Data publishers require tools to make their data easily accessible on the internet, whether through TDWG-defined protocols such as TAPIR, or through more generic web services such as those from the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). Data users, in turn, require applications that access the data via web services and are used to solve a particular problem, such as delineating or managing a protected area boundary, or running a climate change scenario.

The following activities will be used to develop standards-based web services:

Activity 1: Develop a strategy on deployment of OGC web services

OGC web services are the de facto standard for interoperability on the ‘geospatial’ web. Deployment of such services will enable the integration of a variety of biodiversity data both within the GBIF network and with other networks such as GEOSS. IDA will convene a task group on OGC web services to formulate a strategy document on their deployment on the GBIF network, including recommendations on integrating OGC Web Map and Web Feature Server functionality in the Integrated Publishing Toolkit, and an OGC web services client in the Nodes Portal Toolkit.

Activity 2: Provide recommendations on additional web services

IDA will prepare a requirements document based on requests for additional/enhanced web services in the GBIF Portal. For example, IDA will be instrumental in assisting the Informatics team in the development of new REST-based web services as well as their integration within Rich Internet Applications (RIA).