Practical Notebook Write-Up

Name: ________________________
Class & Section: _______________
Roll No.: _______________
Date of Experiment: _______________
Course: AECC - Environmental Studies / Biology

Aim:

To become familiar with major open-source biodiversity databases, specifically the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, by performing basic data search, retrieval, and analysis tasks.

Principle:

Modern biodiversity science relies on large, accessible datasets to understand species distributions, population trends, and conservation status. Open-source databases aggregate millions of records from museums, scientific literature, and citizen scientists worldwide. Two of the most critical resources are:

GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): An international network and data infrastructure that provides free and open access to biodiversity data. It primarily provides data on species occurrence—where and when a species has been recorded.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: The world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. It assesses the risk of extinction for thousands of species and categorizes them (e.g., Critically Endangered, Vulnerable, Least Concern) .

Materials Required:

Computer with internet access.
Web browser.
Spreadsheet software (e.g., Google Sheets, MS Excel).
(Optional) A notebook for sketching distribution maps.

Procedure:

Part A: Exploring the IUCN Red List

Access the Database:
- Go to the IUCN Red List website: https://www.iucnredlist.org
Search for a Species:
- In the search bar, type the scientific name of a species (e.g., Panthera tigris for the Tiger).
- Explore the results page. Note the Red List Category (e.g., Endangered).
Record Key Information:
- In your notebook, create a table and record the following for your chosen species:
  - Scientific Name & Common Name
  - Red List Category & Criteria
  - Population Trend (e.g., decreasing)
  - Geographic Range (list countries or regions)
  - Major Threats (e.g., poaching, habitat loss)

Part B: Downloading Occurrence Data from GBIF

Access the Database:
- Go to the GBIF website: https://www.gbif.org
Search for Occurrence Data:
- Click on "Explore" and then "Occurrence search".
- Search for the same species you used in Part A (e.g., Panthera tigris).
- Use the filters on the left to:
  - Set a Country (e.g., India).
  - Filter by Year (e.g., 2000-2023).
Download Data:
- Click on "Download" and select "Simple" format and "CSV".
- GBIF will prepare your download. Once ready, open the CSV file in your spreadsheet software.
Analyze the Data:
- Examine the columns. Key columns include: species, decimalLongitude, decimalLatitude, eventDate, countryCode.
- Count the total number of records (occurrences) for your species in the selected country and time period.
- Find the northernmost and southernmost latitude recorded.

Part C: Simple Data Visualization

Create a Distribution Map:
- On a printed outline map of the country, plot the latitude and longitude points from your downloaded GBIF data.
- Alternatively, use a free online tool like Google My Maps to create a digital map by importing the CSV file.
Create a Time Trend Chart:
- In your spreadsheet, create a pivot table to count the number of records per year.
- Create a simple line graph with Year on the X-axis and Number of Records on the Y-axis to visualize reporting effort over time.

Observations:

Part A: IUCN Red List Data for Panthera tigris (Tiger)

Parameter	Observation
Scientific Name	Panthera tigris
Common Name	Tiger
Red List Category	Endangered
Population Trend	Decreasing
Geographic Range	Asia (India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, etc.)
Major Threats	Poaching for skin and bones, habitat loss due to agriculture and urbanization, human-wildlife conflict.

Part B: GBIF Occurrence Data for Panthera tigris in India (2000-2023)

Parameter	Observation
Total Records Downloaded	1,524
Northernmost Record	30.5° N (e.g., Corbett National Park)
Southernmost Record	8.5° N (e.g., Periyar National Park)
Time Period of Records	2000 - 2023

Part C: Data Visualization
(A hand-drawn sketch of India would be here with points clustered in central and northeastern forest patches)

The map shows tiger occurrences are clustered in specific protected areas and are not randomly distributed across the country.

Result:

The IUCN Red List provided a detailed assessment of the Tiger's conservation status, classifying it as Endangered with a decreasing population trend, primarily due to poaching and habitat loss.
The GBIF portal provided 1,524 georeferenced occurrence records for Tigers in India between 2000-2023, allowing for the mapping of its current distribution.
The simple visualization confirmed that the tiger's distribution in India is not uniform but is concentrated in specific forest corridors and protected areas.

Discussion:

Utility of Databases: This practical demonstrates the power of open-source databases. In minutes, we accessed a comprehensive conservation assessment (IUCN) and thousands of data points on species location (GBIF) that would have taken years to collect in the field.
Data Biases: The GBIF data has inherent biases:
- Spatial Bias: Records are concentrated around protected areas and research stations. Tigers in non-protected or conflict-prone areas are under-reported.
- Temporal Bias: The recent increase in records is likely due to improved camera trap technology and citizen science reporting, not necessarily a true population increase.
Complementary Nature: The IUCN Red List and GBIF are used together. The Red List uses GBIF data (among other sources) to help assess species' geographic range and population trends, which are key criteria for determining extinction risk.
Applications: This type of data is fundamental for:
- Identifying critical habitats for protection.
- Modeling the impacts of climate change on species ranges.
- Planning conservation corridors.
- Tracking changes in biodiversity over time.

Conclusion:

This practical successfully familiarized us with two cornerstone open-source biodiversity databases: the IUCN Red List for conservation status and GBIF for species occurrence data. We learned how to search, retrieve, and perform basic analysis on this data, understanding both its immense value and its limitations. Proficiency in using these tools is an essential skill for modern ecologists, conservation biologists, and environmental researchers.

Viva Voce Questions:

What does GBIF stand for and what is its primary function?
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Its primary function is to provide free and open access to data about all types of life on Earth (species occurrence data).
What does the "Endangered" category on the IUCN Red List mean?
- It means the species is considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Name one major threat to the Tiger (Panthera tigris) as listed by the IUCN.
- Poaching for illegal wildlife trade or habitat loss and fragmentation.
What is a common data bias in GBIF occurrence records?
- Spatial bias: Records are clustered in easily accessible areas like protected areas or near cities, and under-represent remote regions.
How could a researcher use GBIF data?
- To model species distribution, study the impact of climate change on species ranges, identify biodiversity hotspots, or analyze changes in species populations over time.

Environmental Studies by Deepak Gusain

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Sunday, 7 September 2025

To become familiar with major open-source biodiversity databases