Dear Colleagues
You may care to try the prototype portal for which details are given below.
This is an example of a bottom-up initiative that evolved organically from
three other hands-on networks of specimen information. The general message
I get from this (backing up a prejudice, I confess) is that achievements in
Internet access often develop messily, opportunistically and unpredictably
(so good luck to the revived Tech Forum). Note the sentence 'Ultimately it
will be the application of the biological specimen data that will provide
real benefits to these efforts (e.g., climate change, invasive species,
habitat loss)'. We will expand the user community as the new digital
biodiversity space spreads through actual results.
Malcolm
>X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 5.5.2
>Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 13:07:12 -0500
>From: "Derek Munro" <[email protected]>
>To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>,
> <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>,
> <[email protected]>,
> <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>,
> <[email protected]>
>Cc: "Guy Baillargeon" <[email protected]>
>Subject: Biological Observations, Specimens and Collections Gateway
>
>Hi Everyone:
>
>With your permission Guy Baillargeon and I have captured metadata on 2.5
>million records from three biodiversity networks (ENHSIN in Europe, REMIB
>in Mexico and The Species Analyst (TSA) from University of Kansas, U.S.).
>We have captured 90,000 *names* of which 25,000 taxa are in ITIS
>(Integrated Taxonomic Information System, focusing on North American
>taxa). All collections records returned come back in realtime from the
>dataholding institutions. We just provide a metadata layer that currently
>crosswalks 3 networks and 90 dataholding institutions and bring the users
>to the original data sources.
>
>This is to invite you all to try the new prototype *Biological
>Observations, Specimens and Collections Gateway* (BiOSC), and its
>integration with ITIS*na.
>
>-----------------
>Biological collections gateway provides access to 90,000 names (a
>collections names harvestor).
>
>http://sis.agr.gc.ca/pls/itisca/bcin_specs.portal
>
>The are two sections to the gateway. The top section allows for querying
>by scientific name and/or by geographic location (mainly by country).
>
>For example enter accipiter (one group of hawks). You'll notice that the
>right-hand column says Yes if the name is in ITIS and the link will return
>ITIS taxonomic information.
>
>In the Lefthand column click on the link to Accipiter cooperii, there are
>links to records from two of the biodiversity networks (REMIB & TSA) from
>four dataholding institutions: MVZ in California, two Canadian
>institutions and one from Mexico. Following those links returns records
>directly from those institutions.
>
>
>Go back to the BiOSC gateway and try the second section. The Bounding-box
>query allows you to query for all known taxa (for those records with GIS
>coordinates) in a 1-4 degree range. So if you want to see what has been
>collected around Washington, US try Latitude 38, longitude -77 and 4
degrees.
>
>http://sis.agr.gc.ca/pls/itisca/bcin_specs.gis?p_lat=38&p_long=-77&p_deg=4&;
p_string=&p_ifx=plglt&p_lang=en
>
>Records are returned for birds (housed in Alberta), fish and mammals. None
>of these collections are held in the Washington area. We have discovered
>900,000 GIS-enabled records. Clicking on the links returns record
>information directly from the holding institutions.
>
>--------------------------
>GIS visualization:
>
>You may have noticed the *Map It* link on some pages (and maybe even tried
it)
>We also have dynamic mapping for collections with gis coordinates.
>Following the Map It links produces a dynamic map of the world, It is set
>to zoom in so you can do that. When you want to see a specimen record
>highlight the *Get Specimen info* radio button and click on a dot. After a
>few seconds a second window pops up with a link to the collection. Follow
>that link et voila. On the map page the *Change taxon* link gets you back
>to the Biological collections gateway.
>
>For example follow the following link for Trematomus scotti (a fish).
>
>
>http://sis.agr.gc.ca/pls/itisca/bcin_specs.output?p_tuid=96472&p_string=con
taining&p_cuid=&p_ifx=plglt&p_format=&p_lang=en
>
>
>As an aside you will notice the Images link to images.google.com near the
>top. This is remarkable helpful because in many cases you can retrieve
>images to see what the species looks like (I had no clue what Trematomus
>scotti was). We have provide this google link wherever the web pages refer
>to a single taxon. It is impressive how often relevant images are returned.
>
>You will notice that there are records from two biodiversity networks
>(ENHSIN and TSA). Follow the *Map It* link just above the table. Click the
>map over the two dots on the left side of Antarctica. Now highlight the
>*Get Specimen info* radio button and click on the lower of the two dots.
>This pops up a second window which provides a link through ENHSIN to
>Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France. Follow the link on
>Trematomus scotti and this returns records including the one for
>Antarctica (this is an XML stream so it is best to use Internet Explorer
>or Netscape 6). Go back the map and click the upper dot (you will notice
>that the lower one has changed to yellow so that you know which dot you
>tried before. The second window pops up and provides a link to the Scripps
>Institution of OceanographyScripps Institute of Oceanography, San Diego
>CA, United States. With TSA we can query precisely for those GIS
>coordinates. This is currently not possible in ENHSIN or REMIB.
>
>-------------------------------
>ITIS access for 25,000 know taxa that occur in ITIS
>It is fully integrated into ITIS so that from any level in Animalia or
>Plantae you can see the number of subordinate taxa that link to biological
>specimens. For example go to the Frog Genus Rana:
>
>http://sis.agr.gc.ca/pls/itisca/taxastep?hierarchy=no&king=every&p_action=e
xactly+for&taxa=rana&p_ifx=plglt
>
>At the bottom of the -up to the kingdom section you will see
>
> Family Ranidae-- ranid frogs, ranids
> Genus Rana-- True frogs
> - contains 58 valid taxa ( 58 verified)
> - Biological records for 46 Subordinate taxa (979
> Biological records for Rana)
>
>
>Click on the 46 Subordinate taxa link to see what collections are known
>below or click on ..979 .records for Rana to get a list of known records
>by biodiversity network, data holding institution and country. This
>section shows *species richness* available from collections.
>
>At the bottom of the *Internet Search Portal* table is a direct link to
>all dataholding institutions with collections of *Rana*, in this case
>through REMIB and TSA.
>
>An added feature through ITIS is that you can access records by common
>names such as *great white shark*. From the resulting ITIS page there will
>be similar links if biological collections are known.
>
>
>-------------------------
>
>Summary:
>
>- We have added the following message at the top of every table that
>provide links to the specimen data and have a disclaimer and proviso link:
> Use of the data may be restricted.
> Read the Disclaimer and Proviso for each Network.
>
> We hope that this will help address some concerns from the data holders.
>
>- There are still some known bugs that we are working on. We are at the
>whims of the internet, biodiversity networks and data holders, but it's a
>start. GBIF plans to start working on this *biological gateway*
>functionality according to the GBIF business plan so our initial prototype
>will have lots of lessons learned. Guy and I are working on a *white
>paper* on lessons learned.
>
>- We know that there is concensus building to work towards an integrated
>standard to crosswalk all collections and observations data. We appreciate
>having the chance to do this initial crosswalking prototype based on your
>excellent three biodiversity networks. Ultimately it will be the
>application of the biological specimen data that will provide real
>benefits to these efforts (e.g. climate change, invasive species, habitat
>loss).
>
>As you have seen the ITIS links to the specimens are available on the
>Internet but the BiOSC gateway is very subtle to find. We would appreciate
>your comments with the hopes of your approval for *releasing* the BiOSC
>gateway as well. Please copy both Guy Baillargeon and myself on your
comments.
>
>Enjoy, forgive the rough edges and welcome to the future...
>
>Cheers,
>
>Derek Munro
>Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada
>http://sis.agr.gc.ca/itis/
