From: "Fiona Grant" <fian@ceh.ac.

uk>
Please send this questionnaire back to: fian@ceh.ac.uk
Dear colleagues,
e !ould like to ask "ou to com#lete the follo!ing questionnaire in order to get some feedback from "ou on the
contents and de$elo#ment of the e%conference as !ell as an" ideas "ou ma" ha$e to im#ro$e it. &our comments
are most $aluable and !ill be taken into account for the u#coming e%conferences.
Please fill in the questionnaire belo! and send it back to: fian@ceh.ac.uk
'hank "ou $er" much in ad$ance for "our hel# and interest.
(est regards,
'he )teering committee.
*uro#ean +ontribution to G*, (,-
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/70 ,ther comments

'<1-H &,I 5*6& =I+<
From: "Fiona Grant" <fian@ceh.ac.uk>
Dear e%conference #artici#ants,
Please find belo! a list of research #riorities com#iled from "our contributions to the J*uro#ean +ontribution to
G*, (,-K e%conference. 'his draft list of research #riorities !ill be #osted onto the (io)trat !ebsite later this
month.
=an" thanks again for all "our suggestions for future research in this field.
(est !ishes,
Fiona Grant.
/. 6esearch needed to im#ro$e biodi$ersit" monitoring:
% De$elo# multidisci#linar" a##roaches to monitoring biodi$ersit" globall" in near real%time.
% De$elo# a monitoring frame!ork that co$ers all as#ects of biodi$ersit" in one coherent s"stem, including
genetic di$ersit", s#ecies di$ersit" and ecos"stem di$ersit".
% (ridge ga#s bet!een theoreticall" ideal monitoring a##roaches and real !orld constraints to further strengthen
the role of $olunteer in$ol$ement in monitoring.
% *3#lore the geogra#hic and e3#ansion of !eb%based monitoring o$er$ie!s and su##ort tools de$elo#ed in *I
#roCects.
% Inderstand the sensiti$it" of $olunteer%based monitoring to the cultural, #olitical and economic conditions of a
countr", #articularl" non%*uro#ean countries.
% )u##ort integration of in situ and earth obser$ation b" inter%calibration of *, and field obser$ation at the habitat
scale.
7. 6esearch needed to im#ro$e technological tools:
% De$elo# better and sustained obser$ation s"stems, nested global sam#ling, and modelling, com#utational and
anal"tical tools.
% =ake full te3t $ersions of #ublications a$ailable in machine readable form.
% De$elo# !a"s to con$ert current #ublishing !orkflo!s into one that has underl"ing L=?, in order to allo!
automatic e3traction of data.
% De$elo# effecti$e biodi$ersit" s#atial modelling a##roaches that can add $alue to #rimar" biotic obser$ations
through integration !ith ke" en$ironmental $ariables.
% *nable better estimates of land condition, and su##ort the inter#retation of obser$ations through the lens
#ro$ided b" the biodi$ersit" models.
9. 6esearch needed to im#ro$e data collection s"stems and databases:
% De$elo# a cost%efficient data collection s"stem for biodi$ersit" linked !ith e3tant data at national, regional and
continental le$els to #roduce statistical estimates of stock and change of ke" indicators and a s"stem for
estimating change for forecasting and testing #olic" o#tions.
% De$elo# a common reference dataset, against !hich ?'*6 and -atura 7GGG sites can be com#ared and the
im#act of conser$ation #olicies re$ie!ed.
% *3#and and broaden the sco#e of !eb%based databases to #ro$ide an o$er$ie! of monitoring acti$ities outside
*uro#e.
% De$elo# !eb%based su##ort tools for monitoring acti$ities, such as (io=1'.
% *3tract information, in #articular historical records and associated ecological information, and combine !ith
earth obser$ation of habitats 8and their change o$er time0, in situ obser$ation and genetic studies, as
a##ro#riate.
'o unsubscribe to this e%conference #lease email fian@ceh.ac.uk
From: "Fiona Grant" <fian@ceh.ac.uk>
)ummar" of M*uro#ean +ontribution to G*, (,-N
@n her introduction to the G*, (,- e%conference, Hatalin 'OrOk set out the main aims of the e%conference,
namel" to #ro$ide information from a range of e3#erts in order to de$elo# links and instigate net!orks bet!een
the Global *arth ,bser$ation )"stem of )"stems 8G*,))0 and the *uro#ean Platform of (iodi$ersit" 6esearch
)trateg" 8*P(6)0.
@n res#onse to the introduction, Daniel Faith noted that as !ell as obser$ation goals for ecos"stems and s#ecies,
G*, (,- !ill also facilitate the global monitoring of genetic di$ersit", using a combination of remote sensing
and in situ a##roaches, and highlighted that these !ill be most effecti$e !hen integrated !ith G*, (,-
obser$ation strategies at s#ecies and ecos"stem le$els. 1 ne! t"#e of fast and eas"%to%use identification
ser$ice for s#ecies !as introduced b" =auri 1hlberg, !hich she belie$ed !ould greatl" #romote an" Global
(iodi$ersit" ,bser$ing )"stem.
+ornelia -auen called for em#hasis to also be #laced on the s"stematic e3traction of information from the
scientific literature, in #articular historical records and associated ecological information, so as to combine !ith
earth obser$ation of habitats 8and their change o$er time0, in situ obser$ations and genetic studies. Donat
1gosti agreed !ith +orneliaNs em#hasis for the im#ro$ement of the use of literature. <e argued that full te3t
#ublications need to be made a$ailable in a machine readable format so that the machine is able to find all
ta3onomic names, geogra#hic entities and much more. <e outlined current s"stems a$ailable in order to begin
this #rocess.
Doug =uchone"Ns contribution outlined ho! G*,)) 8Global *arth ,bser$ing )"stem of )"stems0 can aid
current biodi$ersit" monitoring s"stems b" creating links !ith other *arth ,bser$ation net!orks to hel# fill in
ga#s in our #resent ta3onomic and biological kno!ledge, generate u#dated assessments of global biodi$ersit"
trends, track the s#read and retreat of in$asi$e alien s#ecies, and monitor ho! biodi$ersit" res#onds to climate
change. 6ob Pongman also indicated the need to de$elo# a monitoring a##roach that co$ers all as#ects of
biodi$ersit" in one coherent s"stem and the #otential for *arth ,bser$ation to contribute to this monitoring
s"stem to #ro$ide a $ehicle for generalisation of obser$ations and a conte3t to field sam#les.
1nne ?arigauderie and (runo alther outlined the ke" conce#t of G*, (,- as a shared and intero#erable
s"stem bringing data of different t"#es and from man" sources to bear on the information needs as defined b"
users. 'he" highlighted G*, (,-Ns main aims !hich are to create a global net!ork from the man" alread"
e3isting efforts b" linking and su##orting them !ithin a scientificall" robust frame!ork, and using the best
technologies a$ailable. 6ob Pongman also recogniQed the need for a cost%efficient data collection s"stem for
biodi$ersit" that is linked to a sound institutional frame!ork in order to harmoniQe and share monitoring
a##roaches at a *uro#ean scale.
