of mobilising biodiversity information Vishwas Chavan, Eamonn O’ Tuama, Samy Gaiji, David Remsen and Nicholas King 2008 Annual Conference of Taxonomic Databases Working Group 19-25 October 2008, Fremantle, AUSTRALIA

Both biodiversity and biodiversity data are unevenly distributed around the world:
Digital Divide Content Divide Lingual Divide Knowledge Divide Emerging catastrophe………… Developing World Biodiversity Biodiversity Data Developed World

Uneven distribution of biodiversity

Large volume of biodiversity data and information is in languages other than English

Biodiversity Informatics activities are concentrated in the North

Few more reasons…. Investment in biodiversity information management is towards large projects Research in biodiversity informatics is focused towards large data publishers Small Data Publishers – A neglected mass!

Biodiversity Knowledge Divide: Emerging Catastrophe

Open Access movement can help mobilise data - (a) from mega-biodiversity regions, and (b) by small data publishers Good News!

Small Data Publishers: Who are they? (1)
Can’t discover, access, and use their data
Do not know how to manage data for reuse by others
Lack of skills, infrastructure, and support for ‘interoperable’ data management
More interested in peer-reviewed publishing than data publishing – as former brings recognition and funding

Small Data Publishers: Who are they? (2)
PI’s of small scale projects, small and medium sized R&D organisations and NGOs, Citizen Scientists
Citizen Scientists- e.g. Peoples Biodiversity Register
P. Bryan Heidorn’s Hypothesis: “Disproportionate amount of dark data is in the tail of science”
Small Data Publishers forms the “Long tail” as well “droplets” of ‘Oceans of Biodiversity Data’

Small Are BIG!
Long tail or Dark Data is economically and ecologically very critical
Most of existing and future data would be hold by Small Data Publishers
80% of current investment is towards Small Data Publishers
Total Awards: 9347
Big Awards: 1869
SMALL Awards: 7478
Source: Curating the Dark Data in the Long tail of science by P. Bryan Heidorn

Characteristics of SDP Data
Heterogeneous
Distributed and isolated
Manually generated
Individual creation
Not maintained for reuse by others
Obscured or protected
Uneven distribution as well unequal access
It is highly “Unorganised” data sector.......

Festive uses of bio resources Census of trees Uses of Plants Status and knowledge about medicinal plants Census of Birds Birds signs for forecasting or weather change Wild Animals Burrowing or sub-soil fauna Paudi village, Siwani, India

Need standards to discover and access such data! Domestic Animals Social belief about biodiversity Citizen Scientists Seed Diversity Millions of Ramsingh’s across the world are busy in generating biodiversity data

What do we lack?
Data Publishing Framework – Lack awareness about current knowledge system
Recognition for Data Publishing
Data standards for wide spectrum of biodiversity and associated data
Suite of standards for data life cycle (generation to dissemination)
Standards addressing data generation phase

What do we lack?
Tools for Data Capture at its source
Metadata creation as close to the source of data as possible
Multilingual tools and standards
Hassle-free, skill-level independent tools
Because.....
Adapting to standards is time-consuming as well costly exercise

Data mobilisation is like moving mountains……. Digital Biodiversity Data

What Can be done!
Data Publishing Framework
Proposed GBIF recommendation on Discovery and Publishing of Biodiversity Data
GUID for data set and data records
Expedite the process of standards development
Standards development, ratification and uptake
Hassle-free, skill-level independent, easy to adapt standards
Standards as integral part of recording / monitoring devices
Metadata creation as close to source as possible

What Can be done!
Standards for interoperability and/or integration with non-biodiversity data
Evaluation of authenticity, reliability, and data quality as close to source as possible
Outreach to national/regional/thematic standards building initiatives
Domain experts find it difficult to understand / adapt standards
Cultural as well lingual barriers
Engagement of eastern, southern, mega-biodiversity communities in standards development processes

What Can be done!
Internationalise standards
Awareness in mega-biodiversity world about standards
Multilingual dissemination – talk the languages that people understand the bests
Think Globally – Act Locally
Moving beyond comfort zone
Standards for unorganised data sector
Standards for citizen scientists
Address concerns of data sensitivity through standards implementation
Will standards help me in identification and protection of sensitive data?

“ Krishna” can move data mountains, if standards bodies act as “Kamdhenus” TDWG GBIF

because…… Every datum counts!

Chavan 02 02 Gbif Small To Big

by Vishwas Chavan on Jul 31, 2009

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