Earth's Biodiversity Now on Your Desktop Global Web service
connects vast networks of primary biodiversity data April 20,
2006 Anyone in the world with an Internet connection and an
interest in the Earth's living species can now access worldwide
networks of biodiversity data from his or her desktop, thanks to
the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The world's
biodiversity encompasses all living species of plants, animals
and organisms on the planet Earth, as well as their genetic
variants and the ecosystems in which they live. With the
emergence of the Information Age, scientists and concerned
citizens worldwide have advocated for a means to share
biodiversity data to encourage sustainable and responsible use
of natural resources. The GBIF was established in 2001 with the
mission to digitize and disseminate the world's primary
biodiversity data via the Internet. The GBIF data portal
provides access to information, including images, of the vast
array of Earth's living species. "We are thrilled to