Applying new computer grid technology to biodiversity

By Peter Hall

In recent issues of RE$EARCH MONEY, guest columnists Andrew Bjerring and Bill St. Arnaud of CANARIE described new computation initiatives that constitute a "second Internet generation" for research. These "computer grid" initiatives, mainly in the United States, focus on the need for research communities to more tightly link or network their distributed data through the Internet to increase their computation power.

One such community in Canada that is beginning to explore the possibilities and benefits of such a computer grid is the biodiversity science community. To protect and benefit from Canada's biological resources - our 'natural capital' - we need an extensive and electronically accessible knowledge base of information related to all life forms, from microbes to moose, that are important to Canadians. This information should include the genetics, classification, distribution, habitat, status and benefits of all species important to Canadians, both wild and domestic.

Those countries that invest in and take advantage of such a biodiversity knowledge base will lead the emerging world bio-economy. The benefits include advances in environmental problem solving, ecosystem protection, sustainable resource industries, conservation biology, agriculture and forest pest control, endangered species protection, biotechnology and human health products.

However, our basic biodiversity information is presently scattered among museums, universities, environmental non-government organizations, government instit- utions, and many individuals. The information is also largely electronically inaccessible in forms such as specimen labels in collections and in scientists' notebooks. This information, amassed over centuries, must be digitized and uploaded into an Internet-based network of searchable, documented and linked biodiversity and ecosystem data stores based on accepted standards and protocols for sharing.

The emerging discipline of bioinformatics is now developing the technical tools to integrate information across the life science disciplines. The data constitute terabytes of information and require metadata catalogues and data servers to allow scientific applications on a variety of platforms to access it. New informatics tools are emerging internationally, such as species and ecosystem modelling software, geographic referencing systems and remote sensing technologies, that will allow new ways to communicate, amass and analyze data quickly and effectively across disciplines.

This 'biological grid' concept requires high bandwidth - supercomputing capacity - in the biological sciences. Pilot projects in parts of Canada are attempts to start building electronic infrastructure capacity. An example is a bio-computing proposal submitted to the Canada Foundation for Innovation by several Ontario universities led by the University of Guelph. But in Canada, we have generally not yet made the necessary investment in the scientific or networking tools to collect, store and analyze information about our incredibly complex biological systems.

In the US, the work of establishing a "computer grid" for sharing and accessing biodiversity data has already begun. It came out of a recommendation made by the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology in a report called Teaming with Life: Investing in Science to Understand and Use America's Living Capital. The funding for much of this activity is provided by the National Science Foundation. Key players in the US, such as the University of Kansas and the San Diego Supercomputer Centre, are developing tools for the biodiversity grid.

In Canada, suppliers, holders and beneficiaries of data are organizing a national conference to be held next March 1-4 in Ottawa. Its theme is Canada's Natural Capital: Investing in Biodiversity for the Information Age. The aim of the conference is to develop a strategic plan outlining the steps needed to invest in and deliver Canada's biodiversity science and networking capacity. In other words, developing Canada's biodiversity "computer grid" by creating the political will, partnerships and investment to make it happen. Andrew Bjerring is right when he calls this "a national grand challenge".

Peter Hall is executive director and Chair of the Biodiversity Network Initiative. and the former national director of the Canadian Environmental Network.