2015 GBIF Frontiers of Biodiversity Informatics and Modelling Species Distributions

The Center for Biodiversity and Conservation partnered with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) to host a special symposium and panel discussion on biodiversity informatics and species distribution modeling on November 30th, 2015. The event gathered scientists from the GBIF task group on Data Fitness For Use in Distribution Modeling to give presentations on "the state of the art" in the field and discuss visions for the future of GBIF. In addition to the more than 90 scientists and students who attended in-person at the museum, the event was broadcasted live online to viewers in 54 countries and 34 U.S. states via the AMNH U-stream channel.

Three presentations were followed by a panel session where the audience and online viewers could ask questions to the panelists. 

From Models of Species Distributions to Models of Communities

Dr. Miguel Araújo, Research Professor of the Spanish Research Council (CSIC)

Data for Models and Models for Data: Toward a Mutual Benefit?

Dr. Antoine Guisan, Professor of Ecology, University of Lausanne

Game Over Before It Starts: Data Leakage as a Major Impediment in Niche and Distribution Modeling

Dr. Townsend Peterson, Professor of Ecology at the Biodiversity Institute, Kansas University

Question and Answer' Panel Session

With the presenters and:

  • Dr. Jorge Soberón (Chair), Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the Biodiversity Institute, Kansas University 
  • Dr. Enrique Martinez-Meyer, Researcher at the Institute of Biology, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
  • Dr. Rob Anderson, Professor of Biology, City College of New York, City University of New York
  • Dr. Jorge Lobo, Research Professor of the Department of Biogeography and Global Change, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Madrid (Spain) 

Questions from online viewers were moderated by Dr. Mary Blair, Assistant Director for Research and Strategic Planning at the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation; Dr. Matthew Aiello-Lammens, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Science, Pace University and Beth Gerstner, City College of New York, City University of New  York.