'Towards the GEO Biodiversity Observation Network'
CGI (Michael Schaepman) and CE (Frank Berendse) will host the 2nd Biodiversity Observation Network Workshop to take place in Wageningen.
The workshop has been postponed to early 2008. A final date will be announced as soon as possible.
Location: Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
Date: Postponed to early 2008
Sponsors: Wageningen University, GBIF, DIVERSITAS, GTOS and GEO
Background and Objectives
GEOSS is a 10-year, worldwide effort undertaken by the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO), which includes 70 member countries, the European Commission, and 43 participating organizations. GEOSS will work with and build upon existing national, regional, and international systems to provide comprehensive, coordinated Earth observations from thousands of instruments world-wide, transforming the data they collect into vital information for society.
The GEO 2007 – 2009 Workplan and Task BI-07-01 calls for the developing and implementing a GEO Biodiversity Observation Network that is spatially and topically prioritized, based on analysis of existing information, identifying unique or highly diverse ecosystems and those supporting migratory, endemic or globally threatened species, those whose biodiversity is of socio-economic importance, and which can support the 2010 CBD target. It includes developing a strategy for assessing biodiversity at both the species and ecosystems level, and facilitating the establishment of monitoring systems that enable frequent, repeated, globally coordinated assessment of trends and distributions of species and ecosystems of special conservation merit. It should also serve to promote consensus on data collection protocols and the coordination of the development of interoperability among monitoring programs For the terrestrial areas, this task will further develop and implement the GEO Biodiversity Observation Network, building upon the Biodiversity task BI-06-02, "defining the needs and requirements of the biodiversity information". For the ocean, it will be coordinated through IOC’s Coastal GOOS, and the Census of Marine Life program with its Ocean Biogeographic Information System.
Building on the successful integration of numerous institutions representing user and provider communities, initiated in 2006, this task will:
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Develop a strategy for assessing biodiversity at both the species and ecosystems level.
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Pilot monitoring systems that enable frequent, repeated, globally coordinated assessment of trends and distributions of species and ecosystems of special conservation merit.
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Facilitate consensus on data collection protocols and the development of interoperability standards among monitoring programs.
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Ensure that the biodiversity data collection process will coordinate with ongoing global initiatives.
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Develop a strategic plan for the periodic assessment of species and ecosystems of merit, taking into account the results of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and progress towards the Convention on Biological Diversity 2010 Targets.
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Consolidate and enlarge the community, and define and operationalize the integrated global observation system. The goal is to develop an operational observing system that:
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detects, assesses, and analyses changes at all levels and dimensions of biodiversity (genetic, species, ecosystem, composition, structure, function, dynamic),
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integrates data from different provider communities (genetic, remote sensing, biogeography, plot type biodiversity observatories, integrating ecosystem processes),
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establishes adequate infrastructures to provide and analyse data with global coverage at an adequate spatial and temporal resolution and accuracy,
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provides adequate information and user-friendly tools by means of a shared IT data architecture, in a timely way, for a range of user groups (international treaties, resource user groups, e.g. fishery, forestry, agriculture, animal production; conservation planning communities; health sector; genomics level; research),
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will be used for analysis, prediction, early warning, and sustainable use and management of biodiversity.
The task will further identify and integrate additional requirements of user groups, review current state of knowledge, and available methodologies and networks, strengthen research capacities, facilitate the transfer of technologies within the network, stimulate application of appropriate research findings, and establish a mechanism for effective and successful policy advice. These activities will be undertaken working groups, addressing (a) data architecture, (b) scales and standards, (c) observatory network planning and, (d) strategic planning for implementation.
Meeting Organization
This workshop is sponsored by GEO Secretariat and hosted through DIVERSITAS, GBIF, and GTOS, in the context of the implementation of the "Societal Benefit Area" on Biodiversity of GEOSS, the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (http://www.earthobservations.org/). It is the 2nd GEO Biodiversity Network Workshop building upon the 1st Workshop on Defining User Needs for a Global Observation System for Biodiversity held at GEO on 23-25 October 2006. That meeting resulted in general agreement amongst participants to form the Biodiversity Observation Network. DIVERSITAS International has developed a Declaration with input from participants and has created a website wherein institutions may sign the Declaration and join the Network (http://www.bioobservation.net/)
The overall workshop will be organised as a mix of plenary sessions and subgroups to explore and report on the current status, and to develop a strategy to implement key components of an operational biodiversity observation and monitoring Network. The Subgroups are:
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User interface and Network governance
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Web Portals, Tools and Interoperability
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Applications and Analyses
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Funding
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Data Sharing Principles
Outcomes
The workshop Subgroups will each produce a section as input to an overall report.
Participants
Experts representing biodiversity and ecosystem conservation and science are invited to participate. A draft agenda follows. A detailed list of attendees, as well as a document specifying expected outputs, will be circulated ahead of the workshop.