Poor data stewardship will hinder global genetic diversity surveillance.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34404731.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1073/pnas.2107934118 and PMC identifier 8403888.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Genomic data are being produced and archived at a prodigious rate, and current studies could become historical baselines for future global genetic diversity analyses and monitoring programs. However, when we evaluated the potential utility of genomic data from wild and domesticated eukaryote species in the world's largest genomic data repository, we found that most archived genomic datasets (86%) lacked the spatiotemporal metadata necessary for genetic biodiversity surveillance. Labor-intensive scouring of a subset of published papers yielded geospatial coordinates and collection years for only 33% (39% if place names were considered) of these genomic datasets. Streamlined data input processes, updated metadata deposition policies, and enhanced scientific community awareness are urgently needed to preserve these irreplaceable records of today's genetic biodiversity and to plug the growing metadata gap.
Medical subject headings
- Biodiversity
- Data Accuracy
- Eukaryota
- Genetic Variation
- Genome
- Genomics
- Population Dynamics