About this Research Topic
Data availability primes the research and discovery engine of biodiversity science in support of evidence-based decisions for biodiversity conservation. Yet, resource limitations (financial, technological skills and infrastructure) severely hamper the establishment of inclusive ICT (information and communication technology) and research and development into related approaches and tools. While the world is firmly cemented in a notitian age (from the Latin word notitia, meaning data), we are drowning in data but thirsty for information and the synthesis of knowledge into understanding. The volume, diversity and speed at which new environmental and ecological data, in particular, are being generated is growing exponentially as biodiversity continues to decline worldwide. Those able to successfully generate, collect, store and curate, share, analyze and communicate the existence of clarified synthesized biodiversity data, will become central players in informing and influencing the debate around global biodiversity change.
This Research Topic presents a roadmap that navigates the challenges, highlights the opportunities and makes way for innovative solutions for biodiversity informatics in different parts of the world. It also collates sound case studies for the development of local and regional Biodiversity Informatics Hub and describes the essential components for successful design, implementation and continuance of such a system. This Research Topic also emphasizes the importance of developing a culture of cooperation, collaboration and interoperability among custodians of biodiversity data to establish operational workflows of trans-national and cross-infrastructure or cross-platform biodiversity data synthesis.
The biggest challenge facing biodiversity informatics are misgivings around data sharing and resistance to recognizing and embracing the multidisciplinary nature of such an information system. The establishment of such a system would allow researchers to build and strengthen interdisciplinary, collaborative networks that bring together the expertise of computer scientists and information technologists, librarians and historians, statisticians and mathematicians, geographers, ecologists and conservation managers, to build a robust biodiversity data to decision pipeline. Different skillsets, distinctive of particular disciplines, are required to set up specific sections of the pipeline. We invite authors to discuss the ways to address these challenges in their local context and global setting and to share their lessons and experiences for building collaborative partnerships with all biodiversity data stakeholders to leverage combined expertise and datasets. We welcome recommendations through case demonstrations for platform development and improved data to decision pipeline functionality. Articles of this special issue collectively showcase how multiple stakeholders and decision makers, through their access to valuable biodiversity data, may feed back into a national or regional system to support future biodiversity protection plans.
This Research Topic presents a roadmap that navigates the challenges, highlights the opportunities and makes way for innovative solutions for biodiversity informatics in different parts of the world. It also collates sound case studies for the development of local and regional Biodiversity Informatics Hub and describes the essential components for successful design, implementation and continuance of such a system. This Research Topic also emphasizes the importance of developing a culture of cooperation, collaboration and interoperability among custodians of biodiversity data to establish operational workflows of trans-national and cross-infrastructure or cross-platform biodiversity data synthesis.
The biggest challenge facing biodiversity informatics are misgivings around data sharing and resistance to recognizing and embracing the multidisciplinary nature of such an information system. The establishment of such a system would allow researchers to build and strengthen interdisciplinary, collaborative networks that bring together the expertise of computer scientists and information technologists, librarians and historians, statisticians and mathematicians, geographers, ecologists and conservation managers, to build a robust biodiversity data to decision pipeline. Different skillsets, distinctive of particular disciplines, are required to set up specific sections of the pipeline. We invite authors to discuss the ways to address these challenges in their local context and global setting and to share their lessons and experiences for building collaborative partnerships with all biodiversity data stakeholders to leverage combined expertise and datasets. We welcome recommendations through case demonstrations for platform development and improved data to decision pipeline functionality. Articles of this special issue collectively showcase how multiple stakeholders and decision makers, through their access to valuable biodiversity data, may feed back into a national or regional system to support future biodiversity protection plans.
Keywords: biodiversity informatics, data collection, data synthesis, multidisciplinary science, information systems
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