BioFresh: a network for global freshwater biodiversity

Publications

BioFresh:
a network for global freshwater biodiversity

A new global information platform is providing scientists and water managers with access to data on the distribution, status and trends of freshwater biodiversity – and all in one place.

Fascinating freshwater life: the caddisfly species Triaenodes bicolor is a typical inhabitant of macrophyte-rich stagnant waterbodies in the floodplain of the Danube. © Wolfram Graf/Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber

The Danube is the largest and most biodiverse freshwater region in Europe and this biodiversity contributes to a range of ecosystem services that enrich the lives of millions of people who live alongside the Danube and its tributaries. Yet, while the importance of freshwater species, ecosystems and their services to human livelihoods and wellbeing is increasingly being recognised, population growth, unsustainable development and climate change are all increasing the pressure on freshwaters.

A key factor hampering strategic policy responses to the issue of freshwater biodiversity loss is the limited access to reliable information on the status and distribution of the world’s freshwater habitats and their associated species. This fragmented and incomplete knowledge base undermines our ability to develop the evidence-base required to demonstrate the seriousness of the situation and the value of freshwater biodiversity to the Earth and its many inhabitants.

Putting the pieces together. Scientists and water managers have collected a vast amount of data on freshwater life, but unfortunately this data is dispersed in many locally-managed databases which are often difficult to find and not publicly available. If located, combined and made accessible this data would be of unimaginable value. This is the biodiversity informatics vision of a science infrastructure of interoperable databases offering ‘big science’ data resources and tools. Freshwater scientists have mobilised to engage with this vision and build an information infrastructure capable of addressing this urgent issue.

Over the past three years, the EU has funded the first major international project focusing on freshwater biodiversity. Called BioFresh, the project integrates the competencies and expertise in freshwater science, database technologies and science communication of 18 European institutions into a consortium of actors within an emerging global network. BioFresh is building a global information platform for scientists and ecosystem managers providing access to all available databases on the distribution, status and trends of global freshwater biodiversity, along with a collection of key maps, analytics, and other research resources. BioFresh is funded under the 7th EU Framework Programme, Theme 6 Environment including Climate Change (Contract No. 226874).

The Danubian wetlands are hotpots of biodiversity. Due to channelisation and regulation they have been reduced dramatically over the last centuries. © Wolfram Graf/Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber

What does BioFresh do? BioFresh improves the capacity to manage and protect freshwater biodiversity, thereby maintaining the services provided by aquatic ecosystems but also making it possible to establish effective regional plans for conservation.

The BioFresh Data Portal provides a single gateway for freshwater species occurrence data and the ‘freshwater node’ of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Access to the data allows scientists and planners to discover, analyse, evaluate and examine patterns and threats at scales relevant to their needs. The BioFresh Global Freshwater Biodiversity Atlas is a constantly expanding collection of key maps related to freshwater biodiversity. These include outputs of the BioFresh project and the wider scientific community, and cover state-of-the-art scientific models and conservation planning maps, such as the Freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas.

Building a community. The BioFresh research and outreach area offers scientists, policy makers, managers ,consultants and students a quick entry point to the most important journals and publications and online learning resources. It also offers a range of services to promote engagement and discussion: a widely read blog (biofreshblog.com) and two Twitter feeds (@biofreshproject, @biofreshdata) for up-to-date news and comments, a LinkedIn group ‘BioFresh: the network for global freshwater biodiversity’ for more indepth community discussion and a virtual Cabinet of Freshwater Curiosities (http://cabinetoffreshwatercuriosities.com) that will appeal to anyone with a sense of wonder!

How can you contribute? The BioFresh vision is to make biodiversity data freely and openly available. If you are a data holder you can support this vision by publishing your data in the BioFresh portal. You can publish specific information about a dataset you hold in the BioFresh metadatabase, strengthening your collaboration possibilities with scientists working in the same area. Primary biodiversity data can be published in the BioFresh data portal which includes tools to help and to prepare a data paper for publication in one of the new generation of data journals such as the Biodiversity Data Journal from Pensoft Publishers. Another option is to feature your geographic results and maps in the BioFresh Global Freshwater Biodiversity Atlas.

As well as contributing to the development of freshwater biodiversity science, you will increase the visibility of your data and generate more recognition for the hard work that combining such datasets entails. As well as the benefits of reliable storage and archiving, contributors are able to demonstrate a trackrecord in data publication, something that funders are increasingly demanding. BioFresh provides full acknowledgment of contributors to the data portal and atlas and clear citation guidelines.

A second dimension to the BioFresh vision is to increase the speed of exchange among freshwater biodiversity scientists and our policy impact. By contributing posts, comments and tweets to our online services you will help build the vitality of our network and science. At the same time you will add a progressive ‘digital native’ dimension to your scientific publications!

For more information about BioFresh and how to get involved, please visit: www.freshwaterbiodiversity.eu.

Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber is a river ecologist at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna.
Paul Jepson and Will Bibby are conservation geographers at the University of Oxford.
Jörg Freyhof is a biodiversity scientist at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin. The authors are all BioFresh members.