Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Information Sources
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................................2
2. QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE...............................................................................................................3
3. KEY SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND KEY ORGANIZATIONS...................................................................................................... 5
3.1 Protected Areas......................................................................................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Sensitive Environments ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
3.3 Conventions and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans ........................................................................... 6
3.4 Species-Related Data ................................................................................................................................................................7
4. OTHER SITES ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
4.1 General Information.................................................................................................................................................................. 8
4.2 Biodiversity – Global Projects ................................................................................................................................................. 8
4.3 Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Knowledge ............................................................................................................... 10
4.4 Freshwater Resources .............................................................................................................................................................. 11
4.5 Marine Resources...................................................................................................................................................................... 11
4.6 Databases................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
4.7 Gateways, Directories and Search Engines ........................................................................................................................ 13
4.8 Systematics and Taxonomic Databases .............................................................................................................................. 14
4.9 Biodiversity – Regional Projects ........................................................................................................................................... 15
4.10 Natural History Museums....................................................................................................................................................... 18
4.11 Science, Research and Natural History............................................................................................................................... 18
4.12 International Conservation NGOs......................................................................................................................................... 18
4.13 Publications ............................................................................................................................................................................... 21
The primary use of this document is as a specific It is likely that this information will exist in a number
navigation guide to assist users in answering the questions of different locations. For some of the questions the oil
posed in the Framework for Integrating Biodiversity into the or gas company may already hold the information. In
Site Selection Process. To use the Framework, the following other cases it will be necessary to obtain the information
types of information are needed: from sources that could include, but not be limited
to, international and national conservation NGOs,
• Databases that indicate the presence of areas with some national government departments responsible for the
type of conservation designation ranging from World environment, and tertiary academic institutions. For
Heritage Sites to IUCN Conservation Management other information (such as social and value aspects)
Categories I-VI. secondary sources may be very limited and require
• Data that relate to the legal designations of those areas. substantiation and/or acquisition during the consultation
• Ecological data that relate to a prospective concession process. Irrespective of its source, any information will
(e.g. species and their status, their distribution, their need to be checked and supplemented throughout the life
level of endemism, unique habitat features etc.). of the project through the environmental profiling and
• Social or value aspects of the biodiversity within a assessment process, biodiversity assessment process and
particular prospective concession. stakeholder engagement.
• Identification of organizations that are most likely to
house the relevant data. This document’s secondary use is to assist readers and
users of EBI’s other products in finding biodiversity-
related information to complement and support those
See Framework for Integrating Biodiversity into the products, with the emphasis on high quality, credible and
i Site Selection Process for more information on how
this information can be applied in the site selection
validated material.
process.
2
The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
2. QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE
A vast amount of information relating to biodiversity of critical review during its derivation. Sites that are
is available in the public domain. The sources include commercial, offering contracting or consulting services,
national government departments, NGOs, tertiary or that are parochial in nature have not been included in
academic institutions and research organizations. the list. Many websites are relatively transient in nature,
While the information is held within the archives of the with deletion or changing addresses both common
institutions, libraries and published reports, much of problems. When a page linked from a main home page
it can already be accessed directly by means of internet is no longer available, it is advisable to return to the
links (shown underlined in this document) to the main home page and attempt to find the relevant link
individual organization’s home web page or in some from there. Where the home page is also no longer
cases a specific topic web page. However, a Google search available, the institution or link in question can be
(www.google.com) with the keyword “biodiversity” researched further using a number of readily available
generates over 3.2 million hits (as of April 15, 2003). search engines. Several top-rated search engines can
Limiting the search to those documents updated in be found at searchenginewatch.com/awards/2002-
the past three months reduces the number to 218,000 winners.html. Meta-crawlers that cluster results, such
– suggesting other useful criteria than volume, such as as www.vivisimo.com also represent powerful research
relevancy or timeliness must be employed in order to tools.