'he technological requirements in order to be able to monitor biodi$ersit" at global and inter$ening scales !as
addressed b" Roheir )abeur !ho noted the need for the de#lo"ment of o#en s"stems around the !orld in order
for scientists to get the bigger #icture of the state of our biodi$ersit" and ecos"stems. Gediminas 5aitkus outlined
the *3#erimental <igh%6esolution @nformation )"stem 8<@6@)0 of the (altic )ea and *uro#e, as a multi%#ur#ose
o#en structure statistical grid s"stem that could be used for the de#lo"ment, #rocessing and anal"sis of the
di$ersit" of ecos"stems, biocenoses and s#ecies. <e #ro#osed the s"stem to be an on%line ser$ice co$ering the
!hole of *uro#e !ith a broad range of thematic information and s#ecificall" targeted at high%resolution
continental%scale modelling of en$ironmental and socio%economical #rocesses.
)ome #otential research needs relating to the required integration of decision%su##ort s"stems, modelling, and
forecasting !ere raised b" Daniel Faith. <e argued that effecti$e biodi$ersit" s#atial modelling a##roaches are
needed in order to add $alue to #rimar" biotic obser$ations through integration !ith ke" en$ironmental
$ariables. <e suggested that such research is needed to enable better estimates of land condition in critical
#laces, !hich in turn ma" result in a reduced rate of biodi$ersit" loss. Gediminas 5aitkus outlined the 6G(
clustering method as a classification method for automated #roduction of thematic land co$er datasets. <e
argued that landsca#e structure and di$ersit" are critical factors for the qualit" and di$ersit" of biocenoses, and
therefore the a##lication of standard methods for ra#id e3traction of s#ecific land co$er thematic information from
satellite images is essential for ma##ing landsca#e structures and identification of ongoing changes inS
a stud" area.
Hlaus <enle called for em#hasis to be #laced on bridging the ga#s bet!een theoreticall" ideal monitoring
a##roaches and real !orld constraints. <e also highlighted the need to further e3#lore and strengthen the role
of $olunteer in$ol$ement in monitoring, and to e3#lore the geogra#hic and e3#ansion of !eb%based monitoring
o$er$ie!s and su##ort tools de$elo#ed in *I #roCects. )imilarl" Roheir )abeur recogniQed the need for near
real%time monitoring of biodi$ersit" at a global scale and argued that multidisci#linar" a##roaches are required in
order to achie$e this.
'he G*, (,- e%conference is no! officiall" closed. @ !ill shortl" be #osting a draft list of research
recommendations identified b" #artici#ants during the course of the e%conference. 'he com#lete re#ort of the e%
conference 8including all contributions0 !ill be #osted on the (io)trat and *P(6) !ebsites later this month.
@ !ould like to take this o##ortunit" to thank "ou all for making this a successful e%conference.
Fiona Grant.
From: "Dan Faith" <danfaithE@"ahoo.com.au>
G*, (,- and the 7G/G biodi$ersit" target
Daniel P. Faith, 1ustralian =useum, )"dne", 1ustralia
@n the conference @ntroduction, Hatalin 'OrOk noted that Jne! to#ics to be addressed b" G*, (,-, rele$ant to
*P(6), are to re$ie! and #rioritiQe research and design decision%su##ort s"stems that integrate monitoring !ith
ecological modelling and forecastingK. @ comment here on some #otential research needs relating to needed
integration of decision%su##ort s"stems, modelling, and forecasting T !ith a goal of effecti$e monitoring for the
7G/G biodi$ersit" target. 'his conte3t recalls an original moti$ation for G*, (,- % to Jde$elo# and im#lement a
biodi$ersit" obser$ation net!ork that is s#atiall" and to#icall" #rioritiQed...!hich can su##ort the 7G/G +(D
targetK.
'he G*, (,- +once#t Document 81ndrefouet et al 7GGE0 refers to t!o forms of biodi$ersit" monitoring:
/0 re#eated in%situ measurement of selected com#onents of biodi$ersit" at selected locations, to get a time
series for anal"ses,
70 modelling of #atterns in the s#atial distribution of biodi$ersit", using biotic4abiotic obser$ations, unconstrained
b" time4#lace, and then using these models as a JlensK to inter#ret remotel"%sensed changes in ecos"stem
condition and other ke" dri$ers.
'he first a##roach has been considered a #rimar" strateg" for addressing 7G/G, but the second a##roach can
take good ad$antage of biodi$ersit" models, decision%su##ort, and forecasting T and side%ste# some of the
difficulties in obtaining broad%co$erage time%series data for biodi$ersit".
First, !e need effecti$e biodi$ersit" s#atial modelling a##roaches that can add $alue to #rimar" biotic
obser$ations 8such as those from G(@F0 through integration !ith ke" en$ironmental $ariables. 'he rationale is
that the integration of man" s#ecies and en$ironmental $ariables re$eals underl"ing #atterns of turno$er that !ill
be common to man" s#ecies, so #ro$iding a !a" to address o$erall, !holesale, biodi$ersit". 1rguabl", G*,
(,- needs models that attem#t inferences at this le$el in order to claim to be a biodi$ersit" monitoring net!ork
in the broadest sense. )uch models !ould use obser$ations from a !ide set of #artici#ants T demonstrating that
the fundamental biodi$ersit" Jobser$ationsK of G*, (,- can be $er" inclusi$e T co$ering man" ta3a, in man"
#laces, including old obser$ations from museum collections. 1dditional data should #ermit continuous
refinement of the models.
hile the models are not static, the" do not ha$e to #ro$ide the critical times series for monitoring. 'he ke"
tem#oral dimension could be #roduced through ongoing obser$ations 8#ro$ided through other #arts of G*,))0
of changes in land co$er, ecos"stem condition, climate, etc, t"#icall" deri$ed from remote sensing. 6esearch is
needed to enable better estimates of land condition, and to su##ort the inter#retation of these obser$ations
through the lens #ro$ided b" the biodi$ersit" models.
-aturall", this also should allo! for consideration of #ossible future scenarios of change in those dri$ing factors,
and not Cust actual obser$ed changes. For e3am#le, b" using the biodi$ersit" models as the lens to inter#ret
alternati$e land condition futures, the a##roach could sho! ho! !ell%targeted conser$ation efforts ma" #ro$ide
better land condition in critical #laces, resulting in reduced rate of biodi$ersit" loss. 'his link bet!een models,
decision%su##ort , forecasting, and the 7G/G target !as discussed in a #ast (io)trat e%conference J<o! to reach
the 7G/G%and be"ond% target: research influencing #olic"K in the contribution, J)"stematic +onser$ation
PlanningK <a target2Une!
href2"8htt#:44!!!.nbu.ac.uk4biota41rchi$eU7G/Gtarget4E7/D.htm">8htt#:44!!!.nbu.ac.uk4biota41rchi$eU7G/Gtarge
t4E7/D.htm<4a> 0.
'his strateg" no! also links to a G(@F +am#aign on the 7G/G target 8see <a target2Une!
href2"htt#:44!!!.eurekalert.org4#ubUreleases47GGE%G74gbif%
fgcG7GDGE.#h#">htt#:44!!!.eurekalert.org4#ubUreleases47GGE%G74gbif%fgcG7GDGE.#h#<4a> 0, !hich e3#lores
scenarios contrasting s"stematic conser$ation #lanning !ith "business as usual". 6esearch and case studies
are needed to test the h"#othesis that the difficult 7G/G target can be reached b" an" countr" !illing to take%u#
and im#lement s"stematic conser$ation #lanning.
