The course provides an introduction to the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS). This includes best practices in marine biogeographic data management, data publication, data access, data analysis and data visualisation. With the numerous datasets being generated through various projects and some old data yet to be captured in the database, this training provides an opportunity to manage this wealth of scientific knowledge.

Aims and Objectives

• Introducing OBIS to regional/national marine biodiversity researchers and data managers
• Expand the OBIS network of collaborators specially through the ROPME member states (Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, part of the Arabian Sea)
• Improve marine biogeographic data quality
• Increase awareness of international standards and best practices related to marine biogeographic data management
• Increase the amount of open access data published through OBIS and its OBIS nodes
• Increase the use of data from OBIS for research, species conservation and area-based management applications

Learning Outcomes

• knowledge and understanding of OBIS structure, mission and objectives
• Installation and management of IPT
• Use of Darwin Core standards for species occurrence records, taxonomy, event/sample records and additional biological and environmental parameters.
• Data quality control tools (OBIS Quality Control)
• Getting data and metadata in OBIS, procedures, formats
• Getting data and metadata from OBIS and WoRMS
• Data visualisation tools

 Course Topics

• Introduction to OBIS and PEGO-OBIS node
• Introduction to WoRMS
• Introduction to Census of Marine Life
• State of the art on marine biodiversity knowledge of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman
• Use of Darwin Core standards for species occurrence records
• Data Processing in OBIS
• OBIS Data Formats
• Data publication in OBIS
• Data Access in OBIS
• Data visualization in OBIS

 Target Audience

• Marine data managers, PhD students and researchers working with marine biodiversity data
• Principle Investigators of major marine biodiversity projects
• National marine biodiversity focal points
• Priority will be given to participants that can demonstrate to hold important data contributions to OBIS especially from gap areas in OBIS (Middle East countries, especially from ROPME member states).

NOTE: priority will be given to participants originating from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman Region/countries (ROPME member states). UNESCO is committed to promote gender equality. Therefore, applications from women are strongly encouraged.

Course Pre-requisites:

• Candidates should be from institutions that contribute, or hold and plan to contribute, marine biogeographic data to OBIS
• Need to bring own laptop
• Good IT skills
• Working knowledge of English.

 A Certificate of Participation will be issued to all successful students.