Abstract
BackgroundCurrently primary scientific data, especially that dealing with biodiversity, is neither easily discoverable nor accessible. Amongst several impediments, one is a lack of professional recognition of scientific data publishing efforts. A possible solution is establishment of a 'Data Publishing Framework' which would encourage and recognise investments and efforts by institutions and individuals towards management, and publishing of primary scientific data potentially on a par with recognitions received for scholarly publications.DiscussionThis paper reviews the state-of-the-art of primary biodiversity data publishing, and conceptualises a 'Data Publishing Framework' that would help incentivise efforts and investments by institutions and individuals in facilitating free and open access to biodiversity data. It further postulates the institutionalisation of a 'Data Usage Index (DUI)', that would attribute due recognition to multiple players in the data collection/creation, management and publishing cycle.ConclusionWe believe that institutionalisation of such a 'Data Publishing Framework' that offers socio-cultural, legal, technical, economic and policy environment conducive for data publishing will facilitate expedited discovery and mobilisation of an exponential increase in quantity of 'fit-for-use' primary biodiversity data, much of which is currently invisible.
Highlights
Primary scientific data, especially that dealing with biodiversity, is neither discoverable nor accessible
We believe that institutionalisation of such a ‘Data Publishing Framework’ that offers socio-cultural, legal, technical, economic and policy environment conducive for data publishing will facilitate expedited discovery and mobilisation of an exponential increase in quantity of ‘fit-for-use’ primary biodiversity data, much of which is currently invisible
Of the 190 million primary biodiversity data records accessible through the data portal [3] of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility(GBIF), merely 8.1% data is about species distribution of 17 Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC) [4]
Summary
An early implementation of three basic components of the ‘data publishing framework’ viz., Persistent Identifiers, DUI, and Data Citation mechanisms would impact the present data and information cycle. More importantly it would provide much called for recognition for individual efforts in management and publishing of primary scientific data, in our case primary biodiversity data. Datasets could be applied for multiple uses other than the single intended cause of creation This would result in improving ‘fitnessfor-use’ of data, as users are expected to offer the feedback on both optimum quantity and quality of the data. (c) models and mechanisms of data management and publishing of data must be both efficient and costeffective, and (d) assurance of long term preservation of data [75]
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