A future for a common bio-logging language? Data standards and interoperability in the bio-logging world

Data collected by animal-borne electronic devices follow few norms and standards, in part because they are provided by a large and growing number of device manufacturers and collected for a wide range of purposes. The lack of standard variable names and definitions, file formats and data transfer protocols hinders our ability to document, archive and share data and increases the chance of errors in data management, interpretation and analysis. However, a coded and smooth transfer from sensors to data repositories is possible with current technologies. Although sensors differ in design and purpose, most scientifically relevant information can be described using a finite set of variables along with metadata about the sensor, animal, and deployment, paving the way to interoperability between repositories. A common bio-logging ‘grammar’ and ‘vocabulary’ would be of paramount relevance for data persistence and re-use, for example to track humans’ footprint and address present and future questions pertaining biodiversity conservation. On this basis, the International Bio-Logging Society set as one of its goals “the standardization of data protocols to make the various marine and terrestrial databases interoperable” and started a working group to find common ground and approaches to progress towards a more “standardized” bio-logging world. We present here the main lines of this ambitious endeavor, that will have far-reaching benefits for the biologging community, and call for a a common and shared support to assure its success.