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Re: Moore Foundation Grant to TDWG and GBIF
by Gail Kampmeier 19 Apr '05

19 Apr '05

This is wonderful news!! Congratulations to Stan Blum and Donald Hobern and all the others who worked to get this process going! I attended the GBIF workshop in Columbus, Ohio in February on impediments to databasing entomological collections, and we recognized not only the importance of developing and maintaining globally unique identifiers, but that no one group was really in a position to do this on their own for the broad systematics (all taxa) community. I look forward to seeing the progress made in establishing the online collaborative tools to start building authority files for other areas such as people (I know the botanists are way out ahead of us in entomology here!) Cheers! Gail >Dear TDWG members and Colleagues: > >TDWG looks back at 20 years of efforts to advance standardisation of >data used to describe, name and analyse global biodiversity. This year's >meeting in St. Petersburg marks the discussion of several new standards >that are of utmost importance for the establishment and operation of the >Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). > >TDWG has always depended on voluntary contribution, its process being >completely community driven. This has worked well whenever individuals >and organisations have dedicated the time and efforts necessary to >advance the standard development. However, this voluntary form of >organisation has also been an impediment, not allowing us to move ahead >the organisational tasks that surround a successful standardisation >body, such as developing appropriate procedural rules, making the >organisation and its scope known to all interested communities, and >disseminating its results appropriately. > >I am therefore extremely pleased to report the success of efforts >initiated last year by the than Chair of the TDWG Executive Committee, >Stan Blum, and Donald Hobern, the GBIF's Programme Officer for Data >Access and Database Interoperability, with the aim of giving TDWG a >solid organisational base for its important function. > >The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has just awarded nearly USD 1.5 >million to the GBIF - TDWG partnership. The funded project is designed >to establish a more formal process for development and maintenance of >each of the TDWG standards. The grant also includes funding to implement >online collaboration tools for use by, among others, the TDWG working >groups. Enabling such collaboration is intended to increase the >productivity of these groups. To carry out these tasks, dedicated staff >will be recruited. Also, contracts will be placed to develop >documentation and software tools to support the existing TDWG standards. > > >In addition, the project will organise two international workshops aimed >at developing a model and central services for global unique identifiers >to be used in biodiversity informatics. > >During the 30 months of the project period, TDWG's ongoing requirements >for staff and infrastructure will be examined, and a long-term support >model will be developed for the organisation. > >Walter Berendsohn >Chair, TDWG Executive Committee -- ======= Gail E. Kampmeier Senior Research Entomologist Illinois Natural History Survey, Box 5 NSRC, MC-637 1101 W. Peabody, Urbana, IL 61801 USA ph. 217-333-2824; fax 217-244-1707 email: gkamp(a)uiuc.edu therevid project: http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cee/therevid/ therevid webMandala: http://pherocera.inhs.uiuc.edu/ FLYTREE: http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cee/FLYTREE/ =======

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The Blackburn Press Announces the Reprinting of a Classic Book
by Blackburn Press 12 Apr '05

