Joint Working Group on Data Sharing and Archiving: Continuing Steps Toward a Biological Data Systems Confederation

生物科学领域的研究人员越来越需要利用从世界各地收集的数据来解决全球性问题。随着计算速度和数据存储容量的提高以及成本的下降，技术已经不再是现成数据共享的障碍，而是科学界根深蒂固的习惯。改变这些习惯需要发展技术手段、文化诱因和培训机会，使所有潜在用户都能获得生物数据、信息和知识。如果专业协会和资助机构携手合作，而不是单独行动，这种系统性变革成功的可能性要大得多。为了实现这些目标，代表出版生态学、进化论和有机生物学期刊的主要专业学会的数据共享和存档联合工作组成立了。该项目的目标是实施小组首次研讨会的建议，包括：(1)通过专门的网站和定期电子邮件促进专业协会之间就数据共享和存档问题的持续沟通；(2)扩大专业协会和国际组织对这些活动的参与；(3)支持三个研讨会：(a)制定创建数据登记处的战略；描述数据集并提供如何访问它们的信息，(b)确定并开发减少或消除数据共享的文化和其他障碍的方法，以及(c)为生态、进化和有机生物学中的数据中心制定一套要求和建议。

There is an increasing need for researchers in the biological sciences to address global problems, using data collected from around the world. As computing speeds and datastorage capacities have increased and costs have dropped, technology has become less an obstacle to ready data sharing than are the ingrained habits of the scientific community. Changing these habits requires development of technological means, cultural inducements, and training opportunities that make biological data, information, and knowledge available to all potential users. Such systemic change is far more likely to be successful if professional societies and funding agencies work together, rather thanacting alone. To achieve these goals, the Joint Working Group on Data Sharing and Archiving, representing the major professional societies that publish ecology, evolution, and organismal biology journals, was formed. The objectives of this project are to implement recommendations from the initial workshop of the group, including:(1) facilitate continuing communication among professional societies on data sharing and archiving issues via a dedicated web site and periodic e-mails,(2) widen participation in these activities by professional societies and international organizations,(3) support three workshops to (a) develop a strategy for creating data registries, which describe data sets and provide information on how to access them, (b) identify, and develop means to reduce or eliminate, cultural and other barriers to data sharing, and (c) develop a set of requirements and recommendations for data centers in ecology, evolution, and organismal biology.