- Introduction
- Tutorials
- User interfaces
- Project administration
- Data retrieval
- API documentation
- Install new OBM Server guide
- PWA application
- Mobile application documentation
- Developer hints
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What is OpenBioMaps?
- What is OpenBioMaps Consortium?
- How can I create/find a new database-project?
- How can I upload data?
- How can I access data?
- How can I retrieve data with my mobile phone?
- How can I sign up for an OpenBioMaps project?
- Is there a programmable interface for developers?
- What language support is available?
- How can I contribute to OpenBioMaps?
- Should I pay for anything?
- How and where does the OpenBioMaps store the data?
- Is there any backup solution?
- I lost my password, how can I get a new one?
- Pink squares appear on the map page
- What is the RUM?
- Is it possible to assign a DOI to databases?
- Where can I find the list of the existing OpenBioMaps servers?
- How to use the OpenBioMaps mobile app?
- Where can I find the OpenBioMaps R package?
- What data download options are there?
- How/where can I access photos taken in the field with the mobile app?
- How can I delete data?
- I can’t query/see data which is visible to other users
Introduction¶
The objectives of the OpenBioMaps project¶
Supporting the management of biodiversity data so that it can be used more effectively to conserve nature
To maintain a free and openly accessible biological map database service
Develop open-source and freely usable biodiversity data management software tools
Support biodiversity education and research
Main properties¶
All OpenBioMaps services are free of charge.
OpenBioMaps is designed to record the occurrence and associated data (biotic data) of living organisms (of conservation importance or useful for biodiversity research).
OpenBioMaps has the explicit aim of supporting higher education and strengthening the links between research and conservation.
OpenBioMaps is a decentralised database and framework of sub-databases based on open-source applications, with minimal cost and no central control.
The primary target audience for OpenBioMaps is the natural science and conservation profession, as well as those preparing plans, strategies and decisions affecting the environment.
Users can create and manage databases with any structure and rules they wish.
Easy uploading of data from different file formats (ods, xls, xlsx, gpx, shp, csv …).
Repeatable and quotable queries.
Use of persistent identifiers (DOI) for both databases and queries.
Data can be downloaded in various formats (shp, csv, gpx, json, …)
Data can be accessed from remote databases or desktop applications (e.g. R, QGIS).
Integrable services.
Data links with other databases.
Create customizable data upload interfaces.
Field mobile data collection application.
Community-edited documentation.
The interface can be translated into any language (currently translated into Hungarian, English, Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese and partly into Russian, German, Croatian, French, Czech, Polish and Greek). Anyone can contribute to the translations via the https://translate.openbiomaps.org Weblate interface
Community feedback-based development.
Data management policy¶
The creators of OpenBioMaps, as well as the developers of the software and the maintainers of the OpenBioMaps community services (essentially members of the OpenBioMaps Consortium), do not control the use of data. The developers and maintainers of community services do not collect data on users and do not collect data collected by OpenBioMaps software. They do not reserve any rights to the data collected. Each OpenBioMaps server instance is maintained by an institution and is therefore subject to the rules of that institution. However, we have formulated guiding data management strategies that, in the absence of other provisions, can be applied by anyone.
Projects on individual servers can be independently governed. The founder of the project (individual or legal entity) is also the creator of the rules.
The project managers are the creators of the project or the professionals they entrust with this task.
Users, any person or institution using OpenBioMaps services.
The data collected is the inalienable intellectual property of the data collectors, but the person or institution creating the project has the right to use it as they see fit.
Users can only control their personal data, they cannot ask the project owner to stop the use of the data collected in the project.
Public disclosure of data collected in a project can be done according to the project’s individual policy, for which the OBM server software provides tools. A project can be both fully closed and fully open, i.e. data access can be fully restricted (even the data collector no longer has access) and fully open (where anyone can access and even modify the data).
It is the responsibility of the project managers to ensure that OpenBioMaps is properly configured to handle both the collected data and personal data. The OpenBioMaps developers and OpenBioMaps Community Services maintainers are not responsible for the data handled on the servers.
OpenBioMaps overview¶
OBM tries to provide support for the entire data lifecycle, from data collection to organisation and use.
Getting started¶
To create your database you will need a server. This can be your server, a rented server, or a server already maintained by someone else to serve OpenBioMaps.
It is easiest to create a new database on an existing OpenBioMaps server. Check the list of known servers to see if you have access to one of them. There are dedicated public servers that host many different databases.
If you need more capacity or you want to control access to the entire server, you can install a dedicated server. It’s not that complicated. Here is a tutorial: https://openbiomaps.org/documents/en/server_install.html
If you want to create your database project on an existing server, you must have access to a database on that server. Once you have this, you can easily set up your database project there, the steps for which you can see here: https://openbiomaps.org/documents/en/tutorials.html#new-project and here: https://openbiomaps.org/documents/en/new_project.html
OpenBioMaps Consortium¶
The OpenBioMaps community has formed a consortium to manage the development of the software and maintain the free services. Membership of the consortium is conditional on a significant contribution to the development or maintenance of the services.
Current OpenBioMaps partners:
University of Debrecen
contact: Dr. Miklós Bán
Danube-Ipoly National Park Directorate
contact: Zsolt Baranyai
Eötvös Loránd University
contact: Dávid Ritter
WWF World Wildlife Fund for Nature Hungary
contact: Katalin Sipos
Eszterházy Károly University
contact: Dr. Erika Pénzesné Kónya
Milvus Group Association
contact: Edgár Papp
Danube-Dráva National Park Directorate
contact: Ákos Gáborik
Fertő-Hanság National Park Directorate
contact: Gábor Takács
The OpenBioMaps consortium was established on September 1, 2015.
The OpenBioMaps Consortium Agreement is available here.
Contact the consortium: