The challenge of organism identity --- The flora of the Southeast The flora of the Southeast as a case study Robert K. Peet University of North Carolina Ecological Society of America Vegetation Panel SEEK development team SERNEC RTN

Accurate identification and labelling of organisms is a critical part of collecting, recording, and reporting biological data.Accurate identification and labelling of organisms is a critical part of collecting, recording, and reporting biological data. Increasingly, research depends on the integration and re-use of multiple datasets.Increasingly, research depends on the integration and re-use of multiple datasets. Traditional Linnaean nomenclature is insufficientTraditional Linnaean nomenclature is insufficient Biodiversity documentation depends on accurate identification of organisms

USDA Plants & ITIS Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa var. arizonica One concept ofAbies lasiocarpa

Flora North America Abies lasiocarpa Abies bifolia A narrower concept of Abies lasiocarpa Partnership with USDA plants to provide plant concepts for data integration

High-elevation fir trees of western North America AZ NM CO WY MT AB eBC wBC WA OR Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa Distribution USDA - ITIS Flora North America Abies bifolia Abies lasiocarpa Minimal concepts ABC

Andropogon virginicus complex 9 elemental units; 17 base concepts, 27 scientific names

The reasons include: Taxonomic concepts are not defined (just lists of names),Taxonomic concepts are not defined (just lists of names), Multiple party perspectives on taxon concepts and names are not supportedMultiple party perspectives on taxon concepts and names are not supported The user cannot reconstruct the database as viewed at an arbitrary time in the past.The user cannot reconstruct the database as viewed at an arbitrary time in the past. The single largest impediment to large-scale synthesis in biodiversity & ecology. Standardized taxon lists fail to allow dataset integration

A Case Study: Flora of the Southeastern US 1. Regional floras obsolete and incomplete 2. Need for an updated atlas of the flora of the Southeast 3. Datasets with inconsistent taxonomic concepts have defied integration 4. SERNEC has a goal of integrating collections across the region 5. 65,000 concept relationships already mapped

How have things changed? Concept relationships of Southeastern US plants treated in different floras. Based on > 65,000 concept relationships Based on > 65,000 concept relationships

Multiple groups are building IT tools but lack data to populate the tools We have a critical mass of taxon concepts and concept relationships SERNEC organization provides a community approach Potential for SERNEC to establish best practices and set standards The Opportunity

Toward a new Atlas Carya carolinae-septentrionalis, Radford et al How to integrate new sources of data??

Carya carolinae-septentrionalis NCURABUSDACVS Add static database records & dynamic access to museum collections

But wait !! There is a concept issue According to Radford 1968, USDA PLANTS v 4.0, & Weakley 2005According to Radford 1968, USDA PLANTS v 4.0, & Weakley 2005 –Carya carolinae-septentrionalis –Carya ovata According to Stone 1997 in FNAAccording to Stone 1997 in FNA –Carya ovata var australis –Carya ovata var. ovata

Carya carolinae-septentrionalis Some nominal occurrences might or might not represent the taxon

Software: Allow user to select a taxonomic perspective (e.g., Weakley, PLANTS, or FNA)Allow user to select a taxonomic perspective (e.g., Weakley, PLANTS, or FNA) Allow user to select date-specific version of Databases.Allow user to select date-specific version of Databases. Data integration tools and servicesData integration tools and services Data needs: Comprehensive map of relationships taxonomic conceptsComprehensive map of relationships taxonomic concepts Identify observation records to conceptIdentify observation records to concept Next steps?

Publications, datasets, and museums identify taxa to concepts.Publications, datasets, and museums identify taxa to concepts. Databases and data services document core sets of taxonomic concepts and the relationships of those concepts to each other.Databases and data services document core sets of taxonomic concepts and the relationships of those concepts to each other. The way ahead

We are pleased to acknowledge the support and cooperation of Ecological Society of America Gap Analysis Program National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis National Biological Information Infrastructure Federal Geographic Data Committee National Science Foundation