Document describing the biological data. JERICO-NEXT WP5, Deliverable D5.5, Version 3.

Abstract

Integration of biological data(Task 5.2) in coastal observatories has been one of the key objectives of the JERICO-NEXT project. Biological data collection has taken place in the framework of JRAP1 and JRAP2 (planktonic and benthic communities) using both traditional and novel observing methodologies.The objective of this task is to provide an operational link between EMODnet Biology and JERICO-NEXT, and to make the JRAP1 and JRAP2 data discoverable by users and increase its FAIRness. All the biological data in the project has been described and is findable in the EMODnet Biology catalogue and through a map viewer interface. To ensure its reusability, dataset descriptions contain machine-readable licenses that have been agreed with the data providers. A considerable amount of these data is nowaccessible via EMODnet Biology through different mechanisms: a) links to local data systems or repositories; b) a download link to data files in the Marine Data Archive; c) direct download from EMODnet Biology or integrated in the EMODnet Biology download toolbox. The method chosen depends on the degree or the standardisation possibilities that the data outputs offer. Making the biological data from novel sensors interoperable remains a challenge due to a lack of mature standards for data types that are still in earlier stage of development. Significant improvements have been achieved in the framework of the Sea Data Cloud project to develop controlled vocabularies for Flowcytometry (FCM) data. During the length of the project, EMODnet Biology and OBIS have transitionedto a new data schema (Darwin Core OBIS-ENV) which brings more flexibility and allows the inclusion of new data types (both biotic and abiotic). The upgraded data schema has allowed for the integration of tests FCM datasets in EMODnet Biology which, together with new developments in the download toolbox, have made JERICO-NEXT data discoverable at the record levelin the EMODnet Biology portal.Despite these achievements, significant efforts are needed in terms of harmonisation throughout all the data management phases, definition of best practices and development of semantic standards for these new data types. This is the only way to ensure thatwe can exploit the monitoring capabilities of these novel observation methodologies with the appropriate certainty. These should be priorities during the next phase of JERICO-RI. However, it also needs to be recognised that putting data management into practice and opening the data is a resource consuming activity, both at the end-side of the chain (i.e. data aggregators or repositories), but also for data collectors and scientists at the initial steps. Data management needs to be appropriately funded throughout all these different stages to avoid potential bottlenecks, which might hinder the actual publication of data.