Biodiversity Databases

Biodiversity databases are the databases which store information on the biodiversity of a particular area or group of living organisms.

These databases contain information on the three level of biodiversity i.e. Species diversity, ecosystem diversity and genetic diversity. Specimen-specific databases contain data about individual specimens, that are preserved in various museums and laboratories around the world. specimens, collections of specimen photographs, data on field-based specimen observations and morphological or genetic data.

Browser view of Integrated Taxonomic Information System(ITIS)

Browser view of Global Biodiversity Information Facility(GBIF)

Biodiversity databases are being created for record, research to be used by scientists, conservation managers, policy makers, government and non-profit organizations.

Some of the well known biodiversity databases are:

·   Global Biodiversity and Information Facilty (GBIF)- World’s largest database on biodiversity of earth

·    Integrated Taxonomic Information System-information on all taxa of interest to North America

·    NatureServe-plants, animals, and ecosystems of the United States and Canada

·    CITES species database-all species ever listed in CITES Appendices I, II or III