Addressing global environmental challenges requires access to biodiversity data across wide spatial, temporal and taxonomic scales. Availability of such data has increased exponentially recently with the proliferation of biodiversity databases. However, heterogeneous coverage, protocols, and standards have hampered integration among these databases. To stimulate the next stage of data integration, here we present a synthesis of major databases, and investigate (a) how the coverage of databases varies across taxonomy, space, and record type; (b) what degree of integration is present among databases; (c) how integration of databases can increase biodiversity knowledge; and (d) the barriers to database integration.

中文翻译：

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生物多样性数据库的异质景观回顾：综合生物多样性知识库的机遇和挑战

应对全球环境挑战需要访问广泛的空间、时间和分类尺度的生物多样性数据。随着生物多样性数据库的激增，此类数据的可用性最近呈指数级增长。然而，异构覆盖、协议和标准阻碍了这些数据库之间的集成。为了促进数据集成的下一阶段，我们在此展示了主要数据库的综合，并研究 (a) 数据库的覆盖范围如何随着分类、空间和记录类型而变化；(b) 数据库之间的整合程度如何；(c) 数据库整合如何增加生物多样性知识；(d) 数据库整合的障碍。