Occurrence records use the GBIF Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT). Google Analytics is used to track use of REBIOMA data.

The quality and quantity of biodiversity information available through the REBIOMA portal increased dramatically as a result of this project. REBIOMA added more than 107,000 new occurrence records to the database, and reviewed more than 116,000 new and existing records. Of the reviewed records, 98% were validated as “reliable”, and the small remaining percentage that were “questionable” have been referred back to the data owners to verify or correct. To facilitate the ongoing goal of sustainably increasing the rate of record validation (Objective 1), the REBIOMA TRB now numbers 34 terrestrial 6 marine experts who can review and evaluate the quality of submitted occurrence records. TRB members have activity logs on the site, which allow them to manage their activities on the portal in terms of adding and validating occurrence records, which should also work to increase the growth rate of the database.

Enhancements to the usability of the portal, and capacity-building of data owners and users, have both contributed to ongoing data demand. Through a number of workshops, training and outreach events, REBIOMA has cultivated new regional partners that can contribute data, and expanded the audience for the portal. Interactive tools in the portal itself now allow users to list species occurring within protected areas or custom-delimited geographic boundaries. Through a user-completed data-use form, which returns information on who is using the data and for what purposes each time records are downloaded, REBIOMA has tracked data use by researchers and managers for use in planning protected areas, and forecasting the viability of lemur populations, among other activities.

The impact of this expansion project has been tangible, and REBIOMA’s growing expertise in biodiversity data management bolstered their reputation as a regional leader in biodiversity informatics. The project contributed to the REDD+ scenario development, using current and predicted future species distribution models to estimate the effects of changes in forests and biodiversity. REBIOMA will be the technical lead on the WCS Madagascar Lemur Atlas Planning Grant (JRS Grant page), helping to develop and hone the vision for a possible Lemurs data portal. In addition REBIOMA is working with WCS and marine NGOs to conduct spatial analysis in planning new marine protected areas. This will fulfill Madagascar’s commitment in the Promise of Sydney to triple the country’s area of protected marine habitat.

The rapid initial expansion of the data base was greatly facilitated through a partnership with the Vahatra Association, which itself contributed 55,000 records. Partnerships like these had the dual advantage of streamlining the record validation process; when data were contributed by members of the Taxonomic Review Board (TRB), validation is considered to be redundant, and therefore records are automatically validated. REBIOMA sought to replicate the framework for this partnership as a strategy for increasing the efficiency of expansion efforts.

One impediment to validating records was georeferencing. Records were not considered valid if the coordinates of the occurrence cannot be determined with some precision, which was relatively more common with occurrence records collected prior to the 1990’s. To the extent that precise localities could be identified, such records could be validated, but this work took additional time.

• Brown, J, & Yoder, A (2015). Shifting ranges and conservation challenges for lemurs in the face of climate change. Ecology and Evolution, 5(6), 1131-1142. doi:10.1002/ece3.1418. (link)

Dimby Razafimpahanana is an integrated land use manager, GIS analyst, and database specialist with experience in the use of spatial analysis tools, databases, spatial modeling, and conservation planning. He started his career at WCS as a GIS expert during the creation of the Masoala Protected Area in 1995. Since then, he has worked with many conservation organizations including WWF, World Heritage – Bemaraha Project, Madagascar National Parks (MNP), and the Office National pour L’Environnement (ONE). In 2005, he became the REBIOMA Project Coordinator.

This second grant to the WCS REBIOMA team completed the work of the first phase and integrated the data system more broadly into WCS’ conservation practice in Madagascar and the practice of other data providers and users. The success of this effort reinforces the lessons of our other projects that long-term investment is needed in training of leaders, data mobilization, refinement of the data platform, and outreach to users. The recruitment of outside experts to the project’s taxonomic review boards also help to raise the profile of the information system and increase the community involvement in data quality assurance and data sharing.  The team’s work also demonstrates the model of letting data providers first post data in a private space before public sharing to protect sensitive data, allow time for publication, and to allow time for quality assurance.