6eference
1ndrefouet ), +ostello =P, Faith DP, Ferrier ), Geller G-, <Oft 6, PVrgens -, ?ane =1, ?arigauderie 1, =ace
G, =iaQQa ), =uchone" D, Parr ', Pereira <=, )a"re 6, )choles 6P, )tiassn" =?P, 'urner , alther (1,
&ahara '. 7GGE. 'he G*, (iodi$ersit" ,bser$ation -et!ork Draft +once#t Document. G*, % Grou# on *arth
,bser$ations, Gene$a, )!itQerland.
From: "Donat 1gosti" <agosti@amnh.org>
6*: @ntroduction to the M*uro#ean contribution to G*, (,-N
Donat 1gosti, PlaQi
+ornelia -auen makes a $er" im#ortant #oint: 'he use of literature. 'here are t!o as#ects in this, the legac"
and the #ros#ecti$e literature.
'he (iodi$ersit" <eritage ?ibrar" 8(<?0 is currentl" engulfed in digitiQing biodi$ersit" literature sitting in the maCor
I)4IH institutions aiming at !ell o$er /GG = #ages of #rinted records. <o!e$er, the reall" im#ortant
breakthrough !ill come at the #oint !here the full te3t $ersion of #ublications are a$ailable in a machine readable
form, meaning that a machine !ould find all the ta3onomic names, geogra#hic entities and much more, such as
!here a descri#tion begins and ends. ,nl" this !ould allo! us to kno!, !hat geogra#hic name belongs to !hich
s#ecies, as +ornelia #oints out.
'o get this done is not a tri$ial task. 1t PlaQi <a target2Une! href2"8htt#:44#laQi.org0">8htt#:44#laQi.org0<4a> !e
ha$e set u# a s"stem that allo!s semiautomatic con$ersion of scanned documents to L=? documents including
all the rele$ant tags, using GoldenGate. From there, the marked%u# documents are im#orted into a database in
!hich the treatments can be read, most of them enhanced !ith links to e3ternal resources 8see <a target2Une!
href2"htt#:44#laQi.org:EGEG4Gg)6)4search0:">htt#:44#laQi.org:EGEG4Gg)6)4search0:<4a> see for e3am#le a
recentl" #ublished article in Plo) ,ne on 1nochetus, !here links ha$e been added e$en to the indi$idual gene
sequences or the collecting e$ents <a target2Une! href2"8htt#:44#laQi.org:EGEG4Gg)6)4html:
E1DGD1*F7/EGB;FD7DD(1D+*GE*;FFF90.">8htt#:44#laQi.org:EGEG4Gg)6)4html:
E1DGD1*F7/EGB;FD7DD(1D+*GE*;FFF90.<4a>
'he collecting e$ent can then be har$ested b" the Global (iodi$ersit" @nformation Facilit" 8G(@F: see <a
target2Une! href2"htt#:44data.gbif.org4datasets4#ro$ider47;/40">htt#:44data.gbif.org4datasets4#ro$ider47;/40<4a>,
using a '1P@6 #rotocol. 'his !a", ta3onomic #ublications can be har$ested and its content be used.
?egac" mark%u# is e3#ensi$e and needs human interaction. Furthermore, the older the #ublication the less detail
on geogra#hic information, and therefore, it is clear, that the future lies in #ros#ecti$e mark%u# of #ublications.
'hat means that each #ublication should include the basic elements to allo! the machine to e3tract descri#tions,
geogra#hic data, ta3onomic names and more. 'ogether !ith the -ational ?ibrar" of =edicine, such an L=?
scheme is currentl" being de$elo#ed, that includes all the ta3onomic elements. @t !ould no! be $er" im#ortant to
find !a"s !e could hel# to con$ert current #ublishing !orkflo!s into one that has underl"ing L=?, !hich !ould
allo! automatic e3traction.
Finall", the use of unique identifiers, such as ?)@D being #ro#osed b" the 'a3onomic Data orking Grou#
8'DG0 !ould hel# to include links in the #ublications to e3ternal resources, such as names or s#ecimens. @n
Roolog", Roobank has been de#lo"ed to su##ort this effort for Qoological names.
@f one looks ahead, more and more s#ecimen data is accom#anied b" D-1 sequences, standard scientific
imaging, date and GPD records. @f this is all accessible from semanticall" enhanced #ublications 8see the case of
1nochetus boltoni abo$e0, !e immediatel" ha$e a $er" rich data source at hand.
Finall", dealing !ith s#ecies descri#tion is also a solution to o$ercome the co#"right issue of #ublications that
#rohibit a global net!ork of linked descri#tions 8see e.g. <a target2Une!
href2"ht">ht<4a>t#:44hdl.handle.net4/G/FF4/FGDB0.
'o unsubscribe to this e%conference #lease email fian@ceh.ac.uk
From: "Gediminas 5aitkus" <gedas@agi.lt>
1##lication of the 6G(%clustering method for automated #roduction of thematic land co$er datasets
Gediminas 5aitkus, @nstitute of 1erial Geodes", Haunas, ?ithuania
?andsca#e structure and di$ersit" are critical factors for the qualit" and di$ersit" of biocenoses, therefore
a##lication of standard methods for ra#id e3traction of s#ecific land co$er thematic information from satellite
images is essential for ma##ing the landsca#e structures and identification of the ongoing changes in the stud"
area.
'he main techniques in$ol$ed in our studies !ere #hoto%inter#retation of ortho#hoto data, masking and $isual
anal"sis of indicati$e false colour com#osites of ?1-D)1' *'= images, !hich enabled us to e3tract the core
areas containing the land co$er classes of interest 8in most cases % macro#h"te communities0. )#atial
enhancement of satellite data and the a##lication of 6G( clustering techniques #roduced thematic raster ma#s,
!hich !ere further calibrated during an iterati$e qualit" control #rocess b" com#arison !ith high%resolution
imager", field%checking and anal"sis of the a$ailable in%situ data sam#les. 6ecoding and statistical cleaning of
calibrated thematic raster datasets #roduced final ma#s of s#atial distribution of the maCor #h"tocenoses
containing macro#h"te communities, as !ell as statistical tables of their co$erage in different sectors of the stud"
area.
6esults of our stud" #ro$ed the ad$antage of multis#ectral satellite imager" against the con$entional high
resolution o#tical data sources or field sam#ling methods for the #ur#oses of ra#id medium%scale ma##ing and
statistical assessment of homogeneous communities of $egetation. =edium%siQed 8W9G m0 #i3els of satellite
imager" #ro$ide a certain le$el of generaliQation, eliminating small details, !hich often com#licate semi%
automatic classification #rocedures b" introducing a large amount of mi3els 8mi3ed #i3els0, !hereas infrared
s#ectral bands make it #ossible to construct false colour com#osites em#hasiQing different $egetation t"#es, as
!ell as soil and moisture conditions of the en$ironment. <o!e$er, in certain cases more detailed results can be
achie$ed b" a##l"ing #an%shar#ening methods to the satellite images before running the 6G(%clustering
#rocedure. *$en though #an%shar#ening of satellite data is not recommended for running further s#ectral
anal"sis, !e found thaS
t in man" cases 6G(%clustering of #an%shar#ened ?1-D)1' *'= images #ro$ide good results, but more
careful ground qualit" control is needed to #ro#erl" define thematic classes a$ailable in the more detailed raster
dataset #roduced from #an%shar#ened images.
