Developing an on-line taxonomic guide to the freshwater diatoms of the United States: scope, process and initial steps

Steve MoultonSarah Spaulding

National Water Quality Assessment Program

Achieving Taxonomic Accuracy & Consistency for Diatoms

• Increased need for data sharing

• Taxonomic harmonization

• Development of a proactive solution

• Collaborative planning that leverages existing projects, materials, and the internet to create a new approach to floristic treatments

The solution…

…is a collaborative effort. There is a need for taxonomic accuracy and consistency in US programs, and the effort is larger than individual investigators or labs can provide.

              

Our network of expert contributors

Our network of expert contributors

Our network of expert contributors can expand to include analysts

Priority of taxa

• 350 most common species identified from USGS and EPA surveys of flowing waters

• Species that are difficult to identify and commonly misidentified by analysts

• Species that are strong indicators for biotic condition

Experts provide content through a Content Management System (CMS)

Results are immediately displayed on the website

How would an analyst use the tool to identify a diatom species?

How would a manager or ecologist use the tool in ecological assessment?

Current users

• Primary resource for courses and workshops:– NABS one day taxonomy workshops (2010, 2011)– Iowa Lakeside Lab, 4 credit hr– Georgia College & State University, Phycology course, 3

credit hr

• Broader impacts for NSF projects:– Hobbs et al. 2010. Multiple stressors of 20th century

ecosystem change in alpine lakes, San Juan Mountains, CO (submitted 2010)

– Lowe et al. 2010. Biodiversity of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (awarded)

Current users

June 2010 Jan 2011

Current users

Current users

Outcomes from using the tool

• Taxonomic consistency

• Correct taxonomy

• Updating autecological information; may be one of the biggest contributions of the effort

• Democratizing information

• Geography-associated information allows for tailor-made floras for water-body to regional analyses

A look to the future: leveraging resources

• Current floristic and monitoring work is contributing to this effort (NAWQA, EMAP, NSF projects)

• Feedback from this resource to NAWQA list of names

• Herbaria provide specimens and literature; they receive upgrades in the identification of types and refined/upgraded taxonomy of their collections

• A sense of collaboration and transparency about the process prevails amongst the taxonomic experts

A look to the future: further development

• Scaling up the number of taxa (from 200 to 5,000+)

• Broader community participation - managing work flows will be important

• Including additional records of geographic distribution and ecological range

• Specify data quality standards / increase confidence in datasets

• State agencies and others can write use of the diatom tool into task requirements