12 Apr '05

The Blackburn Press would like to announce the reprinting of a classic in the first quarter of 2005: The Art of Scientific Investigation by William I.B. Beveridge, ISBN 1-932846-05-0, paperback, 178 pages In The Art of Scientific Investigation, originally published in 1950, W.I.B. Beveridge explores the development of the intuitive side in scientists. The author's object is to show how the minds of humans can best be harnessed to the processes of scientific discovery. This book therefore centers on the "human factor"; the individual scientist. The book reveals the basic principles and mental techniques that are common to most types of investigation. Professor Beveridge discusses great discoveries and quotes the experiences of numerous scientists. "The virtue of Mr. Beveridge's book is that it is not dogmatic. A free and universal mind looks at scientific investigation as a creative art. . . ." The New York Times This and other mathematics and statistical titles are available at http://www.blackburnpress.com/mast.html This book is available from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932846050/qid%3D1109345621/sr%3D11-1 /ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/103-5317424-9474238 Also available from The Blackburn Press: Mosses: Utah and the West by Seville Flowers, ISBN 1-930665-25-3, paperback; 567 pages Mosses: Utah and the West made a substantial and original contribution to our knowledge of the mosses of the western United States. Before Flowers began his extensive bryologic research, Utah was considered to have a relatively small and uninteresting moss flora because of its generally low rainfall. This book however, treats 256 species in 77 genera and 18 families; a large proportion of which were discovered in Utah for the first time by the author. The beautifully executed and original illustrations form one of the finest features of this book; Seville Flowers became an extraordinarily accurate and skillful bryologic artist through the years. Mosses: Utah and the West is a monumental work on mosses of Utah and contiguous areas, providing keys, illustrations, descriptions and information on geographic distribution and habitats and detailed observations by Flowers. This book will be useful to bryologists, foresters, ecologists and other botanists. It will serve as a guide to the moss flora of most of the intermountain region. This and other botany titles are available at http://www.blackburnpress.com/botany.html This book is available from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1930665253/qid%3D1112196158/sr%3D11-1 /ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-2598909-5896905 Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs by Alfred Rehder, ISBN 1-930665-326, paperback, 996 pages For each of the 2,300 species of trees and shrubs covered in the book, Rehder included a concise physical description, as well as time of flowering and fruiting, references to published illustrations, region of native habitat, date of introduction into cultivation, hardiness zone, and comments on horticultural merit or special cultural requirements. He gave distinguishing features and pertinent information for 2,465 varieties. Brief mention was included of another 1,265 species and 507 hybrids that were either less well known or rarely cultivated. Its value to gardeners, arborists, botanical garden curators, and anyone else needing to identify trees and shrubs became readily apparent. These and other forestry titles are available at http://www.blackburnpress.com/forestry.html This book is available from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1930665326/qid%3D1112121692/sr%3D11-1 /ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/103-0885757-5503811 Woody Plants for the Central and Northern Prairies by Walter Thaine Bagley and Richard K. Sutton, ISBN 1-930665-504, paperback; 600 pages Many people are frustrated by their inability to determine the identity of a woody plant growing in their backyards, neighborhood parks, along a roadside or at a vacation site. Woody Plants for the Central and Northern Prairies attempts to assist them by providing descriptions and sketches of most of the native and exotic plants that they are likely to find or wish to grow. Woody Plants for the Central and Northern Prairies evolved from a proposed woody plant handbook to its present form over a period of 18 years. During that time, the authors decided to expand the book to include line drawn illustrations for ease of identification. They also decided that in promoting sustainable landscapes, they should include both native and exotic woody plants adapted to a portion of the Great Plains. Since many of the plants described are native or adapted to other regions of the temperate zone, Woody Plants for the Central and Northern Prairies will be a useful reference well beyond the confines of the central and northern prairies of North America. The book will be an excellent basic reference for interested laypersons and teachers as well as professionals. Plants in the book can be identified by simple grouping charts and without the use of tedious keys. They are presented in related phylogenetic groups (orders, families, genera, species) based on a modern theory of evolution. This and other forestry titles are available at http://www.blackburnpress.com/forestry.html This book is available from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1930665504/qid%3D1112196476/sr%3D11-1 /ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-5921285-7351368 The Blackburn Press was founded with the mission of keeping in print and available for purchase book titles that larger publishers have lost interest in and have declared "out-of-print." We specialize in scientific, medical, and technical books and textbooks. The Blackburn Press is interested in hearing of other titles we might consider returning to print. Your suggestions are welcome. Thank you. Mary S. Donovan The Blackburn Press Publishers of classic scientific and technical books Post Office Box 287 Caldwell, NJ 07006 Tel: 973-228-7077 Fax: 973-228-7276 E-mail: mdonovan(a)blackburnpress.com Explore the latest additions to our list at www.Blackburnpress.com All of our books are available at www.Amazon.com

