data sharing/security

[Michael]

At 10:55 AM 12/9/98 -0600, Stuart G. Poss wrote:
>
>> The unfortunate situation for many rare plant species is that their
>> protection lies only in their obscurity and remoteness from public
>> attention.
>>
>Given increasing human population and economic pressures, we can't
>expect obscurity and remoteness to be properties that will characterize
>most species in the future.

The remoteness and obscurity I refer to are physical. The security concerns
I have raised pertain most to taxa which already are deemed of "interest"
to those who would collect/harvest from wild sources and would use data to
navigate physical remoteness.

Numerous studies (processed data) have repeatedly warned of the impact of
population growth and consumption on the ecosystem.  If these studies,
reports, and warnings are not sufficient to alter our course, how will
faster access to certain raw data accomplish this?  The problem is a
socio-economic system which values growth and short-term profits over
sustainability, while remaining unconcerned of the direction this leads.

>We must be careful that the system we do develop does
>not restrict access to data where there is no compelling need.

Do you accept that some needs may indeed be compelling enough?  The matter
at hand is balancing degree of security against level of restriction.

>A flip side of this issue is that for an increasing number of
>non-indigenous species, it would be extremely helpful to directly
>involve the public in locating and monitoring the exact position of
>capture.  This way we can potentially get their help in reducing either
>their numbers or their impact on native faunas.

No need for data security for locations of exotics and weeds!

>The question is can we devise a secure yet relatively universal system
>that would permit a wide range of scientists with "a need to know"
>timely access to the data?  While timely could be measured in months,
>weeks, or even days, I would still argue that if it can be essentially
>instantaneous, with proper preclearance, it will provide our best
>opportunity to be proactive in our studies as well as monitor the
>current state of affairs, for particular species.

John Shuey has posted to Taxacom an excellent description of the Biological
Conservation Database (BCD) used by The Nature Conservancy (Re: data
sharing - an unauthorized TNC response).  For taxa of conservation concern,
this comprehensive database system already exists (for a certain geographic
area).  It contains an exhaustive survey of collections data.  John
explains that the BCD data is shared, but with caution.  He also mentions
that some of this data may in the future be made available over the
internet, with some location information "fuzzed".  I agree with this
approach.

Michael Chamberland