The GEO Biodiversity Observation Network

Gary GELLERJet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

International Workshop for Networking Biodiversity Observation Activities in Asia

Pacific Region

Nagoya

Hosted by Japan Ministry of Environment

21-22 July 2009

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(c) 2009 California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged.

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Overview

GEO and GEOSS

GEO BON

Implementation

Challenges

Next Steps

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Group on Earth Observations

Response to 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development

Global collaboration needed

Enhance interoperability

Voluntary partnership

• 79 governments + EC

• 56 participating organizations

Chiasognathusgranti

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GEOSS

Global Earth Observing System of Systems

• Disasters

• Health

• Energy

• Climate

• Water

• Weather

• Agriculture

• Ecosystems

• Biodiversity

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GEO BON

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What is GEO BON?

Global network, and collaboration

Interoperating biodiversity observation systems

Collect, manage, analyze, share data on status of the world’s biodiversity

Scholes et al., Science 321: 22 August 2008

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Some components of a BON

Collection

Storage & distribution

Tools

Partnerships

Many observations…

but not fully utilized

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Collecting observations

Many gaps

• Spatial

• Temporal

• Taxonomic

• Topical

Uneven coverage

Lack of coordination

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Storage and distribution

Many systems

Many observations

Dispersed, unconnected

Little coordination

Sharing is difficult

Lack of system interoperability

Doryphora undata

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Lack the full set of tools

Important capabilities missing

Capabilities not integrated

System-specific

Data utilization too difficult

Tools for working with data

Pseudomesomphaliaillustris

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Partnerships

Collaboration

Coordination

GEO BON

Network of BONS

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1. Data collection coordination

• Global sampling framework

• Ecosystems, species, genes, ecosystem services

2. System interoperability

• Guidelines and coordination

3. New and coordinated tools

• Extraction, synthesis, & visualization

4. Stronger partnerships

GEO BON: A network of BONs

Community-le

d activitie

s

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Focal areas

Quantifying and mapping drivers of biodiversity change

Recording impacts of biodiversity change

• Especially vital ecosystem services

Reporting biodiversity status and its changes

Leptinotarsa flavitarsus

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Focal areas

Ecosystems

Species

Genes

Ecosystem services

Prosicela vittata

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GEO BON

Community Network

In-situ Remote

Observations•Ecosystems•Species•Genes•Ecosystem services

Data Extraction & Visualization

Tools

End Users

Coordination& facilitation

Observational Needs

Observation Products•Maps•Status indicators•Change metrics•…

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History

2003: GEO forms

2006-2007: GEO BON established

• Concept Document drafted

April 2008: stakeholder meeting

• Blessed basic concept

October 2008: Implementation Overview

November 2008: GEO V Plenary

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Target users

Governments and agencies Parties to international conventions

Conservation organizations

Decision makers

Researchers

Public

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What value will GEO BON add?

Global framework for detecting change

Coordinated observations

Improved information delivery

New assessment and forecast products, e.g.

• Global maps of ecosystem services

• Predicted areas of rapid degradation

End-end continuity

Gymnopleurus nitens

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From raw physical data

To data processing

To information generation

To knowledge anddecision making

End-end continuity

To electronicdata

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Implementation approach

Incremental

Opportunistic

Collaborative

Starting point: Topical Working Groups

Doryphora pastica

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1. Map concepts to activities

2. Find regional and thematic partners

3. Together, create an implementation plan

Topical working groups

Alurnus ornatus

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Topical working groups

Ecosystem change

Terrestrial

Marine

Freshwater

Species change

Terrestrial

Genetic change

Ecosystem services change

In-situ / remote sensing integration

Data integration and interoperability

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Implementation

Concepts

Co

nce

pt

Do

cum

ent

TopicalWorking groups

Regional / thematicBONs and partners

Regional and localimplementation

Imp

lem

enta

tio

n

Concepts

Activities

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Thematic partners

ILTER

GBIF

UNEP-WCMC

Space agencies

National wildlife / park agencies

NGOs

…

Callopistus castelnaudi

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Possible regional partners

EBONE

Asia-Pacific BON

JBON (research oriented)

UK BON?

Southern Africa BON?

?

Alurnus bipunctatus

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Challenges

Making independently developed systems work together

Ensuring appropriate incentives for partners

Filling in observation gaps

Integrating in-situ and remote sensing obs

Funding and resources

Homoderus mellyi

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Next steps

Further engage biodiversity community

Facilitate regional / thematic BONs

Develop implementation plans

Develop funding mechanisms

Doryphora 21punctata

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Thoughts for an AP BON

Coordinated observations• Sampling framework• Fill gaps

Coordinated storage and distribution• Interoperability of existing systems (more sharing)

Coordinated tools• Access to all component systems• Support synthesis, visualization

Key observation products• Easy to understand• Powerful• Utilize multiple input sources Thank you

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Cenistra dohrniNear Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Website: Google “GEO BON”

Thank you

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Integration across scales

In-situ observations RS observations

Sparse…but finely detailed Global…but spatially coarse

Cannot extract the full value from data

Need to combine in-situ and RS data

• Provide continuous and complete datasets

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Some possible steps

Discuss AP BON structure

• Sub-regional BONs

• Governance

• Shared components Assess current state of component systems Consider setting up topical working groups

• Feed into GEO BON WGs

• Coordinate regional activities Participate in GEO BON WGs Assess GEO BON: What else does it need?

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Citizen Science

“Traditional” methods alone not adequate

Precedents

• Christmas Bird Count

• Breeding Bird Survey

• Feeder Watch

New efforts are needed

• http://whatsbloomin.com

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Early products

Product exemplars

• Populations & drivers of change

• Protected areas tools

• Ecosystems change maps

• Marine (Census of Marine Life)

Primary obstacle is funding