(Re)Discovering Known Biodiversity: Introduction

Biodiversity sciences, including taxonomy, are empirical sciences where all results published in scholarly publications as part of the research life cycle. This creates a corpus an estimated 500 million printed pages (Kalfatovic 2010) billions facts such traits, biotic interactions, observations characterizing 1.9 known species (Costello et al. 2013). library is continually reused, cited and extended, for example with more than 15,000–20,000 new annually (Polaszek 2005). All these figures estimates because we neither know how many have been discovered, nor being discovered every day, let alone what about them. Following standard scientific practice, previous publications, specimens, gene sequences, or taxonomic treatments (Catapano 2019) less explicitly. In pre-digital age, links were meant human reader to be understood. For example, "L. 1758" established reference both, Carolus Linnaeus 1758, understandable at least by expert human, digital provides access respective representation. These data within hundreds millions now increasingly digitally form seamless, albeit implicit knowledge graph. Unfortunately, most print—the Heritage Library digitized 50 2010)—or cases, closed thus this not readily accessible age. However, today's each kinds expensive stumbling block reuse referenced data, its parent therein. Inadequate formats, language information already recognized 1992 Rio Summit (Taxonomic Impediment). The consequences impediments only obvious realization daunting amount resources needed catalogue index unknown (not discoverable inaccessible) knowledge, making itself findable, accessible, interoperable reusable (FAIR). formidable complex challenge. Plazi taking on Its vision promote enable discovery liberation transform into i.e., build base aimed discovering (and other taxa) know, Taxonomic their highly standardized names, treatments, treatment citations, material citations illustrations well suited machine extraction. Together they include entire synonyms, often tens that depict myriad forms comprise world’s biodiversity. Once FAIR, it allows bidirectional linking, names treatment, sequences specimens. At same time, datum entry point wealth can followed user clicking links, but importantly, analysed machines. Here, will defined context biodiversity, strategies approach challenge, which then detailed subsequent talks symposium. symposium based Plazi’s ongoing supported European Union (e.g. Community Integrated Knowledge BiCIKL), United States NIH) Swiss funding e-BioDiv Arcadia Fund), collaboration publishers Pensoft, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Consortium Facilities Publications, Zenodo repository, Library), reusers like Global Information Facility, Ocellus, Synospecies openBiodiv. Currently, over 500,000 300,000 liberated through TreatmentBank Literature Repository.