How Archival Data Can Inspire New Research

Just a few months after its release, a dataset mobilised within the framework of NFDI4Biodiversity is already attracting significant interest among researchers — particularly as a valuable point of historical comparison. The dataset contains over 5,000 wildlife observations from the year 1845.

5,000 Wildlife Observations – 180 Years Old and More Relevant Than Ever

In 1845, forestry officers meticulously recorded when they encountered a lynx, spotted a bear, or observed how many otters roamed their district. The directive came from the top: the Bavarian forest administration wanted comprehensive data — systematically gathered across the entire kingdom. Officially, the aim was scientific: to document the geographic distribution of selected species. But occasional remarks in the records suggest that not all of the officers approached their task with scientific neutrality. One forester, for instance, wrote: "Unfortunately, the wildcat has not yet been completely eradicated, and each year still produces a few specimens." Whatever the motives, the result was an extensive survey comprising over 5,000 mapped wildlife observations — a dataset that, 180 years later, is proving to be a rich source for comparative research.

Because today, the data are not only legible — they are analysable, visualisable, and comparable. This has been made possible by a collaborative project under the umbrella of NFDI4Biodiversity, involving researchers from the Chair of Computational Humanities at the University of Passau, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), and the General Directorate of the Bavarian State Archives, which includes the Bavarian Main State Archive where the original forestry files are held.

Through a multi-step process, the handwritten records were transcribed, georeferenced, standardised, and finally published via research platforms such as GBIF and Zenodo, making them accessible to researchers around the world. [More about the mobilisation process can be found in this earlier article.]

Old Data, New Questions

The impact was immediate. Shortly after publication, the dataset was featured in a peer-reviewed article in Nature Scientific Data. The study situates the material in a scholarly context and shows that the wildlife observations from 1845 are far more than simple lists. They offer insights into past species distributions, habitats, and range boundaries — and document, for example, areas where beavers had already disappeared, despite their habitats still existing. The study is also methodologically noteworthy, demonstrating how heterogeneous, handwritten historical sources can be turned into structured datasets that meet today’s research standards — interoperable, open, and machine-readable.

A second study has since been published. Entitled "From Historical Archives to Algorithms: The Mobilisation of 19th-Century Wildlife Observations for Biodiversity Research", it traces the complete journey of the data — from archival source to open infrastructure. Published in May 2025 in the open-access journal Diversity, the paper explores the challenges and knowledge potential of digitising historical biodiversity records.

Early-career researchers are also taking notice. A Master’s student at the University of Passau is currently working on comparing the 1845 observations with modern-day distribution data. Which species have remained? Which have vanished? And what conclusions can be drawn? Her research illustrates how historical sources can help visualise ecological change over decades — from the gradual decline of individual species to the shifting of entire habitats.

"It’s wonderful to see the data mobilised in this project now actively feeding into current research."

Dr Bernhard Grau, Director General, Bavarian State Archives

The numbers speak for themselves. The dataset has already been downloaded over 2,000 times from the GBIF platform — in a standardised biodiversity data package ready for direct integration into scientific analyses. The corresponding repository on Zenodo reports a similar number of downloads, and includes background information, source references, and technical documentation.

From Scientific Journal to Daily Newspaper

The data also attracted attention beyond the academic world. NFDI4Biodiversity published a blog post about the project, and the Bavarian State Archives released an official press statement and hosted a public lecture on the topic. The communications were supported by promotional postcards featuring historical wildlife illustrations and a social media campaign — even the Münchner Merkur newspaper reported on the project.

For Dr Bernhard Grau, Director General of the Bavarian State Archives, this broad public resonance is not a byproduct but an intended outcome: "It’s wonderful to see the data mobilised in this project now actively feeding into current research. That was precisely our goal — to highlight the value of archival heritage and the knowledge potential of historical, analogue sources for biodiversity research."

More Than a One-Off

Biodiversity research depends on long-term, high-quality data — not only from labs and field studies, but also from archives, museums, historical maps, and collections. Only through such sources is it possible to look back across decades or centuries — an essential foundation for understanding species decline, analysing range shifts, or planning conservation measures.

However, many of these data remain difficult to find or are not readily accessible, often because they exist only in analogue form. This is precisely where NFDI4Biodiversity comes in: to make such data — previously scattered, non-digital, or locked away in institutional silos — systematically accessible for long-term use by science, administration, and society.

The 1845 wildlife observations are therefore far more than an isolated success. They represent what becomes possible when historical treasures are unearthed — and they point to the vast potential in systematically mobilising archival data.