'he 6G( clustering method #ro$ides ob$ious ad$antages against con$entional su#er$ised classification
methods, as it is based on com#utation of statistical differences bet!een s#ectral signatures of #i3els !ithin an E
bit colour s#ace making it #ossible to identif" u# to 7>> different colour classes. @t is therefore #ossible to carr"
out a rather sim#le iterati$e calibration of the classification results b" masking out unnecessar" areas, instead of
manual sam#ling of homogeneous colour classes of interest, $alid onl" for the gi$en satellite image and
#racticall" im#ossible to re#eat b" other inde#endent researchers. @n other !ords, 6G( clustering #rocedures
takes the user%s#ecified 6G( com#osite of the satellite image and does an automatic se#aration of $isible
colours into 7>> distinct colour classes % Cust the same !a" as the human e"e does it, but using E%bit colour
s#ace instead of millions of colours se#arated b" the human e"e. )o the anal"sis reduces a sim#lified, but S
statisticall" correct aggregation of the selected 9 s#ectral bands into one%band thematic raster, read" for
immediate anal"sis and use for e3traction of s#ecific land co$er t"#es.
'o unsubscribe to this e%conference #lease email fian@ceh.ac.uk
From: "Gediminas 5aitkus" <gedas@agi.lt>
<@6@) % *3#erimental <igh%6esolution @nformation )"stem of the (altic )ea 6egion and *uro#e
Gediminas 5aitkus, @nstitute of 1erial Geodes", ?ithuania
'he ?ithuanian )cientific 6esearch @nstitute 8@nstitute of *colog" of 5ilnius Ini$ersit"0 in co%o#eration !ith a
commercial G@) )er$ice Pro$ider 8@nstitute of 1erial Geodes"0 are !orking on the im#lementation of a multi%
#ur#ose o#en structure statistical grid s"stem o$er the entire *uro#ean continent, !hich among other thematic
areas could also be used for de#lo"ment, #rocessing and anal"sis of di$ersit" of ecos"stems, biocenoses and
s#ecies. )ome countries ha$e alread" made attem#ts to im#lement such information s"stems locall" 8see an
e3am#le of )tatistics Finland: <a target2Une!
href2"htt#:44!!!.stat.fi4tu#4ruututietokanta4inde3Uen.html0">htt#:44!!!.stat.fi4tu#4ruututietokanta4inde3Uen.html0<
4a>, but our ambition is to launch an o#erational on%line ser$ice co$ering the entire continent of *uro#e !ith a
broad range of thematic information and s#ecificall" targeted at high%resolution continental%scale modelling of
en$ironmental and socio%economic #rocesses, including differS
ent ecos"stem4climate change and socio%economical de$elo#ment scenarios. 'he s"stem !ould be distributed
o$er man" regional JnodesK, but at the same time com#letel" o#en and fle3ible in its architecture, so that it !ould
allo! immediate on%line access b" research grou#s, u#dates of thematic content and inde#endent
de$elo#ment4simulation of different scenarios T !hate$er technical means are #referred b" the users. 'he main
obCecti$e of the s"stem !ould be to ser$e as an o#en #latform for o#erational su##ort of en$ironmental decision%
making #rocesses at an *I le$el, facilitated b" scientific4#rofessional ad$ice, collecti$el" formulated b" on%line
co%o#erating grou#s of #rofessionals and researchers T all utiliQing a multitude of #rocessed thematic information
resources a$ailable on <@6@) s"stem 8on%line database0 on an o#erational 7;4D basis.
@t !ould basicall" be a sim#le collection of G@) la"ers containing co$erages of regular rectangular #ol"gon
features, or so%called J#seudo%raster gridsK, made at gi$en resolutions 8e.g. /3/, >3>, /G3/G km, etc.0. *ach of
the indi$idual features !ill be assigned unique <@6@)U@D feature identifiers. 'he #seudo%raster G@) co$erages
!ill be #roCected into a standard continental *uro#ean coordinate s"stem 8*'6)EFU?1*10, as s#ecified in J**1
Guide to Geogra#hical Data and =a#sK $ersion /.9 8issued b" **1 and *@,-*' in 7GG>0. 'hose #seudo%raster
#ol"gon co$erages 8regular grids of #ol"gons0 !ill be used for geo%#rocessing o#erations !ith a selected
collection of thematic 8#resumabl", land co$er, administrati$e, en$ironmental, etc.0 G@) data la"ers, !hich in turn
!ill be further anal"Qed b" means of scri#ts, #ro$iding quantitati$e e$aluations 8as !ell as #ro#ortions0 of
thematic features, corres#onding to the abo$e%mentioned <@6@)U@D $alues of geo%located regular cells. )o, the
concS
e#t of the <igh 6esolution @nformation )"stem 8<@6@)0 is based on a sim#le and standard G@) com#onents
8collection of #seudo%raster statistical grids0 and a large o#en%structure attribute and meta%database, !hich !ill
be interacti$el" accessible to the registered users on%line and actuall" contain all thematic s#atial data #rocessed
into the s"stem b" the <@6@) team, and deri$ed data $ariables #roduced b" users during their anal"sis4modelling
e3ercises % all a$ailable in the form of sim#le numeric data columns 8including inde3es and meta%data
descri#tors0, each indi$idual record 8line0 being indirectl" geo%located b" means of <@6@)U@D codes, linking
multi#le attribute records to corres#onding #seudo%raster G@) cells. Dis#la" and $isualiQation of results directl"
from <@6@) attribute datasets could be either #ersonall" done b" the clients on their com#uters 8using the same
standard #seudo%raster grid co$erages !ith <@6@)U@D % a total #latform4soft!are inde#endent choice of GS
@) soft!are on a client side0, or b" means of #re%defined custS
omiQable
=) 8eb =a# )er$er0 interfaces.
e are looking for!ard to de$elo#ing an JelegantK and #latform4soft!are inde#endent technological solution,
!hich !ould allo! us to establish an interacti$e on%line ser$ice, !here users 8connected to the attribute
database0 !ill be able to #erform an" kind of queries, anal"ses, com#uting, modelling, etc. on the XrealX
numbers, and $isualiQe the results on the G@) la"ers of the #seudo%raster statistical grids. @n other !ords, the"
!ill ha$e a large, fle3ible and s#atiall" geo%located statistical data bank at their dis#osal, !hich !ould be able to
incor#orate $irtuall" an" t"#e of s#atial4tem#oral information and allo! an" kind of mani#ulation bet!een
attribute data columns, so that users !ill be able to run s#atial models on their #referred anal"tical soft!are
!ithout an" need of s#ecialiQed G@) soft!are. 'he difficult #art of it is initial geo%#rocessing of large amounts of
s#atial data, but !hen it is done, !orking !ith numerical attributes is e3tremel" fast and efficient, S
e$en in a multi%user en$ironment.
+,6@-* ?and +o$er G@) databases !ere tested as one of the most interesting candidates for being #rocessed
into <@6@). 'his is because @ see this s"stem as a good o##ortunit" to o#erationaliQe the use of G=*) +ore
=a##ing )er$ices #roducts, ma"be e$en forming a continuous chain of do!nstream #roducts and ser$ices.
