SIBER SPIS sept 2011.pdf - IMBER

SIBER
Science Plan and Implementation Strategy
SIBER m e t h o d s f o r d a t a
s y n t h e s is a n d m a n a g e m e n t a n d
m o d e l i n g
Me t h o d s f o r d a t a s y n t h e s i s a n d m a n a g e m e n t
SIBER will develop a data management policy under the guidance of IMBER and IOGOOS,
that will be published on the SIBER website. The SIBER Data Policy will facilitate the use of
all available data resources (including raw and processed field and laboratory data and model
output), thus reducing fieldwork and research duplication, while respecting the intellectual
property rights of the contributors.
SIBER intends to work closely with data management teams from different countries and
projects to promote availability and interoperability of datasets where possible. Linking and
collaborating with other national and international ocean science programs will add significant
value to data mining and syntheses. For example, linking predator and food web community
data to programs, such as CLIOTOP, would facilitate analysis of their distributions in relation
to satellite-observable features.
SIBER will promote linkages with all international programs operating in the IO to share
historical data and achieve the goals of each program. Its activities will contribute to the CoML,
CLIVAR, SOLAS, IOCCP-GCP, GEOTRACES, GOOS/IndOOS, etc. SIBER data management
and mining efforts will integrate with modeling and fieldwork activities. For example, modeling
efforts will benefit from the identification, compilation and synthesis of existing datasets to
produce regional and basinwide physical, biogeochemical and biological distributions for
model initialization, calibration and verification (see integration section below).
Fi e l d w o r k c o o r d i n a t i o n a n d d e v e l o p m e n t
It is logistically difficult to work in the IO because it is so vast, and the southern IO open ocean is
particularly remote. This problem is compounded by the limited availability of research vessels.
SIBER aims to improve the integration of existing and planned field studies by promoting
cross-cutting science activities and the exchange of personnel, expertise, methodologies, data
and equipment. This should increase the efficiency and scientific value of the outcomes of
the individual programs. It will require increased cooperation among the many nations and
regional programs operating in the IO to streamline scientific objectives, integrate physical,
biogeochemical and ecological data, identify key gaps and ensure effective future planning.
SIBER’s role will be to: 1) facilitate the fieldwork coordination among nations and programs
to address these issues; 2) identify knowledge gaps from historical data analysis, remote
sensing and modeling; and 3) maximize subsequent international efforts to begin to fill these
gaps. These fieldwork efforts will be an integral part of the parallel initiatives of data syntheses
and model development.
Existing field activities encompass only a small portion of the different biogeographic areas
of the IO, with national programs often targeting restricted geographical regions and the
coastal zone. A particular focus of SIBER will be to promote an international effort to improve
geographical coverage of the IO, in both coastal and open ocean areas. This will be facilitated
by increasing the use of satellite data and through deployment of remote instrumentation. The
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