The GBIF Metabarcoding Data Toolkit
The GBIF Metabarcoding Data Toolkit (MDT), developed by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), is now available on Canadensys. This toolkit is a resource for the Canadian community to publish metabarcoding data to GBIF via the Canadensys node. It is aimed to format and share DNA metabarcoding data, such as eDNA, in standard, accessible and interpretable formats for open-source publication. eDNA datasets usually include an OTUs table with sequence reads, a taxonomy table with sequences and species information, and a study and sample tables presenting metadata.
This toolkit thus extends the publishability of datasets that could not be previously be handled using the current Darwin Core format, the standard used for biodiversity publication via the Canadensys IPT.
This MDT is being developed as part of the pilot phase of the GBIF Metabarcoding Data Programme in parallel with a detailed user guide continuously improved to support users in the publication of their data globally.
You can access to the complete user guide and the FAQ on the Canadian MDT page.
How to use this toolkit
The GBIF Metabarcoding Data Toolkit is configured to operate in one of two modes:
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Publishing mode: MDT users can publish datasets to GBIF. Users need to be associated with an organization/institution. The MDT creates the archive and publish it to GBIF through a new set of publication steps that are similar but differ from the Canadensys IPT. It utltimately serves as a publishing platform to GBIF.
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Conversion-only mode: MDT users can use it to reshape their datasets into GBIF-ready Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A) files but must download them for hosting and publication on another repository, such as an IPT.
Please send any comments or questions to us if you have any!
Cover illustration by Javier Andrés Gamboa Martínez, Communications Officer, GBIF Secretariat.