streamline the mass of information available. Search
strategies are extremely important in terms of identifying The web addresses of the sites noted in this document
relevant, high quality information – further guidance can be entered manually (addresses are shown in
can be found at searchenginewatch.com/webmasters/ square brackets or underlined for those reading a hard
index.html and Google’s “How to Search Better” copy version of this document) or, for those using an
www.google.com/tour/services/index.html. electronic version, the website can be viewed by placing
the mouse pointer over the underlined text, at which
This document assists with the streamlining of available point the address of the site will be displayed in a box. A
information by taking some of the existing lists of left click on the mouse will automatically connect to the
biodiversity sites and assessing the relevance of the site if the reader’s computer is connected to the Internet.
individual links to the subject of biodiversity, protected The reader may then return to this document simply by
areas and endangered species. While the emphasis here clicking the back arrow on the browser tool bar.
is on high-quality links, the reader should remember
that the process of peer-review and validation does not The sites have been grouped into those with a similar
always apply to material that appears on the web and content either by technical content or regional content.
therefore a degree of caution is required when accessing Where possible the link leads directly to the relevant
and interpreting information found via this route. section of the web site, in other cases the route to the
Much of the information is compiled on a coarse spatial relevant page(s) is clearly identifiable. The descriptions
scale and only in a few cases will fine scale resolution of links and pages are for guidance only and mainly
be available. When a detailed assessment is required as derived directly from the webpages in question.
part of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, Therefore readers are advised to assess the information
it is strongly recommended that any third party data is found at any site using suitable criteria.
checked and confirmed by carrying out site-specific field
surveys. In order to make it easier for those managers with
little time in the early stages of a project, the most
Those sites listed in subsequent sections were active as of useful sources of information are presented in a
May 21, 2003 and contain information that is considered separate section upfront, along with a list of the key
to be relevant and believed to have undergone some type environmental and conservation organizations. These
3
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
sources will yield a significant amount (but by no means
PLEASE SEND COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS
all) of the information.
AND QUESTIONS TO:
Finally, the continued improvement of this document is
THE ENERGY & BIODIVERSITY INITIATIVE
dependent on the active participation of end-users and c/o Dr. Assheton Stewart Carter
stakeholders. Therefore, readers are encouraged to send The Center for Environmental Leadership in Business
additional sources of information for inclusion in future Conservation International
updates. 1919 M Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
USA
Tel: +1 202 912 1449
Fax: +1 202 912 1047
Email: a.carter@celb.org
Website: www.TheEBI.org
4
The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
3. KEY SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND KEY ORGANIZATIONS
5
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
donors of their value; and to enhance WCPA’s capacity to approaches to the management of natural and modified
implement its program, including through cooperation ecosystems. It provides assistance to the Conventions
with IUCN members and partners. on Biological Diversity, Sustainable Development and to
Combat Desertification and the Ramsar Convention on
3.2 SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTS Wetlands of International Importance.
7
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
4. OTHER SITES
Web-site addresses are not always indicative of the 4.2 BIODIVERSITY – GLOBAL PROJECTS
content of the site. Consequently in this section the
address has been replaced by more descriptive text. • BIODI [biodi.sdsc.edu]
Where appropriate, further information has been added. Advanced computational approaches to environmental
Some of the sites are duplicated since they provide access and biodiversity information at San Diego
to more than one category of information. Accessing a Supercomputer Center.
site will in many cases provide further links to sites that
may also be included in this list. • Biodiversity Conservation Information System (BCIS)
[biodiversity.org]
4.1 GENERAL INFORMATION BCIS is a consortium of ten international conservation
organizations and programs of IUCN—The World
• Biodiversity Conservation Network (BCN) Conservation Union. BCIS members collectively
[www.bcnet.org] represent the single greatest global source of
Information on the approach of business to biodiversity conservation information in the world.
biodiversity issues. BCIS is a framework within which the members’
networks work together toward a common goal: to
• Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global support environmentally sound decision-making and
Environment action by facilitating access to biodiversity data and
[www.uea.ac.uk/env/cserge] information.
