Datathons: fostering equitability in data reuse in ecology

Area of Science:

• Microbial Ecology
• Biodiversity Science
• Data Science

Background:

• Global biodiversity data collection is crucial but faces challenges with data accessibility.
• Biodiversity data blind spots hinder comprehensive ecological understanding and research.
• Local data sharing is essential for advancing regional biodiversity research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the openness and accessibility of local biodiversity data.
• To facilitate the reuse of biodiversity data by researchers within a region.
• To address biodiversity data gaps through collaborative data collection and synthesis.

Main Methods:

• Organized a three-day Datathon event focused on biodiversity data.
• Brought together microbial ecologists from Uruguay and Argentina.
• Facilitated data sharing and collaborative dataset assembly.

Main Results:

• Assembled the largest microbiome dataset in the region to date.
• Established collaborative consortia for microbiome data synthesis.
• Increased the openness and potential for reuse of local biodiversity data.

Conclusions:

• Datathons are effective for improving biodiversity data accessibility and synthesis.
• Collaborative efforts can overcome regional biodiversity data limitations.
• Enhanced data sharing fosters new research opportunities in microbial ecology.