Transcript Cataloguing the Algae of Ireland Past, Present and Future

Servicing the End-User:
AlgaeBase & the Internet
E. Nic Dhonncha & M.D. Guiry
AlgaeBase Centre,
Martin Ryan Institute, NUI, Galway
History
• Project begun in 1996
• ERMS funding in 1997
– Part time encoder
• HEA funding 2000
– Full time manager (3 yrs)
– Part time encoders
• HEA funding 2002
– Manager & encoders
– Researcher
• EU funding (INCO-DEV) 2001
– Database designers, researchers & encoders
Expansion - vertical
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Initially Marine Macroalgae
Synonyms
Marine Phytoplankton
Freshwater Algae - planktonic &
benthic
• Terrestrial Algae
• ALL ALGAE!!!
Expansion - vertical
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Charophyta
Chlorophyta
Chrysophyta
Cryptophyta
Cyanophyta
Dinophyta
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Euglenophyta
Galucophyta
Haptophyta
Heterokontophyta
Magnoliophyta
Rhodophyta
Expansion - vertical
• Phytoplankton Bioinformatics
• Archival material and field studies
• Collaboration with Microbiology Dept.
MRI, NUI, Galway
• Part of €19 million award under HEA
(PRTLI) Cycle 3
• Three years, started September 2002
Expansion vertical - future
• Full incorporation of Freshwater,
Terrestrial and Subaerial Algae
• Currently ad hoc book-based
• Need for concerted projects with
taxonomic experts
• Partners and collaborations sought
Taxonomy
• Full generic classification including:
– Phylum, class, subclass, order, family, subfamily,
tribe and group
• Traceability through published references
• Full synonymy details (easily updateable)
• Notes section to allow for differences of
taxonomic opinion
• Authority details for genera
• Type details
Nomenclature
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Full authority details of species
Key references
ICBN status at genus and species level
Links to basionym and currently
accepted names where appropriate
• Includes facility for questionable status
• Soon to include ‘typographical variant’
facility
What does it look like?
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
What does it look like?
- type details
What does it look like?
Free internet Access
Distribution
• World distribution divided by
geographical areas and countries
• New system for phytoplankton
• All records referenced to allow for
traceability and/or further study
• NE Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian
Ocean most complete
• Future mapping facility?
What does it look like?
Distribution
SeaweedAfrica
• Underpinning Sustainable Ecosystem
Management of Seaweed Resources in Africa;
Expanding the Seaweed Database
• Partners from Ireland, Portugal, Sweden,
Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia,
Brazil
• November 2001 - October 2004
• Ecological, Commercial and Technical
information on actually or potentially
commercial species of seaweeds from the EU
and Africa
What does it look like?
• New DB structure - SQL
• Uses - 215 so far. 11 categories)
• 54 genera and 339 species highlighted
for further work
Uses (1)
• Agriculture, horticulture, agronomy (13)
– Fertiliser, pesticide, acidity reduction
• Animal aquaculture (6)
– Food, bioremediation of nutrients
• Cosmetics (17)
– Setting agent, emulsifier, UV screen
• Environmental health, monitoring &
remediation (7)
– Bio-indicator, bioremediation of heavy metals
• Food (17)
– Direct consumption, stabiliser, preservative
• Health, thalassotherapy & wellness (25)
– Baths, muds, vermifuge, weight loss
Uses (2)
• Industry (24)
– Manufacturing of paints, explosives, textiles, lubricant
for drilling
• Pharmaceutical & pharmacology (79)
– Anti-cancer, antioxidant, alginate bandages
• Science, technology & biomedical (14)
– Chromatography, spinal chord repair, fluorescent tags
• Aesthetics (5)
– Key-holders, ornaments, cards
• Miscellaneous (8)
– Weather forecasting, knife handles, trumpets
Other developments
• Interdisciplinary collaborations
– Species2000
– European Register of Marine Species (ERMS)
– Biological Records Centre (Ireland)
• International Biodiversity Projects
– European Network of Biodiversity Information
(ENBI)
– Global Biodiversity Information Facility
(GBIF)
– Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS)
Users
• Currently scientists / students
• Mostly Europe & US
• Mostly marine macroalgae
• 2001 - 100,000 hits per month
• Currently - 1 million hits per month
• Launch planned to highlight expanded data
set (2003)
Acknowledgements & Contact
• HEA (PRTLI) Cycle 2
• HEA (PRTLI) Cycle 3
• EU INCO DEV (Prop: ICA4-2000-10226)
• AlgaeBase Centre, MRI, NUI, Galway
WWW.ALGAEBASE.ORG