What, where, how many

Morphology, physiology…

Genetic diversity

Phenology

Water and nutrients

Species interactions

…

Trends

Observations: In-situ

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalusBBS Summer Relative Abundance 1994 - 2003

BBS Trend Map, 1966 - 2003Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2008

GEO Biodiversity Observation NetworkIntegration and interoperability of biodiversity systems

Gary GELLERJet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

NASA Biodiversity and Ecological Forecasting Meeting

Washington, D.C.

17-19 May 2010

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(c) 2009 California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged.

(c) Christine Holtz 2009

Observations: Remotely sensed

Visible images

Radar

LiDAR

Field-based

Radar image, Sumatra

ASTER image, Edgemont

National Park, NZ

LIDAR image, forest

CENS, UCLA

NASA, JAXA, ERSDAC, ESA, IRSO, INPE…

BirdLife International

NatureServe

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

International Union of Conservation (IUCN)

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)

Census of Marine Life (CoML)

Wetlands International

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)

Many sources and systems

South African Enviro

nmental Observatio

n Network (S

AEON)

Earthwatch

Conservation International (CI)

Centro de Referência em Informação Ambiental (CRIA)

National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)

Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (MARBEF)The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

World Resources Institute (WRI)

BIOTA Africa

United States Geological Survey

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Smithsonian Institute (SI)

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA)

Too many isolated sources and systems

Mash ups are difficult or impossible

Global view is impossible

Data are poorly shared

What should we do?

Issues

Build GEO BON

Network of networks for biodiversity observation systems

Collect, manage, analyze, share data on status of the world’s biodiversity

Scholes et al., Science 321: 22 August 2008

Answers to basic questions

What is changing?

Why is it changing?

What are the impacts?

Focal areas

Ecosystems

Species

Genes

Ecosystem services

Major GEO BON Outcomes

Coordination

Data system interoperability

• Increased access and sharing

• New correlations and analyses

• Integration of in-situ and remotely-sensed observations

Data collection

• Gaps filled (spatial, temporal, taxonomic…)

• Standardized collection methods and formats

How do we build this?

Implementation approach

Incrementally

Opportunistically

Collaboratively

Starting point: Topical Working Groups

ARKive © Jörn Köhler

Topical working groups

1. Ecosystem change: Terrestrial

2. Ecosystem change: Freshwater

3. Ecosystem change: Marine

4. Species change: Terrestrial

5. Genetic change

6. Ecosystem services change

7. In-situ / remote sensing integration

8. Data integration and interoperability

1. Map concepts to activities

2. Find regional and thematic partners

3. Together, plan and implement GEO BON

Topical working groups

GEO BON status

Have

• Concepts

• Steering committee

• Working groups

• Detailed Implementation Plan

Need

• Develop partner base

Big 5 challenges

Technical: Making systems work together

Social: Collaboration of independent organizations with different missions

Scientific: Integrating in-situ and remote sensing observations

Ensuring appropriate incentives for partners

Funding and resources

Next Steps

Find partners

Refine implementation plan accordingly

Find resources (piece by piece)

Implement

Website: Google “GEO BON”

Thank you