Geobiodiversity Database (GBDB) in stratigraphic, palaeontological and palaeogeographic research: graptolites as an example

Abstract

The Geobiodiversity Database (GBDB) Project is dedicated to the construction and maintenance of a web-enabled taxonomic, stratigraphic and geographic database for information gathered from the fossil record. Its goal is to facilitate regional and global scientific collaborations focused on studying the history, diversity, geography and environmental context of life on Earth. After 7 years of development, its abundant data resources and diverse integrated functions make it a useful platform for stratigraphic, palaeontological and palaeogeographic analysis. Graptolites are the first major fossil group that has been the focus of our efforts to compile, standardize, digitize and analyse over the past several years. Here, we use the graptolite group as an example to introduce the major data resources and functionality of the GBDB.

Keywords::

• Geobiodiversity Database (GBDB)
• stratigraphy
• palaeontology
• palaeogeography
• graptolites

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-EW-111), MOST (2011ZX05005-001-006HZ), National Natural Science Foundation of China (41221001, 41290260, 41272042 and 41202004), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (MJM) and the US National Science Foundation Grant EAR 0418790. This is a contribution to the Geobiodiversity Database project (www.geobiodiversity.com) and the IGCP Project 591 – The Early to Middle Paleozoic Revolution.