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Annual meeting and proposed standards
by Stan Blum 21 Mar '05

21 Mar '05

[Posted on behalf of Walter Berendsohn] Dear TDWG List subscribers: Some news regarding TDWG activities: * Membership * To start with the most important: TDWG accounts are in the process to be moved to the new Treasurer - so please, don't be impatient, your bill for 2005 membership will soon be ready. * Support * A piece of very good news in these times of diminishing institutional commitments to the common good: The Natural History Museum in London has agreed to commit a substantial part of our elected Secretary's working time to TDWG matters, an essential pre-requisite especially for the preparation of the ever-growing annual meetings. * TDWG 2005 * As Adrian Rissoné has already informed you, the next TDWG meeting will take place in St. Petersburg, Russia, September 11-18. See http://www.tdwg.org/2005meet/TDWG_2005_Intro.htm for up-to-date information. * New Standards to be voted on * Perhaps the most important development is that four of the draft standards discussed during the Christchurch meeting have now formally been submitted to the Executive Committee for voting during TDWG 2005: - Darwin Core 2 (http://darwincore.calacademy.org/) "a simple set of data element definitions designed to support the sharing and integration of primary biodiversity data". - Access to Biological Collection Data (ABCD) 2.0 (http://www.bgbm.org/TDWG/CODATA/Schema/) "an evolving comprehensive standard for the access to and exchange of data about specimens and observations (a.k.a. primary biodiversity data)". - Structure of descriptive data (SDD) 1.0 (http://wiki.cs.umb.edu/twiki/bin/view/SDD/CurrentSchemaVersion) - Taxonomic Concept Transfer Schema (TCS) 1 (http://tdwg.napier.ac.uk) Please feel free to comment and contribute. The working groups will continue to improve their drafts until a final edited version will be submitted by the Executive Committee to the membership by July 17, 2005. * New proposed standards * Other working groups will contribute proposed standards, which will also be discussed during the meeting in St. Petersburg (this is a prerequisite for submission as a new TDWG standard in 2006). These also have to be circulated by July 17. Proposed standard should be send before that date to the TDWG Secretary Adrian Rissoné (a.rissone(a)nhm.ac.uk) With best wishes Walter Berendsohn Chair, TDWG Executive Committee 2005

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TDWG 2005 - important updates to meeting web site
by Adrian Rissone 17 Mar '05

17 Mar '05

TDWG 2005 - St. Petersburg, Russia, 11-18 September 2005 I have posted inportant information on the TDWG 2005 Meeting web site at: http://www.tdwg.org/2005meet/TDWG_2005_Intro.htm concerning travel and hotel arrangements, and the first draft of the meeting schedule. It is important that you read this information if you wish to attend the meeting in September, as it introduces the procedure that will be necessary to book hotel accommodation and obtain a visa to enter Russia. Please note that, although it will be quick for most delegates using the system we have devised, nationals of some countries will require several months to obtain a Russian visa. More information will be available soo so keep checking back. We look forward to seeing you in St. Petersburg! Regards, Adrian Rissone E-mail: A.Rissone(a)nhm.ac.uk with Subject line "TDWG 2005" Secretary and Meeting Coordinator Taxonomic Databases Working Group www.tdwg.org

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Job at SBMNH in collection informatics
by unknown＠example.com 23 Feb '05

23 Feb '05

JOB AVAILABLE Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History - Collection Database Specialist The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is seeking a database specialist to develop and implement an online database of specimen and taxonomic data on California beetles. Responsibilities will include enhancing an existing MS Access database, porting data to MS SQL Server, developing a web interface for secure database access, and applying biodiversity informatics community standard protocols (DiGIR, XML) to permit database interoperability with other online services. The position requires thorough understanding of relational databases, including MS Access and MS SQL Server, Structured Query Language, OBDC standards, the use of XML to transport data between database systems, protocols for providing database access online, and web page construction, including HTML, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, and web ready imagery. This is a full time, temporary position lasting up to one year. To apply send resume and description of qualifications, including URLs of online databases previously implemented to: Human Resources - CDS Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History 2559 Puesta del Sol Rd. Santa Barbara, CA 93105. A more detailed job description is posted at: www.sbnature.org/visitors/hr.php For additional information email Dr. Michael Caterino at mcaterino(a)sbnature2.org SBMNH is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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Biodiversity: Science and Govenance conference in Paris, January 24 -28
by Donat Agosti 01 Feb '05

