Geoweb Services for Sharing Modelling Results in Biodiversity Networks

Biodiversity researchers in different institutions deal with predictive models for species distribution. These models are useful for biodiversity conservation policies. Species distribution modelling tools need large datasets from different sources and use many algorithms. To improve biodiversity science, scientists need to share models, data and results, and should be able to reproduce experiments from others. This article presents a geoweb service architecture that supports sharing of modelling results and enables researchers to perform new modelling experiments. We show the feasibility of the proposed architecture by developing a set of prototype services, called Web Biodiversity Collaborative Modelling Services – WBCMS. They provide a set of geospatial web services that support the sharing of species distribution models. The article includes an example of a model instance that explains the WBCMS prototype. We believe that WBCMS shows how to set up a cooperative research network on biodiversity research. Address for Correspondence: Karla Donato Fook, IFMA – Campus Monte Castelo, DAI – Departamento Acadêmico de Informática, Avenida Getúlio Vargas, 04. Monte Castelo. CEP 65025-001. São Luís, MA, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] Transactions in GIS, 2009, 13(4): 379–399 © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9671.2009.01170.x