1. Development of a Marine Biological Data Portal within the framework of EMODNet
Simon Claus, Leen Vandepitte, Klaas Deneudt & Tjess Hernandez
Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)

2. Outline Presentation Introduction Development phase
Standards & networks
System & functionalities
Data inventory & gaps
Challenges & recommendations
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

3. The overall objectives
Assemble fragmented and inaccessible marine data into interoperable, contiguous and publicly available data streams for complete maritime basins.
define the appropriate processes, best technology and approximate costs of a final EMODNET
provide first components of a final system which will be useful to provide value-added services.
Temporal/Spatial distribution Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Angiosperms, Macro-algae, Invertebrate bottom fauna, Birds, Sea mammals, Reptiles. Parameters: Abundance, Biomass. Geographic Focus: North Sea incl. Kattegat, Channel; Bay of Biscay, Iberian Coast
Proposal Biological Lot:
Inventory of holdings
Gap analysis
Building data/metadata portal + integrate biological data
Strategy plan for future
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

4. Current stage of EMODnet Biology
Finalizing the development phase of the preparatory action
Final report
Prototype portal
Analysis, lessons learned
Recommendations for future and for a final EMODnet
Start ‘maintenance phase’ in may 2011 (for one year)
Preliminary results
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

5. The data portal system
→ Existing network of distributed data systems → OGC compliant data system → Standardized data system → System integrating data with different levels of accessibility → User friendly, can be used by non-specialist
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

6. The data portal system
→ Based on EurOBIS data system: standards → Uses OBIS scheme for integrating biogeographic data → Linked with global systems (OBIS-IODE/IOC-GBIF) → Taxonomy matched with World Register of Marine Species → Geographic standards: OGC compliant, Marine Gazetteer for geographic names
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

7. The portal functionalities (http://bio.emodnet.eu)
→ Data catalogue
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

8. The portal functionalities
→ Data querying (taxa; parameters, datasets, layers)
View List
Filter
Download
WoRMS
Metadata
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

9. The portal functionalities
→ Data visualization
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

10. The portal functionalities
→ Taxonomic functionalities
Autocompletion taxonomic search queries
Show map, include child taxa
Show map, including synonyms
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

11. The portal functionalities
→ Data downloading
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

12. The portal functionalities
→ Help & feedback
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

13. Data inventory and gaps
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

14. Data inventory and gaps
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

15. Data inventory and gaps
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

16. Data inventory and gaps: EurOBIS
EMODnet
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

17. Data inventory and gaps: EurOBIS
Relative distribution Number of records per species group in EurOBIS (total= )
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

18. Data inventory and gaps: EurOBIS
EurOBIS in April 2009
EurOBIS in February 2011
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

19. Data inventory and gaps
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

20. Data inventory and gaps: EurOBIS
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

21. Data inventory and gaps: national long term monitoring
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

22. Data inventory and gaps: national long term monitoring
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

23. Data inventory and gaps: species observations per group
Linked with
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

24. Data inventory and gaps: species observations per group
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

25. Data inventory and gaps: Indirect measures for groups of species – chlorophyll a
Plot on Map
GeoNetwork metadata
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

26. Challenges & recommendations
Main strategies/barriers to the provision of data
Scientific datasets
Through questionnaires to partner networks: metadata ok
Data grant program (e.g. Black Sea, IBSS) – mini grants for digitizing/standardize/qc
Through organisation of ‘scientific data workshops’ (MarBEF experience), in progr.
Monitoring programs: in progr.
Provided and in progress (France, Germany...)
Stimulation by EU desirable
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

27. Challenges & recommendations
Main strategies/barriers to the provision of data
Time gap....
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

28. Challenges & recommendations
Monitoring effectiveness/performance of portal
Intensity of use: launched end of February 2011
After three months:
Feedback forms received (20) + feedback from MODEG
110 downloads
PhD, informative, Scientific research (Governmental institute), Research, Integration into OBIS, validation routines, For classes, Biogeographic research, marine data mgt. training, Data comparisons, science, species mapping and marine protection zones, I will use these data to estimate the ecological requirements of the species, The purpose of my research is to understand the impact of the environment on behaviour of species, I study the ecological requirements of the species, Ecological Niche, The assess the ecological niceh of the species, Ecological Niche, information, Variation of Copepod behaviour and effect of biomass variation, Effect of biomass on copepod behaviour, Habitat modelling., environmental analysis, Data vergelijking….
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

29. Challenges & recommendations
Challenges to rendering data interoperable, to producing contiguous data
Improving accuracy, precision and coverage
Fitness for purpose (measuring ecosystem health): link data EMODnet Bio portal to descriptors for GES
Descriptor 1 states that Biological diversity is maintained. The quality and occurrence of habitats and the distribution and abundance of species are in line with prevailing physiographic, geographic and climate conditions => 14 million distribution records of which 50% contain abundance data.
Descriptor 2 mentions that non-indigenous species introduced by human activities are at levels that do not adversely alter the ecosystem=>Although there are data on several non indigenous species available, the species have yet not been ‘tagged’ as non-indigenous
Descriptor 4 states that All elements of the marine food webs, occur at normal abundance and diversity and levels capable of ensuring the long-term abundance of the species…=>the abundance data and taxonomic diversity information of the distributions could be used in order to test this.
Descriptor 6 mentions that Sea-floor integrity is at a level that ensures that the structure and functions of the ecosystems are safeguarded and benthic ecosystems, in particular, are not adversely affected. The benthic data counts for about 20-25% of the data
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

30. Recommendations Recommendations for the overall EMODnet Sustainability
Welcomed the communication Marine Knowledge 2020, in which a common architecture and governance model for marine observations and data across the EU is proposed
The model for governance by actors in the system
All relevant actors; these include the large data collating centers, national organizations in charge of the monitoring of the marine environment, the private industry and the scientific research community
Availability of standard procedures facilitating data flow
Link with EU initiatives, EU directives (WFD, MSFD), national monitoring activities: facilitating data flow
Future activities for the biological project
Focus on data identified gaps
Ecological tagging (functional group, invasive, protected...)
Improve link between other emodnet lots (cfr habitat mapping project, abiotic data...)
Technical improvements (visualise temporal component...)
Genomic data
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

31. Thank you
EMODnet
September 9, 2019

32. The portal functionalities
→ Standard Data attributes: DateLastModified, CatalogNumber, ScientificName, Year, Month, Day, Longitude, Latitude, Precision(m), MinDepth(m) , MaxDepth (m), Sex, Observed Individual Count, SampleSize, InstitutionCode, Citation, TaxonLSID, Metadata
EMODnet
September 9, 2019