01 Feb '05

Sorry for crossposting with taxacom. But I think, the following might be of interest to the TDWG community, since access and exchange of data was one of the major points in this conference Here the link to (http://www.recherche.gouv.fr/biodiv2005paris/en/appelparisbiodiv.htm)th e Paris declaration and attached a statement from the "Biodiversity: Science and Governance" conference in Paris last week. It was a big meeting with over 1,000 participants initiated by the French president Chirac and the director General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, including among others the president of Madagascar and various ministers. At least in one way, this was a quiet unusual meeting. This time, real data played an important part. And it was not the North who made the case, but the President of Madagascar and Mexico who actually, following their top politicians, are now using taxonomy based data to make political decisions. It was a clear demonstration of the yield of sharing globally data, modern technological advances, and the importance of single scientists who actually have the vision to build up such infrastructures and do it. It was also a clear sign of the importance of institutions like GBIF and with it the drive to develop, or help to develop such tools as digir and other protocols which at the end help to go back to single specimen rather than getting lost somewhere in expert opinions, and to make each single, open access collecting an important part in this global endeavour. The increasing awareness that disregard of environmental services are leading to big environmental and humanitarian disasters for which not business is paying for, but in most cases the poor - one of the disconnects of the privilege to eat cheap shrimps and the much higher impact of the Tsunami on areas with removed mangrove forests due to shrimp farming was a clear warning finger. Still, it was just another conference, but the British, seconded by the French promised to make biodiversity an important issue at the forthcoming G8 summit hosted by the UK. Hopefully, we can pick up on this development... ------------------- Statement from the International Conference on "Biodiversity: Science and Governance" This statement is based on the presentations and discussions during the conference and the "Appeal" by the Scientific Committee of the conference. Recalling the commitment of governments to the global target of significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 as a fundamental condition for sustainable development. Recognizing that: . Biodiversity is a vital and poorly appreciated resource for all of humankind that underpins the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; . Biodiversity is being irreversibly destroyed by human activities at an unprecedented rate, and this demands urgent and significant action to conserve, sustainably use and equitably share the benefits of biodiversity; . Unless the rate of loss of biodiversity and the resulting degradation of ecosystem services are significantly reduced, efforts to combat poverty, reduce hunger and provide clean water and a healthy environment will be undermined; . A major effort is still needed to fill the gaps in knowledge, but there is already sufficient information available for improved management of ecosystems. Therefore the participants of the international conference on "Biodiversity: Science and Governance" urge: . Governments to take all necessary actions, including capacity building, needed to realize the 2010 biodiversity target, consistent with their sustainable development goals; . Civil society, including local and indigenous communities and the private sector, to take actions consistent with the 2010 biodiversity target; . The scientific community to develop greater national and international coordination; . That the necessary public and private resources be mobilized for the inter-disciplinary scientific research and monitoring required to improve our current understanding and to address the cost of conserving biodiversity; . Improved communications and partnerships among the scientific community, decision makers and civil society, including local and indigenous communities; . Parties and Secretariats to the multilateral environmental agreements to built greater cooperation and synergy. And recommend, in response to the call for action made by President Chirac at this Conference, the launch of an international multi-stakeholder consultative process guided by a balanced multi-stakeholder steering committee. This process would assess the need for an international mechanism which would: . provide a critical assessment of the scientific information and policy options required for decision-making; . build on existing bodies, current and recent activities. -------------------------------------- Dr. Donat Agosti Research Associate, American Museum of Natural History and Smithsonian Institution Email: agosti(a)amnh.org Web: http://antbase.org CV: http://antbase.org/agosticv_2003.html Dalmaziquai 45 3005 Bern Switzerland +41-31-351 7152

