GOING DIGITAL

By Chris Adams

Information Systems Analyst

BUILDING

Contributions to International Biodiversity Research

A GLOBAL CATALOGUE

(above) Data map displaying the collection location of our specimens shared through GBIF. By sharing our catalogue data, we contribute to global understanding of biodiversity. Photograph courtesy of © OpenStreetMap contributors and © OpenMapTiles, GBIF. T here is little doubt that human behaviour has shifted in response to COVID-19, but it remains to be seen how this will be reflected in our natural world. Understanding the magnitude of the changes will require knowledge of past conditions.

Natural history collections occupy a special niche in biodiversity science. Our collections reach far back in time, providing us with details on where specimens were collected. With this information, we can study snapshots of British Columbia’s ecosystems back to the early 1800s. This historical baseline contains a wealth of information for researchers—provided they are able to access the data. In the past, that may have required visiting the museum in person or having specimens sent out by mail, but modern networking technologies have created new opportunities for access.

Two years ago, the specimen catalogues for botany, herpetology and invertebrate zoology were published in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. GBIF is a network of data providers who are dedicated to the common goal of open data. There are millions of records spanning all continents and taxonomic groups, and it is all freely available for anyone to use. The ecological history in the museum catalogue has been put into the global context, creating new opportunities for understanding and enriching our knowledge of the environment.

The data we published in GBIF has already been used in more than 70 publications investigating questions around conservation, climate change, evolution and genetics. There have also been a few unexpected uses, such as modelling the terraforming of Mars. That’s the exciting prospect of open data; it is impossible to predict the creative ways that people will engage with it.

The collections have grown since we first published data in GBIF. New specimens have been collected, and additional details have been added to the catalogue as we digitize field notes, labels and other information sources. By aligning with international standards as we bring this information into the database and online, we ensure that our records can be shared with the scientific community around the world.

COVID-19 may have limited in-person access to our specimens, but by sharing our records online, we create new opportunities for people to connect with our collections.