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Ocean Biodiversity Informatics (OBI) 2004
Marine Biodiversity Data – clearing house, data center or what?
Adi Kellermann
(presented by Julie Gillin)
International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
Copenhagen
Ocean Biodiversity Informatics (OBI) 2004
Marine Biodiversity Data – clearing house, data center or what?
• BioDiversity (or BioDiv) is the term
applied to the variety of life on Earth
and the natural patterns it forms
• In scientific terms, it comprises species
richness and abundance as parameters
• In practical terms, it also includes the
diversity of habitats and landscapes
• It is a truly interdisciplinary approach!
Ocean Biodiversity Informatics (OBI) 2004
Marine Biodiversity Data – clearing house, data center or what?
• Some experts predict that
up to two-thirds of all plant
and animal species may be
lost by the end of this
century. Biologists
generally believe that these
losses represent a threat to
Earth system functioning
and the well-being of
human societies.
Ocean Biodiversity Informatics (OBI) 2004
Marine Biodiversity Data – clearing house, data center or what?
• The Earth's biodiversity
is a capital resource that
provides vital
ecosystem services,
renewable goods such
as food, fuel, fiber and
medicines, and the
aesthetic, recreational
and cultural riches
associated with nature.
Ocean Biodiversity Informatics (OBI) 2004
Marine Biodiversity Data – clearing house, data center or what?
Threats to biodiversity
- indiscriminate fishing
e.g. overfishing, non-selective fishing,
discards, ghost fishing, physical damage
- other indiscriminate human activities
e.g. tourism, industrial development, extractions
- pollution (oil spills; chronic contamination)
- climate change
(in the sense that biodiversity will be altered)
Ocean Biodiversity Informatics (OBI) 2004
Marine Biodiversity Data – clearing house, data center or what?
• As one conservation
effort, it is essential to
transfer knowledge
about biodiversity, its
status, trends and links
with societies from
scientists to public and
policy levels to support
advice and awareness
Ocean Biodiversity Informatics (OBI) 2004
Marine Biodiversity Data – clearing house, data center or what?
• While biodiversity is on
the retreat, the amount of
information about it has
increased significantly
• While this was confined
to geophysics initially,
other disciplines are
becoming more involved
(Brussels 2002)
Ocean Biodiversity Informatics (OBI) 2004
Marine Biodiversity Data – clearing house, data center or what?
What is needed for data access, sharing and
dissemination?
• Distributed data bases with common
management and access schemes?
• Define the role of international organizations
such as ICES, IOC, FAO, CoML and OBIS,
GBIF and others
• How to create and provide data bases on
long-term and large-scale patterns as the
foundation for assessment and advice?