Biodiversity databases in Russia: towards a national portal
Russia holds massive biodiversity data accumulated in botanical and zoological collections, literature publications, annual reports of natural reserves, nature conservation, and monitoring study project reports. While some data have been digitized and organized in databases or spreadsheets, most of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
2017-09-01
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| Series: | Arctic Science |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2016-0050 |
| _version_ | 1818354086214369280 |
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| author | Natalya V. Ivanova Maxim P. Shashkov |
| author_facet | Natalya V. Ivanova Maxim P. Shashkov |
| author_sort | Natalya V. Ivanova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Russia holds massive biodiversity data accumulated in botanical and zoological collections, literature publications, annual reports of natural reserves, nature conservation, and monitoring study project reports. While some data have been digitized and organized in databases or spreadsheets, most of the biodiversity data in Russia remain dormant and digitally inaccessible. Concepts of open access to research data is spreading, and the lack of data publishing tradition and of use of data standards remain prominent. A national biodiversity information system is lacking and most of the biodiversity data are not available or the available data are not consolidated. As a result, Russian biodiversity data remain fragmented and inaccessible for researchers. The majority of Russian biodiversity databases do not have web interfaces and are accessible only to a limited numbers of researchers. The main reason for lack of access to these resources relates to the fact that the databases have previously been developed only as a local resource. In addition, many sources have previously been developed in the desktop database environments mainly using MS Access and, in some cases, earlier DBMS for DOS, i.e., file-server system, which does not have the functionality to create access to records through a web interface. Among the databases with a web interface, a few information systems have interactive maps with the species occurrence data and systems allowing registered users to upload data. It is important to note that the conceptual structures of these databases were created without taking into account modern standards of the Darwin Core; furthermore, some data sources were developed prior to the first work version of the Darwin Core release in 2001. Despite the complexity and size of the biodiversity data landscape in Russia, the interest in publishing data through international biodiversity portals is increasing among Russian researchers. Since 2014, institutional data publishers in Russia have published about 140 000 species occurrences through gbif.org. The increase in data publishing activity calls for the creation of a GBIF node in Russia, aiming to support Russian biodiversity experts in international data work. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T19:19:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0d7d652eea6541bfa2f041a4b97b0f8c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2368-7460 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T19:19:50Z |
| publishDate | 2017-09-01 |
| publisher | Canadian Science Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arctic Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-0d7d652eea6541bfa2f041a4b97b0f8c2022-12-21T23:34:11ZengCanadian Science PublishingArctic Science2368-74602017-09-013356057610.1139/as-2016-0050Biodiversity databases in Russia: towards a national portalNatalya V. Ivanova0Maxim P. Shashkov1Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, The Branch of Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Science, 1, Vitkevicha str., 142290, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; Pushchino State Institute of Natural Sciences, 3, prospect Nauki, Pushchino, Moscow Region, RussiaInstitute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, The Branch of Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Science, 1, Vitkevicha str., 142290, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia; Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science, Russian Academy of Science, 2, Institutskaya str., 142290, Pushchino, Moscow Region, RussiaRussia holds massive biodiversity data accumulated in botanical and zoological collections, literature publications, annual reports of natural reserves, nature conservation, and monitoring study project reports. While some data have been digitized and organized in databases or spreadsheets, most of the biodiversity data in Russia remain dormant and digitally inaccessible. Concepts of open access to research data is spreading, and the lack of data publishing tradition and of use of data standards remain prominent. A national biodiversity information system is lacking and most of the biodiversity data are not available or the available data are not consolidated. As a result, Russian biodiversity data remain fragmented and inaccessible for researchers. The majority of Russian biodiversity databases do not have web interfaces and are accessible only to a limited numbers of researchers. The main reason for lack of access to these resources relates to the fact that the databases have previously been developed only as a local resource. In addition, many sources have previously been developed in the desktop database environments mainly using MS Access and, in some cases, earlier DBMS for DOS, i.e., file-server system, which does not have the functionality to create access to records through a web interface. Among the databases with a web interface, a few information systems have interactive maps with the species occurrence data and systems allowing registered users to upload data. It is important to note that the conceptual structures of these databases were created without taking into account modern standards of the Darwin Core; furthermore, some data sources were developed prior to the first work version of the Darwin Core release in 2001. Despite the complexity and size of the biodiversity data landscape in Russia, the interest in publishing data through international biodiversity portals is increasing among Russian researchers. Since 2014, institutional data publishers in Russia have published about 140 000 species occurrences through gbif.org. The increase in data publishing activity calls for the creation of a GBIF node in Russia, aiming to support Russian biodiversity experts in international data work.https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2016-0050russiagbif.orgbiodiversitydatabases |
| spellingShingle | Natalya V. Ivanova Maxim P. Shashkov Biodiversity databases in Russia: towards a national portal Arctic Science russia gbif.org biodiversity databases |
| title | Biodiversity databases in Russia: towards a national portal |
| title_full | Biodiversity databases in Russia: towards a national portal |
| title_fullStr | Biodiversity databases in Russia: towards a national portal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biodiversity databases in Russia: towards a national portal |
| title_short | Biodiversity databases in Russia: towards a national portal |
| title_sort | biodiversity databases in russia towards a national portal |
| topic | russia gbif.org biodiversity databases |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2016-0050 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT natalyavivanova biodiversitydatabasesinrussiatowardsanationalportal AT maximpshashkov biodiversitydatabasesinrussiatowardsanationalportal |