OBISOcean Biogeographic Information

System- presentation for OceanPortal workshop, March 2004

Tony Rees, CSIRO Marine Research

OBIS Concept

• Global marine species distribution data are currently highly dispersed, non-uniform in format, and only partly accessible electronically

• OBIS exists to provide a single access point to such data, to perform real-time integration and standardisation of data requested, and to provide value-added services e.g. mapping, modelling, data download, through a distributed system accessed via the world wide web

• Initial OBIS portal has been operational since 01/2002 (located at Rutgers Univ., NJ.): www.iobis.org (recently upgraded)

• Present OBIS maps are 2-D; long term goal is to aim for 3-D and 4-D visualisation tools.

Current OBIS Content

• Today 1.6m, soon 2m+ records covering approx. 20,000 marine species (still patchy for S. hemisphere)

• Today 17, soon 20+ distributed data sources (number to grow substantially in future)

• Australia is both potential contributor of data to, and user of data from OBIS

• Regional portals (e.g. proposed Australian OBIS node) will provide local-flavoured view of OBIS data, and potentially region-specific additional data layers and tools

• Still a way to go to cover all known species in the ocean (est. 200,000+) with all available data – however will ultimately incorporate all new CoML (Census of Marine Life) field data.

Types of Queries Supported

• Get me / map all available distribution data for species x (optionally: subset by region, time, depth slice)

• Get me / map all available species distribution data for region y (optionally: subset by taxonomic group, time, depth slice)

• Overlay selected species distribution/s with selected environmental layers

• Extrapolate from available data points to regions where species may also be anticipated to occur (niche modelling), based on user-selectable parameters

• Show a list of all names for which OBIS currently has data, as subset of master list of all marine species (refine by taxonomic group, genus as desired)

Typical screenshots ...

(map from non-OBIS source)

From Bryden et al. 1998 ( ... Guide to the Sea Mammals of Australasia):

Interesting Future Challenge for OBIS: representing the temporal component ...

Humpback whales – current OBIS data (Australian region)

winter breeding

summer feeding

migration paths

Lessons for / Synergies with OceanPortal?

• OBIS content is a potentially valuable data source for OceanPortal

• Some current / future OBIS tools could be useful on OceanPortal

• OceanPortal tools, environmental data may be valuable to OBIS (in true web services environment)

• OBIS is an example prototype distributed data system, probably some useful system architecture / implementation / data visualisation experiences to look at

• OceanPortal, OBIS node could possibly be co-located, so look for synergies / integration potential.

More Information:

• OBIS website and current portal – www.iobis.org, or contact Tony Rees (OBIS IC + Tech. S’cttee) and / or Kim Finney (OBIS Mgmt Cttee) for additional information

• Australian OBIS node proposal is a joint NOO / CMR submission; Kim Finney has details

• OBIS is a component of the (international) Census of Marine Life. Australian national CoML committee is a mechanism for Australia to influence / contribute to OBIS ongoing development (see Kim Finney or Alicja Mosbauer for details).