Challenges Building Online GIS Services to Support Global Biodiversity Mapping and Analysis: Lessons from the Mountain and Plains Database and Informatics project.

Abstract

We argue that distributed mapping and analysis of biodiversity information becoming available on global distributed networks is a lynchpin activity linking together research and development challenges in biodiversity informatics. Online mapping is key because it allows users to explore the spatial context of biodiversity information visually and assemble quickly the datasets needed to ask and answer biodiversity research and management questions. We make the case that free, online, global biodiversity mapping tools utilizing distributed species occurrence records are now within reach, and discuss how such a system can be built using existing technology. We also discuss additional technological and sociological challenges and solutions, given experiences building a regional distributed GIS tool called MaPSTeDI (Mountain and Plains Spatio-Temporal Database and Informatics Initiative). We focus on solutions to 3 technology challenges: returning result queries in a reasonable amount of time given network limitations; accessing multiple, heterogeneous data sources using different transmission mechanisms; and scaling from a solution for a handful of data providers to hundreds or thousands of providers. We also discuss future challenges and potential solutions for integrating analysis tools into online mapping applications. We close with a discussion of sociological impediments and potential community solutions for biodiversity mapping endeavors.