?and co$er data !ould become es#eciall" $aluable to institutional users, !hen it is transformed into e.g. s#atial
co$erages of $arious standard indicators, like 1gricultural ?andsca#e Di$ersit" @nde3, or standard landsca#e
metrics, !hich can be $er" easil" com#uted b" means of a #seudo%raster statistical grid 8@ tested it m"self0, but
sometimes e3tremel" com#licated to obtain b" standard com#uting methods 8e.g. Fragstats soft!are0.
,ne of the most $aluable features of the <@6@) s"stem !ould be its o#en and fle3ible thematic structure, !hich
!ould allo! fast and relati$el" eas" transition from one client%defined t"#e of anal"tical !ork%flo! to another,
utiliQing all the information alread" a$ailable in the s"stem. &et an e$en more im#ortant #recondition is that the
entire <@6@) infrastructure indeed #erfectl" suits the conce#tual design of an o#en architecture multi%#rocessing
distributed database !ith hierarchical users access and =)4F) ca#abilities. 'his means that !e are talking
about a d"namic and fle3ible information s"stem, distributed o$er a range of #rocessing centres and ser$ers,
each of them res#onsible for a certain geogra#hic region or thematics, "et all ca#able of interacti$e and
e3tremel" efficient e3change of attribute information and #erfectl" com#atible because of a unique <@6@)U@D
geo%locators and centraliQed meta%database. )uch a #latform !ould bridge the ga# bet!een highl" inno$atiS
$e G=*) #roducts and a broad institutional users communit", allo!ing the de$elo#ment of a broad range of on%
line information ser$ices as a follo!%u# of G=*) #roducts. 1lso that !ould be one of the true o#erational
elements of the @-)P@6* initiati$e.
1fter im#lementation and o#erational testing of the <@6@) s"stem on G@) data co$ering the (altic )ea region and
the !hole of *uro#e, !hich !ill include de$elo#ment and testing of automated geo%#rocessing routines, on%line
meta%data ser$ice and data mani#ulation4$isualiQation interfaces, the <@6@) conce#t could be further e3tended
to!ards global co$erage !ith the corres#onding shift of coordinate reference s"stem from *'6)EFU?1*1 to
I'= or some other alternati$e offering a Global co$erage.
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From: "Hlaus <enle" <fian@ceh.ac.uk>
6esearch strategies for integrating monitoring acti$ities in the real !orld
Hlaus <enle, IFR T <elmoltQ +entre for *n$ironmental 6esearch, ?ei#Qig, German"
)ummar": (ased on e3#erience from recent *I #roCects !e recommend that strategic research focuses on
bridging the ga#s bet!een theoreticall" ideal monitoring a##roaches and real !orld constraints to further e3#lore
and strengthen the role of $olunteer in$ol$ement in monitoring, and to e3#lore the geogra#hic and, to#icall",
e3#ansion of !eb%based monitoring o$er$ie!s and su##ort tools de$elo#ed in *I #roCects.
(iodi$ersit" monitoring #rograms are critical to e$aluate the success of conser$ation #olicies and biodi$ersit"
management. -e$ertheless, monitoring is a highl" decentraliQed acti$it", !hich makes it difficult for researchers,
resource managers, or conser$ation #lanners to get a good general #icture of !hat real%!orld monitoring
#rograms entail. 1 number of recent re$ie!s ha$e made recommendations for monitoring #rograms, and
research for the o#timal design of monitoring #rograms has become a fertile research area. <o!e$er, there is
little information a$ailable on ho! these recommendations match the realit" of monitoring #rograms. 'his means
that it is often challenging for those in$ol$ed in monitoring to kno! !hether their #rograms are com#atible !ith
the #rograms of others. 'his is e$en the case for monitoring legall" required b" the *I <abitats Directi$e. For
global initiati$es such as G*,%(,-, this challenge is considerabl" magnified.
*uro#e has tackled these challenges in $arious research #roCects, recentl" in the targeted #roCects *u=on and
*(,-* and also b" *'+ (iodi$ersit" and the )cientific orking Grou# of the <abitats +ommittee, DG
*n$ironment. 'he e3#erience gained in these acti$ities could #ro$ide a #articularl" $aluable *I in#ut to G*,%
(,-. 'he follo!ing suggestions for strategicall" im#ortant research are deri$ed from this e3#erience:
1. 'he e3#erience has sho!n that suggestions made in the high #rofile literature are idealistic and ha$e little
chance of im#lementation e3ce#t for high #rofile or #articularl" economicall" $aluable biodi$ersit" com#onents.
'herefore, research should address ho! an o#timal com#romise bet!een theoreticall" ideal monitoring
a##roaches and the real !orld of biodi$ersit" monitoring can be found. 'his com#rises of, among others, ho!
constraints of real !orld monitoring can be reduced and further im#ro$ement and e3#loration of a##roaches to
integrate dis#arate monitoring acti$ities. 6esearch on the latter should focus on methods and a##roaches on the
one hand and on the other side #ractical tests of bringing together currentl" se#arate monitoring schemes for a
broadening of the ta3a used as headline indicators.
(. 1#art from habitat monitoring b" remote sensing, biodi$ersit" monitoring !ill also hea$il" rel" on $olunteers in
the future. 6ecent anal"ses b" *u=on ha$e sho!n that $olunteer based monitoring schemes match #rofessional
schemes in terms of man" criteria that reflect scientific qualit" of monitoring out#ut. @n addition, it considerabl"
strengthens the #rofile that biodi$ersit" recei$es b" the general #ublic. 'here is a high, but onl" #artiall" realiQed
#otential in *uro#e, and #robabl" else!here, for further $olunteer in$ol$ement and to#icall" broadening
biodi$ersit" monitoring. )uccessful recruitment and maintenance of $olunteer%based monitoring is $er" sensiti$e
to the cultural, #olitical, and economic conditions of a countr" and these should be further addressed to #ro$ide
guidelines be"ond *uro#ean countries.
+. 'he e3#ansion of !eb%based databases that #ro$ide an o$er$ie! of monitoring acti$ities to geogra#hic
regions outside *uro#e and the broadening of the to#ics co$ered, for e3am#le to facilitate the com#ilation of
trends obser$ed in the $arious monitoring #rograms, is also of strategic im#ortance. 'he same a##lies to !eb%
based su##ort tools for monitoring acti$ities, such as (io=1'. <ere it should be tested to !hat e3tent the needs
of countries outside *uro#e are co$eredY !hether all maCor monitoring a##roaches, e.g. remote sensing, are
sufficientl" integratedY and !hether it is feasible to e3#and it to an online su##ort s"stem, in !hich monitoring
coordinators can find hel# and the scientific communit" can offer hel# to anal"se and integrate monitoring data.
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From: "+ornelia -auen" <fian@ceh.ac.uk>
6e: @ntroduction to A*uro#ean contribution to G*, (,-
+ornelia -auen
*m#hasis should also be #laced on e3tracting information s"stematicall" from the scientific literature, #articularl"
historical records and associated ecological information so as to combine !ith earth obser$ation of habitats 8and
their change o$er time0, in situ obser$ation and genetic studies, as a##ro#riate. ithout s"stematic use of
scientific libraries and historical records obser$ation of the current situation might other!ise fall #re" to the
shifting baseline s"ndromeY con$ersel", com#lementar" a##roaches offer no$el o##ortunities at formulating and
testing h"#otheses that are not onl" scientificall" challenging, but also highl" rele$ant to #olic", land, !ater and
resources management and man" social and economic issues.
