IABIN Pollinator Thematic Network: Overview
Washington, DC28 October 2008
Michael Ruggiero Smithsonian Institution, USA
IABIN PTN Partners
• Coevolution Institute• University of Sao Paulo• Integrated Taxonomic Information System• National Biological Information Infrastructure
(NBII)
IABIN PTN Architecture
IABIN PTN Vision
A Pollinators Thematic Network for the
Americas
which will facilitate integration of
information about pollinators
in an efficient retrieval system
Information Needs Assessment
INFORMATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Content
• Scientific and common names
• Experts• Specimens and
observations • Pollinator-plant
relationships• Literature
www.itis.gov
Scientific and Common Names
Scientific and Common Names
• Checklists of Bees and other Pollinating Species:– Bees, Bats, and Birds Complete
– Flies, beetles, others underway
Experts Database
Specimens and Collections
• 82 Major collections of bee specimens for the Americas– 32 in South America– 30 in North America– 2 in Central America– 18 in Europe
• 2.8 Million bee specimens in the Americas– 0.8 Million databased– 2.0 Million not databased
Specimens and Collections• IABIN Content Grants
– Brazil– Colombia– Peru – + 5 (Round 2)
• GBIF Grants– York University (Canada)– CRIA (Brazil)– USU - Logan (US)– UC - Riverside (US)
Specimens and Collections
Specimens and ObservationsPortal
Plant-Pollinator Relationships
Literature
• Catalogue of Hymenoptera
in America North of Mexico
• Catalogue of Bees in the Neotropical Region
Next
• Content Grants: Round 3
• Training
Sustainability of PTN• PTN needs IABIN in order to have a political framework and
for coordination of certain issues.
• PTN needs a new central focus, e.g., a regional role in a Global Pollinator Assessment.
• PTN needs a new name (Pollinator Information Network of the Americas) for marketing purposes and a marketing strategy (like NAPPC).
• PTN needs to determine its appropriate sustainability level commensurate with support.
Vulnerability of Agricultural Exports in OAS Member States to Loss of Pollinators
Not an OAS State
25-50 % Pollinator Dependent
10-24 % Pollinator Dependent
>10 % Pollinator Dependent
>50 % Pollinator Dependent
Total Agricultural Exports (2005) = $172 Billion
50 – 74%
25 - 49%
< 25%
>75%
IMPORTANCE OF POLLINATORS TO U.S. AGRICULTURAL CROPS: VALUE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION (2007)
Marketing - Outreach
• Academic Associations• Natural History Museums• Foundations• Ecological Societies• Government• EMBRAPA• Coffee Growers
Associations• Association of Coffee (Peru)• Bee Researchers
• Plant Enthusiasts (e.g. orchid societies)
• Conservation Organization• APACAME – Association of
Apiculture• Association of Apiculture in
Peru• Brazilian Oil Company
(Petrobras)• Conservation Commons• IUCN Country Committees• UN Organizations
Sustainability Levels and Costs
LEVEL OF SUPPORT I II III IV V
Maintenance Level X X X X X
Host and Maintain Internal Interactions X X X X
Interface with Other Providers X X X X
Code Updates and Content Facilitation (Automatic)
X X X X
Data Quality Checks X X X
Marketing/Training for Content Input X X X
Marketing/Training for Users X X
Automatic Harvest & Updates of Content X
Develop Collateral Products and Tools X
ESTIMATED COST ? ? ? ? ?
THANK YOU
http://pollinators.iabin.net
http://pollinators.incubadora.fapesp.br
http://www.pollinator.org
SWOT Analysis
• Strengths– Community of pollinator experts– Infrastructure– Unique Content (Assessment defined)– Partnership (national, regional, local)– Importance/urgency of issue (food security,
political stability, conservation)
SWOT Analysis
• Weaknesses– Time zones– Late start/playing catchup– Name (need to change)
SWOT Analysis
• Opportunities– Part of Global Pollinator Assessment– Link to other major programs, e.g., food
security, trade, etc.– Use data for new applications– Regional strategies, mapping applications
SWOT Analysis
• Threats– Funding– Incomplete involvement of member States– Communication– “Red tape”
Top Related