Urgent need for a data sharing platform to promote ecological research in china

Abstract

China has fallen behind in data sharing. A scientific data sharing platform is needed in China to create a big data pool for large‐scale comprehensive ecological research by providing undisrupted flow and sharing of data resources. To meet the increasing demand for more data‐intensive ecological research, the data sharing platform should improve the quality of both data and services and handle data heterogeneity across disciplines at a higher level. As data transparency and insecurity have been major barriers to data sharing and exchange, data confidentiality and security have to be taken into consideration by governmental organizations for building a comprehensive data sharing platform. In addition, it is necessary to enhance the efficiency of data sharing among the field or laboratory ecologists in China and beyond.