The CAML / SCAR-MarBIN CYBERTAXONOMY INITIATIVE
Background
Accurate identification is of fundamental importance in biodiversity studies and relies on
efficient identification tools, which are still lacking for many taxonomic groups of the
Southern Ocean, in particular for some of the highly diverse groups difficult to identify.
On the other hand, the multiple CAML-IPY cruises yielded an impressive number of
unknown species, which require adequate taxonomic treatment.
CAML actively contributed to the “Barcode of Life” project (www.barcodinglife.org) for
the Southern Ocean, which initially requires reliable morphology-based taxonomic
identification. More efficient ID tools, with a more complete taxonomic coverage, should
contribute to provide the necessary solid foundations supporting a fast and sensible
development of the molecular taxonomy approach.
It is a well-known paradox that there is a general lack of support to (classical) taxonomy
and that around the world taxonomic expertise in many groups is vanishing. At the
same time there has never been a greater demand on taxonomy to supply the
increasing need of biodiversity knowledge for fundamental and applied science,
environmental management, conservation, bio-prospection and sustainable exploitation
purposes.
Thanks to the support of the TOTAL Foundation, and in the framework of the
International Year of Biodiversity 2010, the “CAML / SCAR-MarBIN Cybertaxonomy
Initiative” will identify the most important needs in taxonomic identification tools for the
Southern Ocean biodiversity and will support – through a “minigrant” system - the
development of new IT identification tools.
The new ID tools produced by this initiative should significantly contribute to the CAML
long term legacy.
Objectives
1. Develop cybertaxonomy - in particular interactive ID keys - to facilitate and speed
up the identification process.
2. Complete the coverage of identification guides and tools for the Southern Ocean
organisms.
3. Stimulate taxonomic revisions of the Southern Ocean species where needed.
Submission of proposals
RAMS Taxonomic Editors are invited to submit short (max 2 pages) proposals.
Applications from other expert taxonomists are admissible at the condition they are
introduced or recommended by RAMS Taxonomic Editors
(www.scarmarbin.be/rams.php?p=editors).
Application should include the following information:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Who leads and will do the work, including their contact details.
What gaps in Southern Ocean ID tools it seeks to fill, and why this is important.
What work is proposed, and what the deliverable(s) will be.
When will it be conducted and completed.
What is the budget, including contributions from other sources.
Note any aspects of the proposal that contain any contingencies (e.g. matching
funding, other support).
Applications should be for up to €5,000 (five thousand Euros).
Eligibility
What kind of project is acceptable?
- New ID guides and tools for Southern Ocean taxa, in priority new electronic
interactive keys (see for instance www.crustacea.net).
- Taxonomic revision of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic taxa including ID tools.
- (with lower funding priority) Photographic atlases of particular taxonomic groups,
with validated and georeferenced identifications, which may contribute to the
SCAR-MarBIN online “Antarctic Field Guide”, and in turn to the Encyclopedia of
Life.
Priority will be given to:
- The most species-rich taxonomic groups in the Southern Ocean s.l. (Antarctic
and sub-Antarctic).
- The most important groups in terms of ecological role(s) in the Southern Ocean
ecosystems.
- Groups in strong need of taxonomic revision and / or lacking identification tools.
- Taxonomic groups with high abundance or wide occurrence in the Southern
Ocean.
- ID tools including Antarctic and sub-Antarctic species.
Applications will be evaluated by peer review. They should be submitted by email to
claude.debroyer@naturalsciences.be using the attached application form.
SCAR-MarBIN / CAML « TOTAL Foundation » Mini-Grant application
CYBERTAXONOMY
The following elements are requested. The complete proposal should only be 2
pages.
1. Principal Investigator
name:
current address:
phone:
fax:
Email:
2. Date of submission:
3. Title of the project:
4. Proposed duration:
5. Type of request (delete all that do not apply):
Interactive identification key
Taxonomic identification guide
Taxonomic revision
Photographic Atlas
6. Statement of work (justification, integration within CAML and SCAR-MarBIN
objectives, what gaps in Southern Ocean ID tools will be filled, and why this is
important) (few sentences).
7. Taxonomic scope (including number of taxa/species covered)
8. Geographic scope
9. Proposed work (1 page max)
10. Deliverables
11. Proposed budget (by major items)
I commit to submitting data to SCAR-MarBIN and CAML and on completion I agree to
submit a report (maximum 2 pages) about how I have used the grant funds. I agree to
acknowledge the support of the TOTAL Foundation in any scientific publication
resulting from or incorporating the scientific results generated as a result of this grant
and to reproduce the logo of the Total Foundation on all communication media
resources directly linked to the funded project.
Signature