Claus, S.

De Pooter, D.

Decock, W.

Dekeyzer, S.

Hernandez, F.

Vandepitte, L.

Vanhoorne, B.

Verfaille, K.

Vranken, S.

Waumans, F.

Open Marine Archive

E M B S  5 2   P I R A N ,  S L O V E N I A  
 
191 
THE LIFEWATCH TAXONOMIC BACKBONE: HOW CAN IT HELP YOU WITH YOUR 
RESEARCH AND HOW CAN YOU HELP TO MAKE IT MORE COMPLETE? 
 
Leen VANDEPITTE1, Stefanie DEKEYZER1, Bart VANHOORNE1, Wim DECOCK1, Sofie VRANKEN1, 
Daphnis DE POOTER1, Filip WAUMANS1, Simon CLAUS1, Kevin VERFAILLE1 and Francisco 
HERNANDEZ1 
 
1Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Oostende, Belgium 
 
e-mail: leen.vandepitte@vliz.be 
 
Presentation type: ORAL 
 
The LifeWatch Taxonomic Backbone facilitates the standardization of species data, and the 
integration of the many distributed databases and data systems. It – virtually - brings together 
different component databases and data systems, dealing with five major components: (1) 
taxonomy, through regional, national, European, global and thematic databases, (2) biogeography, 
based on databases dealing with species occurrences, (3) ecology, in the form of species-specific 
traits, (4) genetics and (5) literature, by linking all available information to the relevant sources and 
through tools that can intelligently search this literature. The development of the LifeWatch 
Taxonomic Backbone started in 2012 and almost completed its 5-year construction phase. During 
this phase, tremendous progress has been made on the taxonomic and biogeographic 
components, as well as on traits information and linking available information with literature. The 
LifeWatch Taxonomic Backbone offers a whole range of services to the scientific community which 
can support them in answering specific ecological questions which have so far not been dealt with 
due to the lack of accessibility, availability, standardization and linking of data. Both easy-to-use 
online tools and web services allow scientists to e.g. compare their own data with already collected 
data from the same or similar regions, to check whether any of the taxa in their database is still 
known under that name or to see whether any of their listed species is e.g. tagged as an 
endangered or alien species. The LifeWatch Taxonomic Backbone is a two-way street: besides 
using the tools and functionalities it is offering – which are often developed based on identified 
needs within the scientific community -, scientists can also contribute themselves to make it more 
complete. Feedback on e.g. taxonomy and traits is highly appreciated and communicated with the 
involved experts of the different component databases. And all distribution information collected 
by individual scientists can become part of the biogeographic component of this backbone, e.g. by 
contributing occurrence data with the biogeographic component of the system. 
Link: http://www.lifewatch.be/en/taxonomic_backbone  
 
  


The Lifewatch Taxonomic Backbone: how can it help you with your research and how can you help to make it more complete?

The Lifewatch Taxonomic Backbone: how can it help you with your research and how can you help to make it more complete?

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