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TERN has partnered with the US’s DataONE to expand the discoverability of our data. TERN datasets can now be accessed using DataONE’s OneMercury search tool, increasing data sharing and opening up new opportunities for Australian ecosystem data to be used in new global science. TERN, with technical support by the Eco-informatics Facility, is DataONE’s first Australian Member Node.

DataONE supports environmental research by using computer and internet technology in many different places to form a ‘data library’ that helps scientists share their data and research, and find others’ work.

Becoming a DataONE Member Node brings multiple benefits to TERN users and data submitters, including:

Reaching a Wider Audience TERN data exposed through DataONE are discoverable by a wider audience, and ready-for-use by a wider number of analytical tools.
Receiving Recognition and Credit Data products are easily citable, and with a wider exposure, the value of the work by TERN and its data submitters is increased by receiving credit through data citations in published literature.
Maintaining High Availability DataONE has the ability to replicate content across Member Nodes. With replicas available in other locations the costs associated with serving a world-wide community is minimized and availability is optimized.
Enhancing Collaboration Opportunities Scientists discovering TERN’s work can also lead to opportunities for collaboration in the future. By simply limiting access to project data to collaboration partners, DataONE members can share project data without the need for case-by-case data-sharing arrangements.

“Being able to access TERN’s data via DataOne’s OneMercury platform enables TERN’s datasets to increase the breadth of discoverability and provides a direct link channel dataset access back to our Facility portals for data access,” says Tim Clancy, TERN’s Director.

“This partnership increases data sharing and opens up new opportunities for Australian ecosystem data to be used in new global science whilst maintaining data owners’ rights to appropriate attribution.”

Bill Michener, DataONE’s Project Director, echoes Tim’s enthusiasm for the new partnership and says that the addition of TERN data not only increases the overall volume of data discoverable via DataONE but also fills important information gaps in data coverage.

“With the addition of the TERN data there are now well over 370,000 data objects discoverable via DataONE”, says Bill Michener.  “This is great in itself but, more importantly, having an Australian Member Node means that we are now able to provide global access to a wide range of ecological data from locations that previously were not well covered by DataONE. It’s a fantastic scientific outcome for our users and for the international research community.”