The GEO Biodiversity Observation Network

Gary GellerJet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

Boston University

Department of Geography

4 May 2009

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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

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What is GEO BON?

Global network, and collaboration

Interoperating biodiversity observation systems

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

Scholes et al., Science 321: 22 August 2008

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Overview

GEO and GEOSS

GEO BON

Implementation

Challenges

Next Steps

Sagra buqueti edof

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Group on Earth Observations

Response to 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development

Global collaboration needed

Enhance interoperability

Voluntary partnership

• 79 governments + EC

• 56 participating organizations

Chiasognathusgranti

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GEOSS

Global Earth Observing System of Systems

• Disasters

• Health

• Energy

• Climate

• Water

• Weather

• Agriculture

• Ecosystems

• Biodiversity

}9 SBAs

GEO BON

Living Planet Index, 1970-2000

WWF, WCMC

Why do we need GEO BON?

http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/all_publications/living_planet_report/

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Some components of a BON

Collection

Storage & distribution

Tools

Partnerships

Many observations…

but not fully utilized

Oxynoderamoczarski

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Collecting observations

Many gaps

• Spatial

• Temporal

• Taxonomic

• Topical

Uneven coverage

Lack of coordination

Oxynodera distincta

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Storage and distribution

Many systems

Many observations

Dispersed, unconnected

Little coordination

Sharing is difficult

Lack of system interoperability

Doryphora undata

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Lack the full set of tools

Important capabilities missing

Capabilities not integrated

System-specific

Data utilization too difficult

Tools for working with data

Pseudomesomphaliaillustris

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Integration across scales

In-situ observations RS observations

Sparse…but finely detailed Global…but spatially coarse

Cannot extract the full value from data

Need to combine in-situ and RS data

• Provide continuous and complete datasets

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Partnerships

Collaboration

Coordination

GEO BON

Network of BONS

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1. Data collection coordination

• Global sampling framework

• Ecosystems, species, genes, ecosystem services

2. System interoperability

• Guidelines and coordination

3. New and coordinated tools

• Extraction, synthesis, & visualization

4. Stronger partnerships

GEO BON: A network of BONs

Community-le

d activitie

s

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Focal areas

Quantifying and mapping drivers of biodiversity change

Recording impacts of biodiversity change

• Especially vital ecosystem services

Reporting biodiversity status and its changes

Leptinotarsa flavitarsus

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Focal areas

Ecosystems

Species

Genes

Ecosystem services

Prosicela vittata

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History

2003: GEO forms

2006-2007: GEO BON established

• Concept Document drafted

April 2008: stakeholder meeting

• Blessed basic concept

October 2008: Implementation Overview

November 2008: GEO V Plenary

Concept

Scarabaeuspius

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GEO BON

Community Network

In-situ Remote

Observations•Ecosystems•Species•Genes•Ecosystem services

Data Extraction & Visualization

Tools

End Users

Coordination& facilitation

Observational Needs

Observation Products•Maps•Status indicators•Change metrics•…

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Target users

Governments and agencies Parties to international conventions

Conservation organizations

Decision makers

Researchers

Public

Megistomelapunctatissima

Goals

Create inter-operable "system of systems"

Establish global clearinghouse

Assess state of biodiversity

Monitor change over time

Quantify and map the causes of change

Record the impacts of change

Provide ecological forecasts

Doryphorapyrrhoptera

Scope

Broad

Complete

Ambitious

Pachylomera femoralis

New

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What value will GEO BON add?

Global framework for detecting change

Coordinated observations

Improved information delivery

New assessment and forecast products, e.g.

• Global maps of ecosystem services

• Predicted areas of rapid degradation

End-end continuity

Gymnopleurus nitens

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From raw physical data

To data processing

To information generation

To knowledge anddecision making

End-end continuity

To electronicdata

GEO BON must be

a community-driven activity!

Lamprima latreillei

Observations:Ecosystems, species, genes, and

ecosystem services

Doryphora undata

Ecosystems

Global maps

Terrestrial

Freshwater

Marine

Distribution

Extent

Condition

Chrysochroa buqueti

Ecosystems: Change

What

How

Causes

Consequences

Calodema kirbyi

Ecosystems

http://rmgsc.cr.usgs.gov/ecosystems/method.shtml

GEOSS Global Ecosystem Mapping Task: Geospatial approach

(terrestrial, US)

Species

Globally:

• How is distribution changing?

• How is abundance changing?

Coordinated global sampling scheme

• Eg. Pereira and Cooper, TREE, 2006

Select representative species

Sample periodically

Many gaps to fill

Requires capacity building

Species: Methods

In-situ sampling

Remote sensing

Modeling

Representative coverage

• Taxa

• Ecosystem types

• Geographic regions

Agelia petelii nigrita

Species: Which ones?

Genes

Important for…

• Small population sizes

• Large scale harvesting

• Large scale release operations

Observe genes and variability over time

• Selected species and genetic components

Chrysochroa ocellata

Genes: How?

Because genes and genetic diversity linked to…

• Species range

• Physical environment

Can infer change…

• From changes in range extent

or environment

Use RS and modeling

Leptinotarsa flavitarsus

Ecosystem goods and services

Quantify change using indicators

Goods

• Food and fiber

Services

• Clean air and water

• Waste disposal

• Pollination

Cladognatha confucius

Implementation

Oxynoderamoczarski

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Implementation approach

Incremental

Opportunistic

Collaborative

Starting point: Topical Working Groups

Doryphora pastica

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1. Map concepts to activities

2. Find regional and thematic partners

3. Together, create an implementation plan

Topical working groups

Alurnus ornatus

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Topical working groups

Ecosystem change

Terrestrial

Marine

Freshwater

Species change

Terrestrial

Genetic change

Ecosystem services change

In-situ / remote sensing integration

Data integration and interoperability

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Implementation

Concepts

Co

nce

pt

Do

cum

ent

TopicalWorking groups

Regional / thematicBONs and partners

Regional and localimplementation

Imp

lem

enta

tio

n

Concepts

Activities

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Thematic partners

ILTER

GBIF

UNEP-WCMC

Space agencies

National wildlife / park agencies

NGOs

…

Callopistus castelnaudi

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Possible regional partners

EBONE

Asia-Pacific BON

JBON (research oriented)

UK BON?

Southern Africa BON?

?

Alurnus bipunctatus

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Early products

Product exemplars

• Populations & drivers of change

• Protected areas tools

• Ecosystems change maps

• Marine (Census of Marine Life)

Primary obstacle is funding

Pseudomesomphaliadecemguttata

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Citizen Science

“Traditional” methods alone not adequate

Precedents

• Christmas Bird Count

• Breeding Bird Survey

• Feeder Watch

New efforts are needed

• http://whatsbloomin.com

Calodema wallacei

Funding

Mostly "in-kind"

Gap-filling

• Sampling

• Tools

Integrating and extending existing systems

Marginal cost relatively low

• Leverages base cost

Belinota sumptuosa

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Challenges

Making independently developed systems work together

Ensuring appropriate incentives for partners

Filling in observation gaps

Integrating in-situ and remote sensing obs

Funding and resources

Homoderus mellyi

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Next steps

Further engage biodiversity community

Facilitate regional / thematic BONs

Develop implementation plans

Develop funding mechanisms

Doryphora 21punctata

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Cenistra dohrniNear Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Website: Google “GEO BON”

Thank you