Trust Establishment in Data Sharing: An Incentive Model for Biodiversity Information Systems

We describe a long-felt but largely neglected problem in conservation biology, and explain how it can be addressed using incentive mechanisms inspired by techniques in computer security and cryptography. The result is a new type of database suitable for highly distributed contributions of data, in which researchers are incentivised to submit data by the guarantees extended by a conflict resolution mechanism that allows for accurate determinations of data origination.