Data Sources & Attribution
Last updated: April 2026
Overview
Diver Life combines community-contributed data from our global diving community with authoritative scientific data sources to provide the most comprehensive and accurate marine information possible. This page acknowledges the external data sources that help power our platform.
Species Taxonomy
Species taxonomy and classification data is sourced from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), the authoritative global taxonomic database for marine organisms.
WoRMS Editorial Board (2026). World Register of Marine Species. Available from https://www.marinespecies.org at VLIZ. doi:10.14284/170
WoRMS taxonomic data is used under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence.
Species Occurrence Data
Global species occurrence and distribution data is sourced from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an international network providing open access to biodiversity data from around the world.
GBIF.org. GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Available from https://www.gbif.org
GBIF occurrence data used on this platform is sourced exclusively from records published under Creative Commons CC0 (public domain) or CC BY (attribution) licences.
Conservation Status
Species conservation status categories displayed on this platform (e.g. Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered) follow the classification system established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
IUCN 2026. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available from https://www.iucnredlist.org
Community-Contributed Data
The majority of content on Diver Life — including species descriptions, identification tips, dive site information, gear reviews, and dive log observations — is contributed by our community of divers. Community data is the heart of this platform and is what makes Diver Life uniquely valuable for the diving community.
Environmental observations from dive logs (water temperature, visibility, coral health, species sightings) are available for research purposes via our anonymised research data export.
Dive Site Data
Our dive site database is built from community contributions by Diver Life users, supplemented with geographic data from OpenStreetMap. Dive site locations, classifications, and depth information sourced from OpenStreetMap are used under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL).
© OpenStreetMap contributors. Dive site data available from https://www.openstreetmap.org. Licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL).
Map Data
Interactive maps are powered by Mapbox using OpenStreetMap data. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors.
For Researchers
Diver Life provides anonymised environmental and biodiversity observation data for research purposes. Our data includes water temperature at depth, visibility measurements, coral health assessments, species sightings with abundance categories, and environmental condition reports from recreational divers worldwide.
Data is available in JSON and CSV formats via our research export API. All personal information is stripped — only environmental observations with location, date, and depth are included.
If you use Diver Life data in published research, please cite:
Diver Life Community Platform. Environmental and biodiversity observations from recreational divers. Available from https://diver-life.com/api/research-export
Training Agency Logos & Trademarks
Diver Life displays logos and names of diving training agencies (including but not limited to PADI, SSI, BSAC, NAUI, SDI/TDI, RAID, and others) within our Training Agencies knowledge centre purely for informational and identification purposes. These logos and names are registered trademarks of their respective organisations.
Diver Life is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to any of these training agencies unless explicitly stated. The use of their logos is solely to help divers identify and learn about the training organisations and their course offerings.
If you are a representative of a training agency and have concerns about the use of your logo or brand on this platform, please contact us at ash@diver-life.com and we will address your request promptly.