Call for Nominations for GBIF Task Group on Mobilisation of Domain-specific Primary Biodiversity Data

Background:

The GBIF Governing Board at its 15th meeting in 2008 set the target of discovery of up to 5 billion, and mobilisation of up to 2 billion, primary biodiversity records. In January 2009, GBIF constituted a Content Needs Assessment Task Group (CNA TG); preliminary results from the CNA TG in June make it clear that a need exists for prioritisation of specific under-represented yet policy-important domains. In particular, the CNA TG identified the need to facilitate increased discovery and mobilisation of primary biodiversity data from three priority domains, namely, (a) agro-biodiversity and forestry, (b) marine biodiversity and fisheries, and (c) biomedical and public health.

Task Group Objectives:

1. To assess the potential for discovery and mobilisation of primary biodiversity data from three broad domains namely agro-biodiversity and forestry, marine biodiversity and fisheries, and biomedical and public health.
2. To provide recommendations to GBIF on practical strategies and priorities on how to mobilise data from these domains together with a detailed listing of potential data publishers and metadata from these domains.

Task Group Terms of Reference:

1. Key Activities and outputs

1. Investigate the universe of primary biodiversity data in the domains of (a) agro-biodiversity and forestry, (b) marine biodiversity and fisheries, and (c) biomedical and public health.
2. Identify potential data publishing networks/information systems in these domains
3. Identify challenges to data digitisation and mobilisation in these domains
4. Provide a detailed report with a key set of recommendations regarding:
1. possible modification/changes required in the GBIF network architecture/infrastructure and adoption of new standards/tools to mobilise data from these domains
2. strategies and priorities on mobilising data from these domains

2. Task Group Characteristics, Timeline and modus operandi

The Task Groups should start functioning from late August 2009 and should remain active until the final report is submitted by March 2010. The Task Group will convene most of its business remotely through mailing-list, wiki, skype and conference calls. Regular physical meetings are not planned but at least one is foreseen in order to synthesise the survey results and to formulate the final report.

The Task Group will be coordinated by and report through the Senior Programme Officer for DIGIT (Digitisation and Mobilisation of Primary Biodiversity Data) at the GBIF Secretariat.

Timeline of Activities:

Activity	Timeline
Call for Task Group Nominations	July 2009
Deadline for Call for Nominations	August 2009
Constitution of the Task Group	August 2009
Discussions within Task Group	September – December 2009
Face-to-Face meetings of Task Group	December 2009
Draft reports for comments	January 2010
Recommendations together with final report	March 2010

3. Task Group Composition

The Task Group should consist of not more than 9-10 experts (3-4 from each of the three areas) with experience in domain specific data creation and use; design, analysis, synthesis, and interpretation of survey results; identification of gaps in data needs and accessible data; statistical expertise would be an advantage. Considering the global scale of this exercise an attempt will also be made to maintain regional balance. The Task Group should possibly have 2-3 co-chairs representing the different domain areas.

Call for Nominations

This call is to seek nominations from the GBIF Heads of Delegations (HoD) for membership in this "GBIF Task Group on Mobilisation of Domain-Specific Primary Biodiversity Data".

Please recommend individuals with senior-level expertise that could contribute towards the stated objectives of the Task Group. Members of the Task Group will be required to devote considerable time for frequent discussions, conference calls, and timely inputs towards various activities of this exercise. No remuneration for time spent is envisaged; however logistical/travel costs of meeting/s will be covered.

Please send your recommendations by August 15, 2009 to Dr Vishwas Chavan, GBIF Senior Programme Officer for DIGIT (vchavan_@If you can read this, please upgrade to a modern browser.gbif.org), together with a short CV of the nominee including an indication that they have accepted the nomination and ToRs.