News & Announcements
September, 2011. Presentation/poster abstract "Pollinator Information Network of the Americas: Vital Information for a Vital Ecological Service" accepted at the 2011 Biodiversity Information Standards - TDWG Annual Conference, Oct. 16 - 21, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The primary theme of TDWG 2011 is “Digitization Methods, Technologies, and Standards for Biodiversity Collections”.

August, 2010. Presentation/poster abstracts "Biodiversity Data Digitizer - BDD" and "A Georeferencing Tool to Improve Biodiversity Data Quality" accepted at the 2010 Biodiversity Information Standards - TDWG Annual Conference, Sept. 26 - Oct. 01, 2010 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA.

AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE: 
Developing a Common Schema for Managing Plant-Pollinator Interaction Data
You are invited to participate in a global initiative to develop a common schema for managing plant-pollinator interaction data. The global community, through the Convention on Biological Diversity, has recognized the importance of pollinators to ecosystem health and sustainable agriculture. In order to better understand pollination and how to conserve and manage it, we need to capture more information about plant-pollinator interactions. People have been observing the process of pollination for centuries, but only now do we have new data management tools that may help to share and compile information on plant and pollinator interactions, so that overall trends can be better documented. However, we need a common schema for pollinator interaction data that allows us to share and compile data and use them to identify trends. The definition of that schema is the main objective of this global initiative in which we invite you to participate. If you have expertise in pollinators/pollination, your contribution is most important. We already have colleagues from many countries and continents that have joined and submitted their suggestions and comments, but you are an important player in this community and that is why we would like to have you involved in this initiative, which is supported by FAO, IABIN, and FAPESP.

If you would like to contribute/participate in this activity, 
please download these documents and follow the instructions >>
Best regards, 

Antonio Saraiva (e-mail: saraiva@usp.br), on behalf of:
Antonio Saraiva / University of Sao Paulo
Barbara Gemmill-Herren / FAO
Mike Ruggiero / Smithsonian Institution

Dr. Antonio Mauro Saraiva
Professor
University of São Paulo - School of Engineering
Computing and Digital Systems Engineering Dept.
Agricultural Automation Laboratory 
Ph: +55-11-3091-5366 (Brazil)
Fax: +55-11-3091-5294 (Brazil)
Email: amsaraiv(at)usp.br
URL: http://www.laa.pcs.poli.usp.br
Personal URL: http://www.pcs.usp.br/~amsaraiv/

Fourth IABIN Pollinators Thematic Network (PTN) Request for Proposals (RfP) to digitize data on Pollinators and the Plants they Pollinate / Red Temática de Polinizadores de IABIN (PTN) SOLICITUD DE PROPUESTAS (RFP) para digitalizar los datos sobre los Polinizadores y las Plantas que Polinizan.
Proposal Submission IS CLOSED 
Presentación de Propuestas está CERRADO
Download RFP / Descargar la Solicitud de Ofertas (MSWord)
English | Español
For questions, please contact Michael Ruggiero (ruggierm@si.edu).
Para cualquier pregunta, favor de contactar a Michael Ruggiero (ruggierm@si.edu).

DarwinCore Extensions for Pollinator Data Exchange
The IABIN Pollinators Thematic Network, (P2, USP and other partners) is working with CRIA,GBIF and FAO on development of three schemas for pollinator data exchange. Each schema is an extension to the DarwinCore schema. The schema projects are described on the Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) wiki site. If you would like to participate in the development of these schemas or find out more about them, please visit their respective wiki sites.
The Interaction Extension Schema is being designed for data that describes interactions between organisms in a broad sense (it is not restricted to pollinators) ; the Pollination Extension Schema is an extension of the previous, but with a more specific focus on data that describes pollinator interactions; and the Environment Measurements Schema focuses on other data, such as field measurements, that can be important for describing pollinators in some cases.
Reference: Pablo Salvanha, Pedro Luiz Pizzigati Correa, Antonio Mauro Saraiva & Etienne Americo Cartolano Junior. An architecture to approach distributed biodiversity pollinators relational information into centralized portals based on biodiversity protocols.(PDF) Presented at BNCOD 2008 Workshop - Biodiversity Informatics: challenges in modeling and managing biodiversity knowledge, Cardiff University, UK, 10th July 2008.

2007 IABIN PTN Questionnaire - UPDATE
A summary of the results of the IABIN PTN questionnaire was included in the Final Report (PDF) from the Brazil Workshop released in May, 2007.
Questions? info@pollinator.org or Elizabeth Sellers (esellers@usgs.gov).
NBII Lends Support to the Birds and the Bees (and Other Pollinators)
(NBII Access Newsletter, Summer 2006). Excerpt: "At the international level, the NBII has joined a consortium of international organizations to coordinate development of the Pollinators Thematic Network (PTN) of the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN). The Co-Principal Investigators on the IABIN PTN project are Ms. Laurie Adams (Executive Director of the Pollinator Partnership), Dr. Antonio Mauro Saraiva (Coordinator of the Agricultural Automation Lab at the University of Sao Paulo Polytechnic School), and Dr. Michael Ruggiero (USGS-BIO)."

Meetings (combined into the new ‘News and Events’ page on P2 web site(?))

