Why we need a Biodiversity
Image Archiving System
Arthur D. Chapman
Australian Biodiversity Information Services
Images and Biodiversity Informatics
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Increase in high quality digital images
Increase availability of images
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Havesting Tools
Creative Commons Licensing
Availability of tools for tagging and harvesting
Availability of identification services
Active Citizen Scientist community wanting to
contribute
Projects wanting to use available images
Images contain valuable information
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Identification
locational
Flickr
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Internet tool for images
Includes millions of Biodiversity Images
‘Flickr Groups’ make grouping a breeze
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Many images are tagged with Machine Tags
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EOL Group
Field Guide to Insects of Australia
Used by EOL, Wikipedia, ALA etc.
Images are an essential part of projects such as
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Encyclopedia of Life
Atlas of Living Australia
Wikipedia in its various forms
Long-term resource
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These images are (or can be) a valuable longterm biodiversity resource
But what happens to the images if the Flickr
account ceases through death, financial
hardship, lack of interest, etc.?
In my case – I’d like my images to be available
long after my death – so how can we achieve
that?
For these images to be truly valuable long-term
we need a biological image archive
A Biological Image Archive
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Who could run such an Archive?
Single or multiple archives?
Global projects? e.g.
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National projects?
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Biodiversity Heritage Library
Encyclopedia of Life
Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Morphbank
iDigBio
Other Cloud options
Atlas of Living Australia
Combinations of one or more
Should it be a free service or charged?
It would require voluntary opt-in/opt-out
Conclusion
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These are largely questions without answers at
this time
So where to from here?
I suggest a TDWG sponsored white paper to
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Examine the issues
The extent of the problem
Include a user needs analysis?
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Questionnaire
Image suppliers
Image users
Archiving organisations
Propose a set of Options
Perhaps this could be included into the newlyformed Citizen Science Interest Group’s charter?
Thank you