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From: "6ob Pongman" <fian@ceh.ac.uk>
,bser$ing genomes, s#ecies and habitats in a cost%efficient !a"
)ummar": 'his contribution highlights the need for a cost%efficient data collection s"stem for biodi$ersit" that is
linked to a sound institutional frame!ork in order to harmoniQe and share monitoring a##roaches at a *uro#ean
scale. 'he author also indicates the need to de$elo# a monitoring a##roach that co$ers all as#ects of
biodi$ersit" in one coherent s"stem and the #otential for *arth ,bser$ation to contribute to this monitoring
s"stem to #ro$ide a $ehicle for generalisation of obser$ations and a conte3t to field obser$ations.
6ob Pongman, 1lterra, ageningen I6
'he frame!ork:
hat are the ke" issues in biodi$ersit" monitoring and !h" do !e not in$est in biodi$ersit" monitoring: 'hese
are interesting questions !hen de$elo#ing a $ision on ho! to carr" out monitoring. @n an inter$ie! for the
6I(@+,D* #roCect one of m" colleagues recei$ed the ans!er that the total -ature +onser$ation budget
a$ailable in one of the German (undeslZnder !ould be needed to fulfil the requirements for -atura 7GGG 8-atura
7GGG is the *I s"stem of #rotected areas0 monitoring.
'his ans!er can be inter#reted in t!o !a"s: 8/0 their budget is too small or 870 the monitoring s"stem is not
efficient. @t might be that the latter is truer than the formerY at least cost%efficienc" should be considered.
<o!e$er, most ecologists are not interested in cost%efficienc", but in the s#ecies grou# the" are !orking on. For
man" ecologists the truth is in the field and not in statistics.
G*, (,- has the task to set u# a !orld !ide monitoring s"stem to be used for re#orting to con$entions on
de$elo#ments in reaching =illennium Goals. @n *uro#e there is also a #rocess of de$elo#ing a *uro#ean
Inion. ,ne of the consequences of ha$ing a *uro#ean Inion is that national a##roaches should be
transformed into *uro#ean a##roaches and that databases ha$e to be harmonised and shared. 'hat has
se$eral consequences for monitoring biodi$ersit". .uestions that used to be clear in a national conte3t ha$e to
be reconsidered, such as:
/. hat should be monitored, and ho!:
7. <o! to harmonise monitoring a##roaches to make Coint re#orting #ossible and data com#arable:
9. <o! to de$elo# qualit" standards:
;. <o! to monitor cost%efficienc":
'herefore, the ke" challenge for G*, (,- is the de$elo#ment of a cost%efficient data collection s"stem for
biodi$ersit" linked !ith e3tant data at national, regional and continental le$els in$ol$ing a sound scientific basis
for the #roduction of statistical estimates of stock and change of ke" indicators and a s"stem for estimating
change for forecasting and testing #olic" o#tions.
@t is essential that this scientific basis is linked to a sound institutional frame!ork to ensure continuit" and long
term collaboration. 'his is sim#l" said, but it means that the institutions in$ol$ed should be !illing to share
metadata, agree on definitions and be !illing to e3change data.
1ccording to the +(D, biodi$ersit" indicators are to be used as information tools summariQing data on com#le3
en$ironmental issues to indicate the o$erall status and trends in biodi$ersit". Polic" makers set targets and it is
the task of science to determine measurable indicators that can be consistentl" monitored in time and s#ace.
'his means #ermanent interaction and re#orting.
(iodi$ersit" has different #atterns in different #arts of the !orld. @n e3tensi$e natural areas such as sa$annahs,
tro#ical forests and tundra the s#ecies #attern !ill be different from the #attern in the cultural landsca#es in
=editerranean *uro#e. @n *uro#e biodi$ersit" is found in both #rotected natural areas and un#rotected cultural
landsca#es, !hich form the maCor #art of *uro#eNs countr"side. hilst s#ecial sites are co$ered b" -atura 7GGG,
the maCorit" of common biodi$ersit" resides in ca. E>[ of the land that is outside #rotected areas, e.g. birds in
hedgero!s. +hanges are therefore not caused b" im#acts on qualit" and siQe of the reser$es, but also b" the
land use change and management in the !ider countr"side. 'he !hole com#le3 must be monitored to get the
full #icture.
1 field obser$ation net!ork:
@t is im#ortant to de$elo# a monitoring frame!ork that co$ers all as#ects of biodi$ersit" in one coherent s"stem,
including genetic di$ersit", s#ecies di$ersit" and ecos"stem di$ersit". ,ne of the basic questions is ho! these
three le$els of genes, s#ecies and ecos"stems are linked in time and s#ace. 'he #o#ulation conce#t is central
in e$olutionar" and conser$ation biolog", but identif"ing the boundaries of natural #o#ulations is difficult.
Po#ulations of s#ecies can sho! differences in genomes 8=anel et al., 7GGD0. 1 monitoring a##roach should
co$er the s#atial genetic structure as !ell as the s#ecies and the ecos"stem structure.
1 s"stematic field monitoring a##roach for *uro#e or an" other continent must consist of se$eral ste#s and e$er"
action for collection of ne! data !ill first need to consider !hat e3isting data are a$ailable and ho! the" can be
used and inter#reted. )ome ke" biodi$ersit" indicators can be linked to ecos"stems or habitats e.g. the large
blue butterfl" !ith calcareous grasslands. 'he monitoring s"stem should consist of a baseline monitoring
s"stem combined !ith selected sites for intensi$e sam#ling in conser$ation sites 8such as -atura 7GGG0 and
sites for ?ong 'erm *cological 6esearch 8?'*64-*,-0 on the cause%effect relationshi#s at the site le$el. For
the !ider landsca#e an a##roach for habitat monitoring has been elaborated for *uro#e b" (unce et al. 87GGD0
and it can be a##lied in other continents as it is based on life form classifications.
For cost efficienc" and #ro#er use of statistics an im#ortant question to be sol$ed in this is Jho! to define and
select monitoring sites across *uro#e 8or other continents0, so that meaningful 8significant0 conclusions
regarding trends in biodi$ersit" can be documented in a balanced !a", including rare #henomenaK: Protected
areas !ill #robabl" sho! different trends and more rare habitats than the !ider countr"side. 'here is therefore
no doubt that it is essential to ha$e a common reference dataset against !hich ?'*6 and also -atura 7GGG sites
can be com#ared and to re$ie! the im#act of conser$ation #olicies. )uch a McontrolN dataset is essential to
assess the effecti$eness of #olicies and the degree of re#resentati$eness of recording s"stems as discussed at
se$eral *P(6) meetings and the G(@F !orksho# on biodi$ersit" at the ecos"stem scale, held in 1arhus in 1#ril
7GGB.
