Fall 2009 (Vol. 12, No. 4)
NBII Marine Data and Functionality Increase Dramatically in OBIS-USA
Established in 2006 in cooperation with the U.S. National Committee (USNC) for the Census of Marine Life (CoML), OBIS-USA is a partnership of state, federal, and scientific organizations. The NBII hosts OBIS-USA, a one-stop source for biogeographic data collected from U.S. waters and oceanic regions (the Arctic, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes). Today, OBIS-USA data include approximately 2.5 million records from 31 data providers. The site provides a work space for visitors to search and manipulate that data.
Comprehensive National Park Lichen Database Released Through the NBII
The National Park Lichen (NPLichen) database contains the most comprehensive online distribution record of lichen species in the United States. More than 29,900 documented occurrence records and 2,650 species in 153 National Park units with over 530 references are accessible via this NBII-hosted Web site.
NBII Metadata Outreach
The NBII Metadata Program recently provided training on the FGDC Biological Data Profile to scientists and information managers attending workshops in such disparate locations as Kruger National Park, South Africa; the American Ornithological Union Conference in Philadelphia, PA; the Ecological Society of America Conference in Albuquerque, NM; the University of Idaho in Moscow, ID; and the Ontario Showcase in Toronto, Canada.
Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network Holds Sixth Council Meeting
Responding to the continuing need for improved access to data and information on critical biodiversity issues in the Western Hemisphere, the governing Council of the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN) met in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic, in July 2009 to review the network's progress and plan future activities.
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