About

EDIT and Work Package 5

 

Internet Platform for Cybertaxonomy: Tools, Sharing, Networking and Integration
Leader :
Walter Berendsohn (FUB-BGBM)


New technologies provide new power to taxonomy. The amount of data that can be marshalled has recently grown exponentially thanks to computer-aided tools. EDIT will create a platform for cybertaxonomy, easily downloadable on any desktop, gathering several useful tools for the daily work of scientists.
The platform is directed at the practical application of methods developed in information science and biodiversity informatics for use in revisionary taxonomy and taxonomic field work. At the same time EDIT focuses on the integration of biodiversity informatics and IT resources within participating institutions.


What is Cybertaxonomy?

Cybertaxonomy is an integrated way to do eTaxonomy.

  •  Integrated = using a common platform/s.
  •  Platform = an integrated framework for eTaxonomy or an information architecture based on the taxonomic work process.

  Internet Platform for Cybertaxonomy

  •  Assist the already existing eTaxonomy by categorizing tools & resources (i.e. integration & certification) and to see how eTaxonomy can be integrated into taxonomy (e.g. nomenclature, citations etc.).

 
Objectives of Work Package 5:

(1) Creation of the Internet Platform for Cybertaxonomy, oriented toward its practical use for revisionary taxonomy, taxonomic biodiversity inventories and monitoring of taxa.

(2) Integration of the participating institutions’ biodiversity informatics and IT resources.

WP5 is committed to providing the platform for all users of taxonomy. The platform will use existing tools that follows an integration standard and will ensure that the data entered meets quality standards and can be wholly extracted. Furthermore the platform will help departments of Information Science & Technology (IST) come to Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) regarding IST resources.

WP5 is structured in different activities to ensure all task are addressed:

  1. Integration of IST departments
  2. Creating the internet platform for cybertaxonomy
  3. Bibliographic platform components
  4. Geographic platform components
  5. Taxonomic-core platform components
  6. Descriptive and identification platform components
  7. Security Infrastructure for platform data exchange and communication
  8. Publication support as platform document
  9. Specimen access platform component
  10. Software quality and usability testing