Overview of GBIF and ABIF

What is GBIF?

The mission of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is to make the world's primary data on biodiversity freely and universally available via the Internet.

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility ( GBIF) is an independent international organisation with the aim of making the world's primary data on biodiversity freely and universally available via the Internet. GBIF's focus is on data about species and individual specimens representing those species, although links are also made to ecological and genetic data.

Australia is a financial member of GBIF, one of the voting participants, and a member of the Governing Board. Because Australia is a member of GBIF, all Australian bodies (such as government departments and universities) are also members - individual organisations do not need to join in their own right, and there is no obligation for any individual or organisation to participate if they do not wish to. Australia is a founding member of GBIF, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding with GBIF in February 2001.

As part of the GBIF MOU, Australia as agreed to undertake the following activities:

  • Participate actively in the formulation and implementation of the GBIF Work Programme
  • Promote the sharing of biodiversity data in GBIF under a common set of standards
  • Form a Node or Nodes, accessible via GBIF, that will provide access to biodiversity data
  • As appropriate, make other investments in biodiversity information infrastructure in support of GBIF
  • Contribute to training and capacity development for promoting global access to biodiversity data.

A range of activities are currently underway to fulfill these undertakings. The one of interest here is the Australian Biodiversity Information Facility (ABIF), the Australian node of GBIF. ABIF acts as a focal point for GBIF activities and provides local support for GBIF's goals and brings them within an Australian context.

For additional information concerning GBIF see the following:

What is ABIF?

The Australian Biodiversity Information Facility (ABIF) provides a 'One-Stop-Shop' for Australian biodiversity data. It acts as a data portal or gateway for real-time access to a wide range of biodiversity data held and maintained by individuals and institutions throughout Australia, including Australia's biological collections and government departments and agencies. ABIF does not hold data centrally but accesses it in a distributed network of individual databases. ABIF integrates these disparate data sources into a single "virtual" system, supporting both the searching and reporting of information, and appearing as if the data came from a single database.

ABIF provides both data access and analytical tools. Data is drawn from a wide range of sources including biological specimens (both vouchered specimens and observations), taxonomic catalogues, literature and image databases, molecular biology sources and ecological studies. Tools are provided to assist with the analysis and visualization of this information. This includes mapping tools to show the occurrence or distribution of species and statistical tools to assist with interpreting search results. All information provided through ABIF is made freely available using international standards for data representation and interchange.

Who Uses ABIF?

ABIF provides data and tools useful to a broad cross-section of both the national and international communities. Typical users include:

  • Biological collections (museums & herbaria)
  • Land managers (for example government conservation departments)
  • Research scientists (in both the public and private sectors)
  • Environmental consultants and agencies
  • Education institutions
  • The general public (such as naturalist groups and interested individuals)

These users find ABIF an essential tool for locating relevant information that is scattered across numerous independent sources. ABIF saves time and increases the return of information, providing an invaluable resource that is available to all interested users.

The Benefits of ABIF

ABIF provides tools and data with numerous benefits to the Australian and international communities. These benefits include the following:

  • Better integration of Australian biodiversity data
  • Sharing of analytical tools
  • Improved communications in biodiversity management
  • Provision of reliable data for related science applications, such as the biotechnology industry, agriculture and biosecurity
  • Assistance in identifying gaps in existing biodiversity knowledge
  • Provision of taxonomic identification keys and tools
  • Improved response to national research priorities
  • A focal point for information flow between GBIF and Australian data providers and data users

These benefits stretch across broad sections of the Australian community, from the general public to scientific researchers and local and national government departments.

ABIF

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