The very first "dataset" that was included in this data portal was a set of megafauna records. As we needed a workable dataset to start on, we obtained some data from GBIF, requested by one of the BioFresh partners. We received a list of megafauna (i.e. animals of 45 kg and above) from Jörg Freyhof. Using this list, we automatically retrieved data from GBIF using web services.
In total, we obtained over 150'000 occurrence records for 110 species. Although this dataset is rather limited, it allowed us to develop and test the tools for processing of GBIF-data for extending the data portal.
Genera containing macrofauna species: Acipenser, Alligator, Arapaima, Argyrosomus, Arius, Atractosteus, Brachyplatystoma, Caiman, Carcharhinus, Catlocarpio, Chrysichthys, Clarias, Crocodylus, Ctenopharyngodon, Eleutheronema, Eunectes, Gavialis, Hemibagrus, Heterobranchus, Hexaprotodon, Himantura, Hippopotamus, Hucho, Huso, Hydrochoerus , Hydrocynus, Hypophthalmichthys, Hypselobarbus, Ictalurus, Inia, Labeo, Lates, Lipotes, Luciobarbus, Maccullochella, Mecistops, Megalops, Melanosuchus, Morone, Neophocaena, Oncorhynchus, Orcacella, Osteolaemus, Paleosuchus, Pangasianodon, Pangasius, Paulicea, Phoca, Platanista, Polydactylus, Polyodon, Potamotrygon, Pristis, Probarbus, Psephurus, Pseudoplatystoma, Pusa, Pylodictis, Salmo, Scaphirhynchus, Scomberomorus, Silurus, Sotalia, Tomistoma, Tor, Trichechus, Wallago.
Our database was further extended after full integration of the FADA database (see species registry). We tried to obtain GBIF data for all species in our registry using the same process as mentioned for the megafauna. Where available, we obtained data on freshwater Halacaridae, Hydroida, Cladocera, Copepoda, Mysidacea, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Macrophytes, Bivalvia, Nematomorpha, Turbellaria, Rotifera, Fish and Mammals.
Since the version of the data portal released on 19/12/2011, we include Catalogue of Life data on the species integrated in the taxonomic backbone of the portal. This will allow us to resolve synonyms for groups where synonym info is lacking in FADA and show additional information such as vernacular names. We acknowledge that this data has not been updated yet and are working on a mechanism to do so.
Since the data portal update of 06/11/2012, the conservation status from the IUCN Red List is shown on the species results page where available. This information is retrieved through web services and links to the IUCN website for more information. In a next step we will also show any species distribution ranges available through IUCN on the occurrence results page.
The possibility to view genetic data was established in the portal version released on 28/11/2014. Where available we included a link to nucleotide data on GenBank (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) and to the barcodes in BOLDsystems (http://www.boldsystems.org) on the species results pages.