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International confernece on "Biosciences, biotechnology and biodiversity analysis
by Shubhada Nagarkar 11 Jan '05

11 Jan '05

Dear all, Forwarding information about forthcoming International conference in India...... Department of Botany, PG research center, Modern college, Pune India is organsing an international conference on "Biosciences, biotechnology and biodiversity analysis" on 8-10 August 2005. More details are available at http://www.geocities.com/kanchangandhe/index.htm For more information please contact Dr. Kanchan Gandhe and Dr. R.V. Gandhe, Organising secretaries at kanchan.gandhe(a)gmail.com kanchanganghe(a)hotmail.com

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out-of-print book
by Blackburn Press 15 Dec '04

15 Dec '04

The Blackburn Press is a relatively new publishing company, dedicated to keeping in print and available for purchase book titles that larger publishers have lost interest in and have declared "out of print." The following book has been mentioned to us as worth reprinting. We'd very much appreciate your reaction to this title: Chromosomal Evolution in Higher Plants by GL Stebbins, 1971 published by Edward Arnold Of course, we'd also be delighted to hear about any other titles you think would merit bringing back into print and made available again. Please respond directly to me. Thank you. Mary S. Donovan The Blackburn Press Publishers of classic scientific and technical books Post Office Box 287 Caldwell, NJ 07006 Tel: 973-228-7077 Fax: 973-228-7276 E-mail: <mailto:mdonovan@blackburnpress.com> mdonovan(a)blackburnpress.com Explore the latest additions to our list at <http://www.Blackburnpress.com> www.Blackburnpress.com All of our books are available at <http://www.Amazon.com> www.Amazon.com

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any interest in these books?
by Blackburn Press 03 Dec '04

03 Dec '04

The Blackburn Press is a relatively new publishing company, dedicated to keeping in print and available for purchase book titles that larger publishers have lost interest in and have declared "out of print." We are especially interested in scientific and technical titles. In several recent conversations, the following books have been mentioned to us as worth looking at for reprinting. We'd very much appreciate your reaction to these titles: Morphology of Plants and Fungi (1987) by Bold, Alexopolus, Delevoras Aquatic Plants of the US (1944) by Walter Muenscher Of course, we'd also be delighted to hear about any other titles you think would merit bringing back into print and made available again. Please respond directly to me. Thank you. Mary Mary S. Donovan The Blackburn Press Publishers of classic scientific and technical books Post Office Box 287 Caldwell, NJ 07006 Tel: 973-228-7077 Fax: 973-228-7276 E-mail: mdonovan(a)blackburnpress.com Explore the latest additions to our list at www.Blackburnpress.com All of our books are available at www.Amazon.com

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Information Packet for TDWG 2004
by Stan Blum 08 Oct '04

08 Oct '04

Dear Participants in TDWG 2004, The information packet, containing * Pre-Registration information * Conference Reception at the Heritage Hotel * Places to Eat & Drink * TDWG Banquet * Conference Venue * Transportation * Registration at the Conference * Lunches & Refreshments * Room facilities * Posters * Demonstrations * E-mail/Internet access * Conference Organisers * Sponsorship * Useful maps has been updated and is available from the meeting web site (it's a big download, even zipped): http://www.tdwg.org/2004meet/TDWG_2004.htm (Thanks for pulling that together, Adrian!) NOTE, the conference will be at the University of Canterbury, some distance from the Heritage Hotel and downtown. A bus will leave the Heritage Hotel for the meeting at 8:15 AM. If you are not staying at the Heritage, you might still find it convenient to ride this bus. See you soon! Stan Blum Chair, TDWG Exec. Comm.

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