Code of Ethics and Guidelines for the use and access of data in the SHI database

(Approved in Oristano, 2008)

1. Purpose

The SHI Database (BD‑SHI) serves to:

• preserve species and their natural habitats
• provide an essential knowledge base for studying, conserving, and monitoring the herpetofauna of Italy
• expand scientific understanding of biodiversity within the national territory
• support the creation of distribution atlases promoted or endorsed by SHI

The database can never be used for profit, nor its data can be transferred to third parties in ways that conflict with the ethical principles described below.

2. Data Sources

Data included in the BD‑SHI may come from:

• the database used for the National Atlas
• submissions to the Italian Herpetological Observatory (some published in Acta Herpetologica)
• monitoring projects promoted or supported by SHI
• databases created and maintained by institutions, agencies, associations, or private individuals
• public museum collections
• collaborators who provide data free of charge (individuals or institutions)
• bibliographic sources

3. Data Ownership

Data provided by individuals or institutions within SHI‑promoted projects are jointly owned by the Author (the observer or collection owner) and SHI. Authors remain free to use their data for their own purposes without any authorization, while committing to follow the rules outlined in section 5.

Bibliographic data are public and may be freely used by SHI.

Data originating from external databases may belong to the Authors, to the public domain, or to SHI, depending on the ethical rules of those databases. Specific agreements may define ownership, access, and use when data are transferred (either free of charge or for a fee).

4. Data Protection and Use

The use of data should not endanger vulnerable species or sites.

SHI commits not to publish or distribute complete data without explicit permission from the Author or Institution that provided them, unless such permission was granted at the time of data transfer. Proper citation of the Author is always required.

SHI may use complete data internally, without disclosing them, for purposes such as protecting rare or protected species, updating the National Atlas, or contributing to international mapping and monitoring initiatives (e.g., the European Herpetological Atlas, Natura 2000 monitoring).

SHI may share portions of its database related to Protected Areas with their managing Authorities, which contribute data or collaborate through specific projects. Outside Protected Areas, complete data may be shared only with institutional authorities (Ministry of the Environment, Regions, Provinces) and only for the purposes listed in section 1, following a formal agreement.

Protected Area Authorities may use complete data internally for conservation and monitoring but should not publish or distribute data they do not own, unless a formal agreement with SHI exists.

SHI may use aggregated data, without needing further authorization from Authors, for:

• protecting rare, protected, and vulnerable species and habitats
• promoting and disseminating knowledge of Italy natural heritage, especially within Protected Areas and Natura 2000 Sites
• responding to external requests for information related to species or sites
• participating in national and international conservation projects, including through the sharing of aggregated data

5. Data Dissemination

SHI may disseminate aggregated data through distribution atlases, websites, or other outreach materials, following these principles:

1. observers must be appropriately acknowledged
2. coordinators and compilers must be credited for their work
3. significant records must explicitly cite the observer(s)
4. the Atlas Commission must ensure the scientific validity of all disseminated data

SHI may also connect project proponents (institutions, associations, or individuals) with data owners to define conditions for the use of complete data.

6. Management of the BD‑SHI

SHI commits to managing and disseminating data strictly according to the ethical criteria outlined in this document.

The person designated on the Society website is responsible for verifying the scientific reliability of data submitted to the BD‑SHI, with support from experts.

7. Glossary

Aggregated data: data in which access to certain fields is restricted. To be considered aggregated, data should not allow precise localization of a site, meaning they do not include exact locality names or geographic coordinates.