Biodiversity informatics
The biodiversity computer science involves the storing and processing of information on biological diversity . The objects of biodiversity informatics are taxa , biological collection records and observation data.
Databases
Collection databases
While there have been isolated also stored in databases since the 1970 biological collection data, such efforts are only with the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD) and international projects such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) since the 1990s in large Style has been realized. There are now a number of special databases for this data, e.g. B. the Botanical Research and Herbarium Management System (BRAHMS).
Observation databases
In addition to pure evidence of occurrence, biological observational data can contain information on frequency, measured values, characteristics and much more. These can be individual observations , area- related or transect-related observations. Finished products are available for vegetation recordings , for example the Turboveg program for managing vegetation recordings .
Feature databases
The characteristics of various characteristics of taxa or individuals are recorded in characteristic databases. Many feature databases have one thing in common: the DELTA format. With the help of the feature data, cladistic analyzes can be carried out, descriptions can be generated or identification keys can be created.
Biogeographical Applications
Based on evidence of a taxon and suitable environmental data, distributions can be modeled; these approaches are referred to as Ecological Niche Modeling or Habitat Suitability Modeling . There are some ready-to-use applications for this, for example GARP (Genetic Algorithm of Rule-Set Production) or Maxent .
literature
- FA Bisby (2000) "The quiet revolution: biodiversity informatics and the internet," Science 289: 2309-2312.
- J. Soberon & AT Peterson (2004) "Biodiversity informatics: managing and applying primary biodiversity data" Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 359: 689-698.
- GB Curry & CJ Humphries (2007) Biodiversity databases - Techniques, Politics, and Applications. Taylor & Francis. Boca Raton, London, New York. ISBN 978-0-415-33290-3