View
37
Download
0
Category
Tags:
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
The challenge of organism identity --- The flora of the Southeast as a case study. Robert K. Peet University of North Carolina Ecological Society of America Vegetation Panel SEEK development team SERNEC RTN. Biodiversity documentation depends on accurate identification of organisms. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Citation preview
The challenge of organism The challenge of organism identityidentity
------ The flora of the Southeast The flora of the Southeast
as a case study as a case study
Robert K. PeetRobert K. PeetUniversity of North Carolina University of North Carolina
Ecological Society of America Vegetation Ecological Society of America Vegetation PanelPanel
SEEK development teamSEEK development teamSERNEC RTNSERNEC RTN
• Accurate identification and Accurate identification and labelling of organisms is a critical labelling of organisms is a critical part of collecting, recording, and part of collecting, recording, and reporting biological data. reporting biological data.
• Increasingly, research depends on Increasingly, research depends on the integration and re-use of the integration and re-use of multiple datasets.multiple datasets.
• Traditional Linnaean nomenclature is Traditional Linnaean nomenclature is insufficientinsufficient
Biodiversity documentation Biodiversity documentation depends on accurate depends on accurate
identification of organisms identification of organisms
USDA Plants & ITIS
Abies lasiocarpa
var. lasiocarpa
var. arizonica
One concept ofAbies lasiocarpa
Flora North America
Abies lasiocarpa
Abies bifolia
A narrower concept of Abies lasiocarpa
Partnership with USDA plants to provide plant concepts for data integration
High-elevation fir trees High-elevation fir trees of of
western North Americawestern North America AZ NM CO WY MT AB eBC wBC
WA OR
Abies lasiocarpa
var. arizonica
Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa
DistributionDistribution
USDA - ITISUSDA - ITIS
Flora North AmericaFlora North America
Abies bifolia Abies lasiocarpa
Minimal conceptsMinimal concepts
A B C
Andropogon virginicusAndropogon virginicus complex complex
9 elemental units; 17 base concepts, 27 9 elemental units; 17 base concepts, 27 scientific namesscientific names
The reasons include:The reasons include:• Taxonomic concepts are not defined Taxonomic concepts are not defined
(just lists of names),(just lists of names),
• Multiple party perspectives on taxon Multiple party perspectives on taxon concepts and names are not supportedconcepts and names are not supported
• The user cannot reconstruct the The user cannot reconstruct the database as viewed at an arbitrary database as viewed at an arbitrary time in the past.time in the past.
The single largest impediment to The single largest impediment to large-scale synthesis in large-scale synthesis in biodiversity & ecology.biodiversity & ecology.
Standardized taxon lists fail
to allow dataset integration
A Case Study:A Case Study:Flora of the Southeastern Flora of the Southeastern
USUS
1.1. Regional floras obsolete and Regional floras obsolete and incompleteincomplete
2.2. Need for an updated atlas of the Need for an updated atlas of the flora of the Southeastflora of the Southeast
3.3. Datasets with inconsistent Datasets with inconsistent taxonomic concepts have defied taxonomic concepts have defied integrationintegration
4.4. SERNEC has a goal of integrating SERNEC has a goal of integrating collections across the regioncollections across the region
5.5. 65,000 concept relationships 65,000 concept relationships already mappedalready mapped
How have things changed?How have things changed?Concept relationships of Southeastern Concept relationships of Southeastern US plants treated in different floras.US plants treated in different floras.
Based on > 65,000 concept Based on > 65,000 concept relationshipsrelationships
http://herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm
Multiple groups are building IT Multiple groups are building IT tools but lack data to populate tools but lack data to populate the toolsthe tools
We have a critical mass of taxon We have a critical mass of taxon concepts and concept concepts and concept relationshipsrelationships
SERNEC organization provides a SERNEC organization provides a community approachcommunity approach
Potential for SERNEC to establish Potential for SERNEC to establish best practices and set standards best practices and set standards
The Opportunity
Toward a new AtlasToward a new Atlas
Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis, Radford et al. , Radford et al. 19681968
How to How to integrate integrate new new sources sources of data??of data??
http://herbarium.unc.edu/seflora/firstviewer.htm
Carya carolinae-Carya carolinae-septentrionalisseptentrionalis
NCUNCU
RABRAB
USDAUSDA
CVSCVS
Add static database records & Add static database records & dynamic access to museum dynamic access to museum collectionscollections
But wait !!But wait !!There is a concept There is a concept
issueissue• According to Radford 1968, USDA According to Radford 1968, USDA PLANTS v 4.0, & Weakley 2005PLANTS v 4.0, & Weakley 2005–Carya carolinae-Carya carolinae-septentrionalisseptentrionalis
–Carya ovataCarya ovata
• According to Stone 1997 in FNAAccording to Stone 1997 in FNA–Carya ovata var australisCarya ovata var australis–Carya ovata var. ovataCarya ovata var. ovata
Carya carolinae-Carya carolinae-septentrionalisseptentrionalis
Some nominal occurrences might Some nominal occurrences might or or might notmight not represent the taxon represent the taxon
Software:Software:• Allow user to select a taxonomic Allow user to select a taxonomic
perspective (e.g., Weakley, PLANTS, perspective (e.g., Weakley, PLANTS, or FNA)or FNA)
• Allow user to select date-specific Allow user to select date-specific version of Databases.version of Databases.
• Data integration tools and servicesData integration tools and services
Data needs:Data needs:• Comprehensive map of relationships Comprehensive map of relationships
taxonomic conceptstaxonomic concepts• Identify observation records to Identify observation records to
conceptconcept
Next steps?Next steps?
• Publications, datasets, and Publications, datasets, and museums identify taxa to concepts.museums identify taxa to concepts.
• Databases and data services Databases and data services document core sets of taxonomic document core sets of taxonomic concepts and the relationships of concepts and the relationships of those concepts to each other. those concepts to each other.
The way aheadThe way ahead
We are pleased to We are pleased to acknowledge the support and acknowledge the support and
cooperation ofcooperation of
Ecological Society of America
Gap Analysis Program
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
National Biological Information Infrastructure
Federal Geographic Data Committee
National Science Foundation
Recommended