Open-access databases
Below are some resources that would be a good to look at if you are in search of data for the term project, or in search of a question in ecology or evolution:
- GenBank: annotated collection of all publicly available DNA/protein sequences. It is possible to download sequences manually, but command line tools can help to automate the process.
- PanTHERIA: database of ecology, life history, and geography of all extant and recently extinct mammal species. Includes body size, lifespan, litter size, and other trait data at the species level.
- The Open Traits Network has information about trait datasets for other taxa – including spiders, nematodes, amphibians, and birds!
- Gene Expression Omnibus: repository of gene expression, methylation, and annotated genomic data which are (like GenBank) most readily accessible using command line tools.
- Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey: data (going back to 1958!) on northern hemisphere plankton species, including the location (latitude, longitude) and date of sampling.
- Red-backed salamander abundance: abundance of red-backed salamanders from 4 sites in the Bruce Peninsula from 2004 to 2017.
- North American Bird Breeding Survey: repository containing information regarding the number of birds at multiple sites in North America. Many datasets of varying size that need to be linked together.
- Malaria Atlas Project: publicly available and up-to-date malaria prevalence and distribution data. Vector distribution, bednet coverage, etc. data also available.
- GISAID hosts much of the available sequence data for rapidly-evolving RNA viruses such as influenza, SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox, and RSV as well as relevant meta-data (e.g., host species).
- The Verena Institute has developed a large collection of datasets on the interaction between pathogens, especially viruses, and their hosts. These datasets include information about surveillance/sampling, as well as more biological details.
- Dryad is a searchable repository of publicaly-available datasets that have typically been released along with the publication of scientific paper
- PLOS Biology Recommended Repositories has many great suggestions organized by subfield within biology