Research Article Advancing Global Marine Biogeography Research with Open-source GIS Software and Cloud Computing Ei Fujioka Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab Duke University Edward Vanden Berghe Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences Rutgers University Ben Donnelly Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab Duke University Julio Castillo Universidad Simón Bolívar Jesse Cleary Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab Duke University Chris Holmes OpenGeo Sean McKnight Department of Public Works City of Durham Patrick Halpin Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab Duke University Abstract Across many scientific domains, the ability to aggregate disparate datasets enables more meaningful global analyses. Within marine biology, the Census of Marine Life served as the catalyst for such a global data aggregation effort. Under the Census framework, the Ocean Biogeographic Information System was established to coordinate an unprecedented aggregation of global marine biogeography data. The OBIS data system now contains 31.3 million observations, freely accessible through a geospatial portal. The challenges of storing, querying, disseminating, and mapping a global data collection of this complexity and magnitude are sig- nificant. In the face of declining performance and expanding feature requests, a redevelopment of the OBIS data system was undertaken. Following an Open Source philosophy, the OBIS technology stack was rebuilt using PostgreSQL, Address for correspondence: Ei Fujioka, Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Nicholas School, Duke University, LSRC A328, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA. E-mail: efujioka@duke.edu Transactions in GIS, 2012, 16(2): 143–160 © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9671.2012.01310.x