Report prepared for the Experts Meeting Towards the Implementation of a Global Invasive Species
Information Network (GISIN), 6-8 April, 2004. Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Page 13
8/30/2004
databases, international collaboration, and
connectivity?
Information standards
Information standards are developing as
biodiversity information management and
technology develops. We need to identify
those that we are going to support.
Technology
Software applications and tools represent a
separate group of resources to be identified
and assessed for applicability to the GISIN
concept. Imagine a comprehensive catalog
of software tools or technologies for IAS
managers, information managers and
database developers. One characteristic of
the databases that were reviewed during
this project was their lack of information
about the technical development and
structure of the systems. When visiting an
online IAS database, users should be able
to find out technical details such as what
programming language the database was
written in; what software/tools were used to
develop and populate the database; and
what information collection and delivery
protocols were followed.
The search effort of a developer that may
be investigating potential loci to
connect/collaborate with, can be reduced by
providing this information (excepting
proprietary and security-related information)
through the database’s Web site. The
inclusion of this technical information about
the database on the Web site may actually
encourage collaborators to make contact
because they can identify commonalities or
curiosities in the approach of other
database developers. The potential for the
connection of new databases to existing
systems with very little effort, as opposed to
needing a complete redesign, may be
increased through this sharing of technical
design information.
The greatest limitation to the development
of loci is funding. All of these activities
require funding to: collect data; pay people
to digitize the data; store the data; manage
the data; and continue to manage the data.
Extensive funding is needed to database
invasions.
The StarTrek television series involves
space exploration where the starship
Enterprise boldly goes where no man has
gone before and encounters new alien
species.
The two databases depicted above contain
the cultural, social, biological, and
taxonomic information for every alien
species encountered by the Enterprise
crew. If the reproductive ecology of fictitious
species such as the Borg, Klingons,
Ferengi, and Vulcans is so evident on the
Web, then there also should be more
comprehensive information on real invasive
alien species around our globe in databases
of similar, and preferably superior,
complexity.
Selected references:
Sellers, E. 2004. Databasing Invasions: A Review in the Context
of the Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISIN).
Prepared for the Experts Meeting on Implementation of a Global
Invasive Species Information Network, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,
6-8 April 2004. Information International Associates Inc., USA.
Available online (accessed 21 May 2004):
April 6, 2004
quadrant/sfi-species-db.html
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