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RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
Contents Vol 31(2)

Open data for biogeography research of the genus Metrosideros across the south-central Pacific region

Thomas R. Etherington https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3187-075X A B * , Murray I. Dawson A , Anne Sutherland C and James K. McCarthy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3060-1678 A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand.

B Te Pūnaha Matatini, A New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence, Auckland, New Zealand.

C Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

* Correspondence to: etheringtont@landcareresearch.co.nz

Handling Editor: Mike van Keulen

Pacific Conservation Biology 31, PC24075 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC24075
Submitted: 8 October 2024  Accepted: 9 March 2025  Published: 20 March 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY)

Abstract

Context

Mapping the distribution of species from the genus Metrosideros is crucial for developing surveillance and management plans associated with species conservation in response to issues such as rapid ‘ōhi‘a death spread in the south-central Pacific region.

Aims

To support this endeavour, we recognised there was a need for open and reliable geographic information system data on island locations, extents, and occurrence data of Metrosideros species.

Methods

Using an open science framework, we reviewed six sources of island data and five sources of species occurrence data for availability, accuracy, and licencing criteria.

Key results

OpenStreetMap emerged as the optimal island location data, offering accuracy, precision, and open licencing, with this data improved and reprojected for mapping purposes. The Global Biodiversity Information Facility provided the majority of Metrosideros species occurrence data, but analysis of occurrence data from iNaturalist revealed common mis-identifications with regional biases that were corrected prior to compilation. The occurrence data of Metrosideros species was also supplemented by vegetation plot data, with HAVPlot and sPlotOpen providing key additional data for some species and islands.

Conclusions

Citizen science data via iNaturalist and OpenStreetMap formed the core of the compiled datasets. While such crowdsourced data can have quality issues, with additional crowdsourced curatorial effort these datasets will be significant and scalable sources of data into the future.

Implications

All compiled occurrence and GIS data are made openly available via permissive data licences to better support future biogeographical research in the south-central Pacific region.

Keywords: Ceratocystis huliohia, Ceratocystis lukuohia, citizen science, GIS data, mapping, Myrtaceae, occurrence data, rapid ‘ōhi‘a death.

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