Subject: Re: Repatriating biodiversity data

From: WCS Gallon Jug <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 07:39:00 -0600

Hello Lep People,

As part of long term biodiversity research in Belize the Belize Biodiversity
Information System  (BBIS) was developed to assist the Government of Belize
and  other conservation related NGOs with factual biodiversity information.
We continue to compile all known distribution records of major taxa for Belize.

For the National Protected Areas Management Plan (NPAMP) we compiled
>35,000 records for the zoology section using locally available published
and unpublished records.  We are now working on repatriating data from
specimens collected in Belize which are in museums and private collections.
This is in accordance with the Rio Convention on Biodiverstiy where it was
universally agreed that repatriating data  is an important step.

The BBIS is a collection of databases, both textual (operates on Advanced
Revelation platform) and graphic.  The BBIS textual database is tightly
linked to our Geographic Information System (GIS) where each species has
it's own distribution overlay.  Using the known distributions we are able to
continue the synthesis of the biogeography of the country.  Belize is at a
critical crossroads and  we need to determine where additional habitats may
need protecting/inclusion into the protected areas system.

Each specimen record  entered into the BBIS  must be linked to a reference.
These references can be published papers, museum data ,  personal
communication or field notes from researchers.  For example a non-published
record would be entered:

        Smith, John Q.  1996.  Taxa Collected in Belize,  1987 Field Trip, Cayo
District.       Unpublished report.

The actual title will be what ever the collector or data supplier prefers.
When records are printed for a given species a full listing of all
references to data sources is included.

In order to enter records from private collectors we need :

1) Preferred citation which will apply to all supplied data.

2) Taxonomic data:  Genus, Species, Subspecies (if any), Author; For
invertebrates we rely on those with taxonomic knowledge of the group with
which they are  working and request that all higher level information be
provided once.  If it is an obvious group i.e. insects then class need not
be provided but Order, Suborder, Family, Subfamily, tribe etc. as is
appropriate should be provided.

3) A citation for the taxonomy is necessary to track, synonymies,  This
would include a note on what reference(s) was used to identify the taxa.

4) Standard collection data for each species and specimen, date, location,
collector.  For invertebrates where collections frequently result in more
than one specimen from a given location a listing of  the number collected
following the collection data is sufficient.
E.g.   Genus species,  June, 1987, 2 km south of Altun Ha, along road edge,
Belize Dist. Belize.  J.Q. Collector. (6 males, 2 females, 1 Unk)

If  YOU have collected in Belize, or know of some one who has that data IS
important to the overall understanding of biogeography and distributions of
all species and will assist in the conservation of critical habitats.  If
you have published collection data from Belize, please send a copy of each
publication for inclusion into the system.  If you have data which is
robust, i.e. correctly identified taxa and good locality information you can
e-mail it directly to our office.

During the NPAMP it was clear that Belize is not well known biologically and
for major areas of the country have NO DATA RECORDS.  Even a single record
which can be added to the distribution  map may well help fill some of these
gaps.

Using  species distributions as an overlay with other GIS overlays we are
beginning to develop patterns in habitat associations, i.e. species XYZ is
found 78% of the time at elevations above 300 meters and 89% of the time in
an area with a particular habitat type, 62% in areas with identical rainfall
patterns, and  92% of the time on areas with identical soil types.

Please include YOUR data, published or unpublished in the BBIS.  Your
collections are valuable and have a direct conservation application.  We
have less than one human life span to save the tropics.  Decisions are being
made as you read this, regarding landuse in Belize which may forever alter
options for conservation in the future.   Science and  biological
collections data can provide elements upon which compelling arguments can be
made for protection of unique areas.

If you have any specific questions do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Bruce W. Miller
Associate Conservation Zoologist
[email-masked]
B.W. Miller & C. M. Miller
Tropical Forest Planning Project, Belize
Wildlife Conservation Society
Founded 1895 as New York Zoological Society
Mail: P.O. Box 37, Belize City, Belize, Central America
Ph/Fax/Ans Mach. country code[501]-21-2002

---

From: WCS Gallon Jug <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 17:29:03 -0600

>Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 07:36:59
>To: [email-masked]
>From: WCS Gallon Jug <[email-masked]>
>Subject: Re: Repatriating biodiversity data
>
>Hello Lep People,
>
>As part of long term biodiversity research in Belize the Belize
Biodiversity Information System  (BBIS) was developed to assist the
Government of Belize and  other conservation related NGOs with factual
biodiversity information.  We continue to compile all known distribution
records of major taxa for Belize.
>
>During the NPAMP it was clear that Belize is not well known biologically
and for major areas of the country have NO DATA RECORDS.  Even a single
record which can be added to the distribution  map may well help fill some
of these gaps.