Biodiversity Information Standards - TDWG Annual Conference
September 26 - October 01, 2010
Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA

PTN representatives Etienne Américo Cartolano Júnior and Dr. Antonio Saraiva presented a poster and live demonstration of the IABIN PTN "Biodiversity Data Digitizer - BDD" and a poster on the "A Georeferencing Tool to Improve Biodiversity Data Quality" at the 2010 Biodiversity Information Standards - TDWG Annual Conference on behalf of their co-authors Allan Koch Veiga, Diogo Borges Krobath, Luiz Guilherme Pilar Saraiva, and Guilhermo Tavares.

IABIN Technical Working Group Meeting
August 04-05, 2010
Knoxville, TN, United States of America
The IABIN Technical Working Group met in Knoxville TN on August 4th & 5th to discuss and review the status of IABIN tools, infrastructure, and activities. The IABIN-PTN was represented at this meeting by Dr.'s Antonio Mauro Saraiva ( Coordinator, Agricultural Automation Lab, University of São Paulo Polytechnic School) and Pedro Luiz Pizzigatti Corrêa (Lecturer, School of Engineering, Computer Engineering Department, University of São Paulo Polytechnic School); and by Laurie Davies Adams (PTN Adminstrative Lead; Director of The Pollinator Partnership - P2), and Dr. Michael Ruggiero (Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Smithsonian Institution).

IABIN PTN Digitization Workshop
July 26-27, 2010
Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil

The IABIN Pollinators Thematic Network held the “Pollinator and Pollinator-Plant Interaction Data Digitization Training Workshop”, in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, on July, 26-27, 2010. Around 30 participants were trained on the digitization of pollinator data, including specimen data, pollinator interaction data, and pollination and pollinator contacts data (experts and practitioners). They learned how to use the tools developed by the IABIN –PTN consortium, the Biodiversity Data Digitizer and the Contacts Database. They were also trained on the use of the IABIN-PTN Data Portal for data retrieval. Most importantly, participants became part of the network of people that are the core of the Pollinators Thematic Network.

IABIN PTN Training Workshop
August 18-19, 2009
City of Knowledge, Panama
Final Report (PDF)
During two days of comprehensive training lead by Dr. Antonio Saraiva (Coordinator, Agricultural Automation Lab
University of Sao Paulo Polytechnic School) and his team, participants from 16 countries learned how to organize and digitize pollinator data, pollinator-plant relationship data and pollinator expertise so that it is available to those who need it. Each participant learned to utilize the Pollinator Data Portal, the Pollinator Contacts Database, and the Pollinator Data Digitizer.  These projects and tools have been developed over the past three years by a multi-national IABIN team from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, the United States Geological Survey, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, and by the Pollinator Partnership in San Francisco, California.

VI IABIN Council Meeting
July 14-16, 2009
Bayahibe, Dominican Republic
PTN Administrative Lead, Laurie Adams, presented a status report on the progress of the IABIN PTN at the VI IABIN Council meeting held in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic. Ms. Adams also participated in council discussions concerning the objectives of the meeting, which included evaluation and lessons learned in the 4.5 years of implementing the IABIN-GEF Project; IABIN 2010-2015 – What will IABIN be?; defining IABIN’s Niche in the Global Bioinformatics Community; defining IABIN’s mission and work plan for 2010-2015; identifying funding to implement main lines of work to achieve objectives; a review of current Stakeholders Roles and transition to their future roles; and a review and strengthening of plans for a GEF 2 follow up project.
More information...

Public Symposium and Bombus Experts Workshop - The Status and Trends of Bumblebees in the North America
June 22-24, 2009
Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., USA
IABIN Pollinators Thematic Network representatives Dr. Michael Ruggiero (Integrated Taxonomic Information System), Laurie Adams (Director, The Pollinator Partnership (P2)), and Elizabeth Sellers (Manager, USGS NBII Pollinators Project) provided a briefing on the progress of the IABIN Pollinators Thematic Network at the Bombus Experts Workshop held in conjunction with a public symposium on the "Plight of the Bumble Bees". During the Bombus Experts Workshop, participants also discussed tools and design and implementation of effective monitoring protocols for bumble bees in North America.

e-Biosphere 09 
International Conference on Biodiversity Informatics 
June 1-3, 2009
Westminster, London, UK

PTN representative Dr. Antonio Saraiva presented a poster "IABIN Pollinators Thematic Network (PTN) - The Pollinator Information Network of the Americas"(Broken) at the e-Biosphere 09 International Conference on Biodiversity Informatics. The e-Biosphere 09 conference was co-sponsored by the IABIN.

IABIN PTN Technical Meeting
July 21-22, 2008
Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil
Final Report (PDF)
IABIN PTN representatives, members of the IABIN Secretariat and PTN content grant recipients reviewed network development progress; further defined the network's content acquisition strategy; discussed options for network integration; and reviewed and evaluated network tools including the Pollinator Data Digitizer for pollinator specimen data and the Pollinator Contacts Database.

V IABIN Council Meeting
May 9-12, 2007
Punta del Este, Uruguay 

The Pollinators Thematic Network report (Broken) was presented to IABIN council members on the progress of Thematic Network (TN) development and on the 2007 Work Plan. 

IABIN PTN consortium members and technical advisors met in Indaiatuba, Brazil to develop the technical infrastructure of the network; incorporation of data standards and protocols for pollinator information, and interoperability with the other IABIN thematic networks was discussed. Final Report (PDF).
More information...

IABIN IT Experts Meeting and Executive Committee Meetings
June 11-15, 2006
Washington, D.C., USA

IABIN PTN representatives gave a presentation on the development of the newly initiated PTN and represented the PTN in technical discussions relating to IABIN information technology implementations.