Are you interested in maintaining one of TDWG’s most widely used and cited data standards?
TDWG is looking for a small team of enthusiastic biogeographers to maintain the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD, Brummitt et al. 2001).
The WGSRPD is used to map and analyse terrestrial plant distributions, but its use is not restricted to plants (e.g. Mills et al. 2017). The standard consists of maps, shape-files and descriptions that demark areas of the world’s land areas. It is based partially on political boundaries, but also on the needs of biogeographers. The standard contains a list of hierarchical codes to the terrestrial regions of the world and these codes are linked to the international standard for country codes (ISO Standard 3166, 1988). Each area is demarked in shape-files and these are linked to the area codes. The WGSRPD is not only used in research, but also for the organization of collections. The standard has impact on policy through its use in conservation assessments and in alien species policy. As such, it is an important piece of the global biodiversity infrastructure.
You would be responsible for maintaining all parts of the standard, including the shape files and documentation. The documents are stored on the TDWG GitHub repository, which will be your collaboration environment. The team is expected to actively maintain the standard, but also react to issues and queries of users. The group might also consider and direct future development of the standard.
Your work will mainly be conducted remotely, although the team may choose to meet if it is required. The maintenance group requires a diverse and knowledgeable team, sensitive to the needs of scientists, managers and policy makers globally. Members of the team will have knowledge of GIS technology, but also of the ways the WGSRPD is used by the community. You will work with other maintenance, interest and task groups in TDWG where their subjects overlap. You may also represent TDWG and the standard at international meetings. You will learn about the TDWG standards process and make an important contribution to the standardization of global biodiversity data. Significant contributors will be acknowledged as authors of the next version.
Current issues for the maintenance group include updating recent changes to political boundaries and the conversion of the standard into new open formats to improve its accessibility and interoperability. You will require a leader and deputy, but the structure and working methods are up to the membership.You will be expected to report annually on your activities at the TDWG Annual Meeting.
How to participate?
If you are interesting in leading or otherwise contributing to the maintenance group for the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions please contact the TDWG Secretary at secretary@tdwg.org. The TDWG Executive Committee hopes to appoint a convener and core members in early August.
References
Brummitt, R. K., Pando, F., Hollis, S., & Brummitt, N. A. (2001). World geographical scheme for recording plant distributions. International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases for Plant Sciences (TDWG). http://grassworld.myspecies.in
Hollis, S. & Brummitt, R. K., World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions. Plant Taxonomic Database Standards No. 2. Version 1.0. 1992 Published for the International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases for Plant Sciences (TDWG) by the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. https://www.kew.or
Mills, S., Alcántara-Rodríguez, J. A., Ciros-Pérez, J., Gómez, A., Hagiwara, A., Galindo, K. H., ... & Welch, D. B. M. (2017). Fifteen species in one: deciphering the Brachionus plicatilis species complex (Rotifera, Monogononta) through DNA taxonomy. Hydrobiologia, 796(1), 39-58.