Navigating the unfolding open data landscape in ecology and evolution

Abstract

Open access to data is revolutionizing the sciences. To allow ecologists and evolutionary biologists to confidently find and use the existing data, we provide an overview of the landscape of online data infrastructures, and highlight the key points to consider when using open data. We introduce an online collaborative platform to keep a community-driven, updated list of the best sources that enable search for data in one interface. In doing so, our aim is to lower the barrier to accessing open data, and encourage its use by researchers hoping to increase the scope, reliability and value of their findings.