The SinBIOTA database was created in 2000 by the Biota-FAPESP Program to house biodiversity data from research projects it funds in compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity. It contains records of occurrences, specimens, projects, and users. The structured online database allows different types of users to enter, edit, and query biodiversity data and taxonomic information integrated with other global biodiversity databases. It is aimed to be improved with new technologies like mobile access, enhanced data sharing and social features to better support biodiversity research and conservation efforts in São Paulo state.

1. The Biota-FAPESP Biodiversity
Database and Information
System – SinBIOTA
Tiago E. M. Duque Estrada
Executive Manager
Virtual Institute for Biodiversity – BIOTA-FAPESP Program

2. Content of this presentation
• History – Why the existence of such system
• Structure – What the system has/does
• Usage – Who and how it has been used
• Future – Coping with changes and new technologies

3. History
• Biota-FAPESP Program was officially created in 1999 as a response to
3 years effort from a group of scientists that work with biodiversity
related issues together with FAPESP’s Biological Sciences and
Scientific Directory. This as an answer to the implementation of CBD
in the country.
• In the following year the SinBIOTA was commissioned and developed
by CRIA (http://www.cria.org.br).
• 2001 was released the Biota Neotropica Scientific Journal

4. History
Data in it: Year Added Occurrences Specimens
2000 505 10580
2001 770 7279
2002 2526 20826
2003 2464 10565
2004 1208 12066
2005 1571 15778
2006 5424 25305
2007 441 3198
2008 1634 5247
2009 323 4814
2010 12 135
2011 4 1751
2012 1 0
2013 89 1924
2014 567 2712
2015 245 1788

5. Structure

6. Structure
• 7* Step Form in which the user must fill the occurrence record
• Four types of user: Visitor, Admin, Coordinators and Member
• Taxonomy from The Catalogue of Life (http://www.catalogueoflife.org)
Queries Project User Occurrence
Creation/Removal Edition Creation Removal Creation Edition
Visitor Yes No No No No No No
Admin Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Coordinator Yes No Yes Yes No* Yes Yes
Member Yes No No No No Yes Yes

7. Structure
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11. Structure

12. Structure
• Explicit Data Policies and Metadata standards (TDWG, KNB, etc.)
• Integration with international initiatives (GBIF, OBIS, ALA, EOL, etc.)
• Scalability and security of large databases
• Multimedia data and multimodal search
• Seamless Biodiversity and Map visualization
• Interoperability with analysis tools (sp. distribution, etc.)
• Datasets and monitoring network management

13. Usage
It stores (End of April, 2015):
Projects 139
Users 375
Occurrence Authors 1180
Taxonomic Groups 180
Occurrences 17784
Collected Specimens 124018

14. Usage
• 2006 – Continental Priority Areas for Conservation and Restauration
Workshop – SMA and Biota Researchers
• Intense activity in the system
• Several maps produced and an important publication used for public
policies in conservation in São Paulo State

15. Future
• Use of mobile clients
• Workflow sharing
• Social software features (tagging, annotation, etc.)

16. Thank you!
Tiago Egger Moellwald Duque Estrada
tiago@biota.org.br