*arth obser$ation:
Princi#all", for some habitat t"#es, quite detailed t"#es can be distinguished using *arth ,bser$ation 8*,0, such
as forest t"#es and $egetation structure. 1 range of #roCects are ongoing utilising *, data for land co$er
characterisation, landsca#e structure and biodi$ersit" recognition. 6emote sensed data and field data are not
often integrated 8"att et al., 7GG;0. 'rials ha$e been carried out for full integration bet!een in situ and earth
obser$ation and results are im#ro$ing 8Fuller et al., 7GG>0. -e! sensor and multi%tem#oral a##roaches such as
#henolog" ma##ing can contribute to this. *, can contribute to a biodi$ersit" monitoring s"stem #ro$iding a
$ehicle for generalisation 8i.e. e3tra#olation0 and conte3t to the field sam#les:
\ 5ehicle for inter#olation and generalisation: 'he conce#t of linking *, deri$ed landsca#e and land co$er
information !ith field data to generalise obser$ations on biodi$ersit" is based on the #remises that a relationshi#
e3ists bet!een the com#osition and structure of the landsca#e and the di$ersit" of 8ecos"stems0 habitats and
the s#ecies and genot"#es that ma" be #resent !ithin.
\ +onte3t: *, can deli$er data on land co$er, #henolog" and landsca#e structure features com#lementing the
obser$ed s#ecies and habitat data and in some cases 8e.g. linear features0 it ma" deli$er #ro3ies for field
obser$ation.
Differences e3ist in habitat t"#es bet!een field obser$ation and earth obser$ation because some cannot be
co$ered !ell b" one of the t!oY such as bogs that are better co$ered b" earth obser$ation and linear features
that are better co$ered b" field obser$ation. Fuller et al. 87GG>0 state Jthe field sur$e" essentiall" #resents a
McaricatureN of the real !orld: com#le3 land co$er #atterns, continuousl" $ariable in s#ace and time, are artificiall"
recorded as discrete featuresK. ,ne of the #roblems of earth obser$ation is that rare habitats and com#le3
cultural landsca#es are not !ell co$ered. 1lso most s#ecies cannot directl" be inter#reted from *, data.
'herefore inter%calibration bet!een *, and field obser$ation needs further !ork 8Fuller et al., 7GG>0. 1s it is not
#ossible to link most s#ecies data to *, data the intermediate is the habitat data that can be generaliQed to both
s#ecies and *, data.
6eferences
(unce, 6.<.G., =.P. =etQger, 6.<.G. Pongman, P. (randt, G. de (lust, 6. *lena 6ossello, G. (. Groom, ?.
<alada, G. <ofer, D.+. <o!ard, P. Ho$]^, +. 1. =Vcher, *. Padoa%)chio##a, D. Paelin3, 1. Palo, =. PereQ%
)oba, @. ?. 6amos, P. 6oche, <. )k_nes, '. rbka, 7GGE. 1 )tandardiQed Procedure for )ur$eillance and
=onitoring *uro#ean <abitats and #ro$ision of s#atial data. ?andsca#e *colog", 79://%7>
Fuller, 6.=., +o3, 6., +larke., 6.'., 6other" P., <ill 6.1., )mith G.=., 'homson 1.G. (ro!n -.P., <o!ard, D.+.,
)tott 1.P., 7GG>. 'he IH land co$er ma# 7GGG: Planning, construction and calibration of a remotel" sensed,
user%oriented ma# of broad habitats. P. of a##lied *arth ,bser$ation and Geoinformation D: 7G7%7/B
=anel, )., (erthoud, F., (ellemain, *., Gaudeul, =., ?uikart, G., )!enson, P. *.Y aits, ?. P. and 'aberlet, P.
7GGD. 1 ne! indi$idual%based s#atial a##roach for identif"ing genetic discontinuities in natural #o#ulations.
=olecular *colog", /B 8/G0: 7G9/%7G;9
"att, (.H. (riggs, D.P., 6"der, P 7GG;. (uilding a *uro#ean information ca#acit" for en$ironment and securit".
1 contribution to the initial #eriods of the G=*) 1ction Plan. Directorate General for 6esearch, )ustainable
De$elo#ment, Global +hange and *cos"stems, ##79D.
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From: "=auri 1hlberg" <mauri.ahlberg@helsinki.fi>
Promoting citiQen science and biodi$ersit" research
=auri 1hlberg, Ini$ersit" of <elskinki, Finland
1t the Ini$ersit" of <elsinki !e ha$e de$elo#ed a ne! t"#e of fast and eas"%to%use identification ser$ice for
s#ecies. @t !ould greatl" #romote an" Global (iodi$ersit" ,bser$ing )"stem.
Please ha$e a look for "ourself at: <a target2Une!
href2"htt#:44!!!.naturegate.net">htt#:44!!!.naturegate.net<4a><4a>
For more information #lease email: mauri.ahlberg@helsinki.fi or look at the !ebsite: <a target2Une!
href2"htt#:44!!!.helsinki.fi4#eo#le4mauri.ahlberg">htt#:44!!!.helsinki.fi4#eo#le4mauri.ahlberg<4a><4a>
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From: "1nne ?arigauderie" <fian@ceh.ac.uk>
'o!ard a global biodi$ersit" obser$ing s"stem
1nne ?arigauderie and (runo alther, D@5*6)@'1), Paris, France
)ummar": 'o su##ort the im#lementation of the conce#tual a##roach for G*, (,- at the *uro#ean scale, !e
#ro$ide belo! essential background information about the on%going #rocess to!ard a global biodi$ersit"
obser$ing s"stem.
'he Grou# on *arth ,bser$ations 8G*,0 !as launched in 7GG7 in res#onse to the !idel"%identified need for
adequate information to su##ort en$ironmental decision%making. G*, is a $oluntar" #artnershi# of D9 national
go$ernments and ;B #artici#ating organiQations. @t #ro$ides a frame!ork !ithin !hich these #artners can
coordinate their strategies and in$estments for *arth obser$ation. 'he G*, members are establishing a Global
*arth ,bser$ation )"stem of )"stems % G*,)) % 8!!!.earthobser$ations.org0 that #ro$ides access to data,
ser$ices, anal"tical tools and modelling ca#abilities through a !eb%based G*, Portal 8!!!.geo#ortal.org0.
G*,)) has identified nine #riorit" Msocietal benefit areasN in its first decade. (iodi$ersit" is one of them. -1)1
and D@5*6)@'1), the international #rogramme of biodi$ersit" science, acce#ted the task of leading the #lanning
#hase of G*, (,- and are su##orted b" the G*, )ecretariat.
@n collaboration !ith $arious indi$iduals and organiQations, the" are de$elo#ing a +once#t Document
81ndrefouet et al. 7GGE0 and an @m#lementation Plan for the #ro#osed Grou# on *arth ,bser$ations (iodi$ersit"
,bser$ation -et!ork 8G*, (,-0 !hich is en$isaged to be a ne! global #artnershi# to hel# collect, manage,
anal"Qe and re#ort on data relating to the status of the !orldAs biodi$ersit" <a target2Une!
href2"8htt#:44!!!.earthobser$ations.org4co#UbiUgeobon.shtmlY">8htt#:44!!!.earthobser$ations.org4co#UbiUgeob
on.shtmlY<4a> alther et al. 7GGDY )choles et al. 7GGE0.
'he #rocess to de$elo# G*, (,- took sha#e in 1#ril 7GGE, !hen some /GG biodi$ersit" s#ecialists
re#resenting o$er BG scientific and intergo$ernmental organiQations met at Potsdam, German", to com#lete the
+once#t Document 81ndrefouet et al. 7GGE0. )e$en !orking grou#s ha$e since then been formed to draft an
initial @m#lementation Plan b" the end of the "ear 7GGE for #resentation at G*, 5 8(ucharest, -o$ 7GGE0. 'hese
are: earl" scientific #roductsY ca#acit"%buildingY citiQen%scienceY data issuesY funding ` resourcesY net!ork `
go$ernanceY scaling, integration ` models.
