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EMODnet Biology
url: https://www.emodnet-biology.eu//
Unlocking European Marine Biodiversity Data
The EMODnet biology data portal provides free access to data on temporal and spatial distribution of marine species and species traits from all European regional seas.
EMODnet Biology is part of the EU funded European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) and is built upon the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and the European Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS).
Link with LifeWatch Species Information Backbone:
Biogeographic data:
Within the European Ocean Biodiversity Information System (EurOBIS - a biogeographic database linked to the LifeWatch Species Information Backbone), a close cooperation with the European marine countries and regions has been set up for the identification and capture of marine monitoring and research data. EMODnet Biology is an important partner in this, as they specifically focus on the identification and capture of long-term national monitoring data.
Ecological data:
The importance to describe species patterns and the underlying processes explaining these patterns is essential to indicate the status and future evolution of marine ecosystems. However, this requires biological information on functional and structural species attributes such as feeding ecology, reproduction, behavior, life history, etc. Several initiatives on compiling such attribute information already exist: The Biological Traits Information Catalogue (BIOTIC), Polytraits, the Plant Trait Database (TRY), etc. Unfortunately, species attribute information is often scattered and limited to a particular region or taxonomic group. To improve the large-scale functional analysis of the status of marine ecosystems, an integrated, standardized system serving this biological information is required. To meet these requirements, the EMODnet Biology started a process to collect and integrate biological trait information for European marine species: the Marine Species Traits Database.
In a first phase, seven pilot projects were started to investigate the challenges associated with collating trait information for specific taxonomic groups. In this framework a standard vocabulary of trait terms and associated definitions was developed, which will enable a greater degree of interoperability and facilitate the exchange of trait data between groups.
All species attribute information is stored in the Aphia database, the database behind the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS).
The Marine Species Traits Database is part of the LifeWatch Species Information Backbone. Part of the work done during the pilot projects was funded through LifeWatch.