Digitized natural history collections records in traditional research, collaborative research, and big data research

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Corinna Gries, PI and head of the North American Lichens and Bryophytes TCN, and Pam Soltis, PI and Director for Research Activities for iDigBio, will present a symposium on Tuesday morning of the Botany 2014 conference.

The following is the abstract for the symposium from the Botany 2014 website (http://www.2014.botanyconference.org/engine/search/index.php?func=detail&aid=34):

Supported by the NSF ADBC program natural history collections of some taxonomic groups are currently being digitized at a rapid rate and digitally available records are reaching a critical mass to impact advanced research applications. By joining an already sizeable body of digital primary biodiversity records these data will contribute to the fact that biodiversity research is becoming a data intensive science and for those taxonomic groups many of the current limitations may be overcome. However, traditional small scale research questions are also benefitting and the quality of results may be improved dramatically by bringing these ‘dark’ data into open and easy access. As outlined by the recent survey of GBIF users, these data are mainly used in taxonomy, species diversity and populations, biogeography studies, endangered, migratory and invasive species, and ecology, evolution and genetics research, at large and small scales.

The current approach to establishing ‘Thematic Collections Networks’ within the NSF ADBC program not only advances open and easy access to primary biodiversity data, it can also address the concern of data quality and ‘fitness for use’ most effectively. The web-portals being developed with a thematic or taxonomic definition promote community development and collaboration, both of which are the best means to address data quality at this large scale.

We are proposing a symposium to explore how this growing resource of digital primary biodiversity data has been used by the community. We are planning presentations on how this resource improves traditional research, new research question that can be addressed, its impacts on community building and research collaborations, what is still missing and how do other existing or emerging digital resources (e.g. DataONE, NEON, EOL and tools like the PhyloJIVE ) interact, support, and enhance this research.

Symposium Wiki: https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/Digitized_natural_history_collect...

 

Start Date: 
Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - 8:00am to 12:00pm EDT
Location: 
Boise Centre
City: 
Boise
State: 
Idaho