'he ke" conce#t is a shared and intero#erable s"stem bringing data of different t"#es and from man" sources to
bear on the information needs as defined b" users 8see figure one attached0. G*, (,- aims to create a global
net!ork from the man" alread" e3isting efforts b" linking and su##orting them !ithin a scientificall" robust
frame!ork, using the best technologies a$ailable. 'he role of G*, (,- is to guide data collection,
standardiQation and information e3change. 'he #artici#ating organiQations retain their mandates and data
o!nershi#, but agree to collaborate in making #art of their information accessible to others.
Ising the G*, (,- +once#t Document 81ndrefouet et al. 7GGE0 as a starting #oint, !e ho#e that the
(@,)'61' meeting !ill be able to discuss this conce#tual a##roach at the *uro#ean scale and come u# !ith
research #riorities to su##ort the in$ol$ement of the *uro#ean communit" into the im#lementation of G*, (,-.
6eferences:
1ndrefouet ), +ostello =P, Ferrier ), Geller G-, <Oft 6, PVrgens -, ?ane =1, ?arigauderie 1, =ace G, =iaQQa
), =uchone" D, Parr ', Pereira <=, )a"re 6, )choles 6P, )tiassn" =?P, 'urner , alther (1. 7GGE. 'he
G*, (iodi$ersit" ,bser$ation -et!ork Draft +once#t Document. G*, % Grou# on *arth ,bser$ations, Gene$a,
)!itQerland. )oon a$ailable at <a target2Une!
href2"htt#:44!!!.earthobser$ations.org4co#UbiUgeobon.shtml">htt#:44!!!.earthobser$ations.org4co#UbiUgeobon
.shtml<4a>
)choles 6P, =ace G=, 'urner , Geller G-, PVrgens -, ?arigauderie 1, =uchone" D, alther (1, =oone" <1.
7GGE 'o!ard a global biodi$ersit" obser$ing s"stem. )cience 97/:/G;;%/G;>. <a target2Une!
href2"htt#:44!!!.sciencemag.org4cgi4content4short497/4>EF74/G;;">htt#:44!!!.sciencemag.org4cgi4content4short
497/4>EF74/G;;<4a>
alther (1, ?arigauderie 1, 1sh -, Geller G-, PVrgens -, ?ane =1. 7GGD. 'o!ard a global biodi$ersit"
obser$ation net!ork. P#. DF%E/ in G*, % Grou# on *arth ,bser$ations, ed. 'he Full Picture. 'udor 6ose,
Gene$a, )!itQerland. <a target2Une!
href2"htt#:44!!!.earthobser$ations.org4documents4theUfullU#icture.#df">htt#:44!!!.earthobser$ations.org4docu
ments4theUfullU#icture.#df<4a>
'o unsubscribe to this e%conference #lease email Fiona Grant on fian@ceh.ac.uk
From: "Douglas =uchone"" <fian@ceh.ac.uk>
*arth ,bser$ation )cience 6equirements for +haracteriQing and =onitoring (iodi$ersit"
)ummar": 'his contribution outlines ho! G*,)) 8Global *arth ,bser$ing )"stem of )"stems0 can aid current
biodi$ersit" monitoring s"stems b" creating links !ith other *arth ,bser$ation net!orks to hel# fill in ga#s in our
#resent kno!ledge.
Douglas =uchone", Grou# on *arth ,bser$ations 8G*,0, Gene$a, )!itQerland

'he +on$ention on (iological Di$ersit" defines biodi$ersit" as Jthe $ariabilit" among li$ing organisms from all
sources including, among other things, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecos"stems and the ecological
com#le3es of !hich the" are #artY this includes di$ersit" !ithin s#ecies, bet!een s#ecies and of ecos"stems"
8+(D, /FF70. 'he consequences of changes to and loss of biodi$ersit" are manifold but #articularl" acute for
alteration of ecos"stem ser$ices 8+ha#in et al., 7GGG0. hile much is kno!n of the status of certain s#ecies and
ecos"stems, there are still huge ga#s in our kno!ledge
*arth obser$ations, com#rising of satellite, aerial, and in situ s"stems, are increasingl" recogniQed as critical
obser$ations for monitoring the *arth s"stem and s"stems 8=uchone", 7GGE0. 'he Grou# on *arth
,bser$ations, G*,, !as established to im#lement the Global *arth ,bser$ing )"stems of )"stems, G*,)),
!hich includes in its mandate the #rotection of ecos"stems a @m#ro$ing the management and #rotection of
terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecos"stems, and understanding, monitoring, and conser$ing biodi$ersit".
@n the conte3t of biodi$ersit", G*,)) !ill link the man" stand%alone biodi$ersit" monitoring s"stems and connect
them to other *arth obser$ation net!orks that generate rele$ant data, such as climate and #ollution data. @t !ill
also hel# to fill in ga#s in ta3onomic and biological information, generate u#dated assessments of global
biodi$ersit" trends, track the s#read and retreat of in$asi$e alien s#ecies, and monitor ho! biodi$ersit" res#onds
to climate change 8G*,, 7GG>0.
G*,)) is en$isioned to unif" man" dis#arate biodi$ersit" and ecos"stem obser$ing s"stems and create a
#latform to integrate biodi$ersit" and ecological data !ith other geo%s#atial data. 'his !ill su##ort monitoring of
the condition and e3tent of ecos"stems, and the distribution and status of s#ecies. 'he G*,)) 1rchitecture
+om#onents s#ecif" automated and manual com#onents of remote%sensing and in situ s"stems, the integration
of national, regional and global data centres, as !ell as disci#line data centres, access to data and to metadata
about archi$ed and on%line holdings, and #lanned data acquisitions.
'he *uro#ean Platform for (iodi$ersit" 6esearch )trateg" 8*P(6)0 is harmoniQing international initiati$es
including G*,)) and the G*, (iodi$ersit" ,bser$ation -et!ork, G*, (,-. (io)trat is #romoting science and
#olic", and offers an im#ortant mechanism for harmoniQing research requirements for *arth obser$ations. He"
research requirements include better and sustained obser$ation s"stems, nested global sam#ling, and
modelling, com#utational and anal"tical tools.
6eferences
+ha#in, F. )., *. ). Ra$alet, 5. '. *$ine, 6. ?. -a"lor, P. =. 5itouse, <. ?. 6e"nold, D. I. <oo#e, ). ?a$ore, ,.
*. )ala@, ). *. <obbie, =. +. =ack, and ). DbaQ. 7GGG. +onsequences of changing di$ersit". -ature ;G>: 79;%
7;7.
+on$ention on (iological Di$ersit". 7GG7. 'e3t of the +on$ention, 1rticle 7. +on$ention on (iological Di$ersit",
=ontreal.
Grou# on *arth ,bser$ations, 7GG>, G*,)) /G%&ear @m#lementation Plan 6eference Document, *)1
Publications Di$ision, 'he -etherlands.
=uchone", D.=. 7GGE. *arth obser$ations for terrestrial biodi$ersit" and ecos"stems
6emote )ensing of *n$ironment /7 8>0: /FGF%/F/.
'o unsubscribe to this e%conference #lease email Fiona Grant on fian@ceh.ac.uk