Brazil's Sistema de Informação sobre a Biodiversidade Brasileira (SiBBr) has launched a survey of the data on biodiversity and ecosystems held by over 200 institutions across the country.
15 March 2013: Brazil’s Sistema de Informação sobre a Biodiversidade Brasileira (SiBBr) has launched a survey of the data on biodiversity and ecosystems held by over 200 institutions across the country.
The online survey, a program of Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, aims to integrate diverse biological, cartographic, and bibliographic data into a format useful for research and policy formulation. By integrating data that are currently scattered across many institutions, the survey will make it possible for relevant research and policy institutions to learn what data is being held where, with the possibility of publishing or making such data available online at a later stage.
In addition to integrating data on biodiversity and ecosystems, the survey will review the informatics infrastructure of universities, research centers and other possible SiBBr partners.
SiBBr receives technical support from UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Other partners include the National Teaching and Research Network (RNP) and National Centre for Scientific Computing (LNCC), which hosts the Global Biodiversity Information Facility’s (GBIF) national node for Brazil. Brazil has been an Associate Participant of GBIF since October 2012. [GBIF News Release] [SiBBr website]