SPECIES BANKS DATABASESSPECIES BANKS DATABASES

Elena Pérez IniestaElena Pérez Iniestaepiniesta@ma-rjb.csic.esGBIF- Spain GBIF- Spain Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid

SPECIES BANKS DATABASES: Type of siteSPECIES BANKS DATABASES: Type of site

Table 1. Summary statistics regarding 234 of the 298 web resources in the URL compilation.

Type of Site N %

Static (HTML) pages

113 48.3

Dynamic databases

121 51.7

Dynamic databasesDynamic databases -- Sites which -- Sites which use a database from which are generated different views of the data such as HTML pages

Collection of Static Databases -- Sites which are simply a set of HTML pages, probably edited by hand

Dynamic databasesDynamic databases

Static PagesStatic Pages

SPECIES BANKS DATABASES: Type of SPECIES BANKS DATABASES: Type of systemsystem

Data warehouseData warehouse (Sites which (Sites which store all of the data store all of the data from different sources in a central location from different sources in a central location ).).Web ServiceWeb Service (Sites which (Sites which act as a portal through act as a portal through which information is brought from many resources in which information is brought from many resources in answer to the user’s query answer to the user’s query ).).Redirecting linksRedirecting links (Sites which (Sites which provide links to a set of provide links to a set of other resources by redirection to those web sites or other resources by redirection to those web sites or by dynamic queries of their databy dynamic queries of their data ).).

Type of Site N %

Data warehouse 187 81.6

Web services model

35 15.3

Redirecting links 7 3.0

Table 2. Summary statistics regarding 229 of the 298 web resources in the URL compilation.

Data WarehouseData Warehouse

NetworkNetwork

Web services modelWeb services model

SPECIES BANKS DATABASES: Type of SPECIES BANKS DATABASES: Type of Website Website

Standalone databaseStandalone database (Created by a project or (Created by a project or institution).institution).Collaborative projectCollaborative project (Created by a collaborative (Created by a collaborative efforteffortamong several institutions/individuals).among several institutions/individuals).Distributed SystemDistributed System (existing as an interaction (existing as an interaction amongamongdifferent databases at different websites via a different databases at different websites via a common webcommon webdistributor ). distributor ).

Table 3. Summary statistics regarding 230 of the 298 web resources in the URLcompilation.

Type of Site N %

Standalone database 164 71.3

Collaborative project 44 19.2

Distributed system 22 9.6

Standalone databasesStandalone databases

Collaborative projectCollaborative project

Distributed SystemDistributed System

Conabio

NISbase

SPECIES BANKS DATABASES: Additional informationSPECIES BANKS DATABASES: Additional information

Table 4. Table 4. Summary statistics regarding the 243 species data Summary statistics regarding the 243 species data resources that include more than taxonomic resources that include more than taxonomic information.information.

Type of Information N %

Molecular data 18 7.4

Identification key(s) 14 5.8

Images 127 52.3

Photo gallery 17/127 13.4

Image search 4/127 3.1

Sound files 7 5.5

Video files 4 3.2

Distribution data 116 47.7

Additional information: Molecular dataAdditional information: Molecular data

Additional information: KeysAdditional information: Keys

Additional information: Image files (Photo Gallery, Image Search)Additional information: Image files (Photo Gallery, Image Search)

Additional information: SoundsAdditional information: Sounds

Additional information: DistributionsAdditional information: Distributions

Basic scientific name informationBasic scientific name information

URL Author

Publication date

Nomencl. Ref.

Type

Additional information

51.4 % 38.7 % 19 % 11 %

General 40.3 % 30.9 % 16 % 8.2 %

Table 5. Comparison of percentages of sites providing information in addition to basic taxonomy between the total number included in the general “white database of species banks” and the 243 that do provide some sort of additional information (see Table 4).

Last updateLast update

LAST UPDATE N %

Last month 24 17.2

Last six months 22 15.7

Last year 43 30.7

Last two years 18 12.8

Last three years 14 10

Last four years 3 2.2

Last five- ten years 16 11.42

TOTAL URL- Last update

140 47

TOTAL URL 298  

Table 6. Percentage of sites in several time categories among the 140 sites that have an explicit indication of recency of the last update.

UsersUsers

There is a correlation not only between the type of organisation There is a correlation not only between the type of organisation that maintains a species bank and the class of intended users of that maintains a species bank and the class of intended users of that species bank, but also between the class of intended users that species bank, but also between the class of intended users and the longevity of the site. and the longevity of the site.

1. National parks, zoos, museums and citizen-groups mount websites intended for the general public.

2. Sites aimed at amateur enthusiast audiences generally are maintained by NGOs, museums and zoos.

3. Universities, research centres and government institutions tend to design and maintain sites aimed at scientists and higher-level students. These are the sites with greatest longevity.