An interdisciplinary research center based at the
University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK) with an • BioNet-International [www.bionet-intl.org]
international reputation for policy-relevant research BioNET-INTERNATIONAL is dedicated to supporting
on environmental issues, including biodiversity. sustainable development by helping developing
countries to overcome the taxonomic impediment by
• Convention on Biological Diversity: Clearing-House becoming self-reliant in taxonomy, i.e. self-reliant in
Mechanism [www.biodiv.org/chm] the skills, infrastructure and technologies needed to
Provides ready access to a range of sources of discover, identify, name, classify and to understand the
information on biodiversity issues. relationships of all organisms.
• Ecolynx: Information Context for Biodiversity • Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS)
Conservation [www.ecolynx.org] [www.biodiversityscience.org]
Ecolynx is an integrated information package for CABS brings together leading experts in science
biodiversity conservation that links data on threatened and technology to collect and interpret data about
species and habitats with information about responses biodiversity, develop strategic plans for conservation,
by society to threats to biodiversity. and forge partnerships in all sectors that promote
conservation goals. CABS promotes public awareness
• EcoNet [www.igc.org/igc/gateway/enindex.html] and involvement in saving the planet’s living
Provides links to current news stories in the fields of resources.
conservation and biodiversity.
• CABS Knowledge Management System [cabs.kms.
• Eco-Portal environmental search engine conservation.org//WOMBAT/application/home.cfm]
[www.Eco-Portal.com] The CABS Knowledge Management System is a
Provides links to sites containing information on web-based knowledge-sharing system developed
terrestrial, marine and freshwater biodiversity. by the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science at
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The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
Conservation International, and is available for use by SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of
its partners and the general public. This site provides the Environment), IUBS (International Union of
a platform for users to search, organize, store and Biological Sciences), IUMS (International Union of
share conservation and scientific information and Microbiological Societies) and UNESCO-MAB (Man
files related to people (contacts, expertise directories), and the Biosphere).
organizations, documents, datasets, projects, news and
discussions. • Endangered Species
[eelink.net/EndSpp/endangeredspeciesmainpage.html]
• Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Education resources on the Internet relating to
[research.amnh.org/biodiversity/index.html] endangered species.
The CBC (part of the American Museum of Natural
History) undertakes activities that integrate scientific • European Tropical Forest Research Network
research, education, and outreach to enable people [www.etfrn.org/etfrn/index.html]
– themselves an important cause of the rapid loss European Tropical Forest Research Network (ETFRN)
of biodiversity – to become participants in its is a forum for communication between European
conservation. Through collaboration with partner organizations, researchers, EU institutions and others
institutions, CBC focuses its efforts on integrated concerned with (sub-) tropical forest research. The
research, professional development, and public ETFRN Network seeks to promote the involvement of
involvement. European research expertise toward the conservation
and wise use of forests and woodlands in tropical and
• Center for Marine Conservation subtropical countries.
[www.cmc-ocean.org]
Through science-based advocacy, research and • Expert Center for Taxonomic Identification
public education, CMC promotes informed citizen [www.eti.uva.nl]
participation to reverse the degradation of oceans. ETI promotes the broad use of taxonomic and
biodiversity knowledge worldwide and is a member of
• ConserveOnline [www.conserveonline.org] Species 2000 (see Section 4.4).
ConserveOnline is a “one-stop” online, multi-
lingual public library (English, Spanish, Portuguese), • FAO Forestry [www.fao.org/forestry]
created and maintained by The Nature Conservancy A site hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization
in partnership with other conservation organizations. of the United Nations relating to the sustainable
The library makes conservation tools, techniques, management of forestry and including biodiversity
and experience available to a broad community of issues.
conservation practitioners. This site is intended
to foster learning and collaboration, and provide • FishBase [www.fishbase.org/home.htm]
information and support to anyone making FishBase is a relational database with information
conservation-related decisions, from the staff of that caters to different professionals such as research
conservation organizations to land managers at scientists, fisheries managers, zoologists and many
government agencies to local land trusts to private more. FishBase on the web contains practically all
landowners. Through discussion groups and fish species known to science. It was developed at the
information sharing, ConserveOnline is an open forum World Fish Center in collaboration with the Food and
for sharing successes and failures, and for connecting Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
scientific research with field-based conservation and many other partners, and with support from the
practice. They welcome anyone with documents, data, European Commission (EC). Since 2001, a consortium
maps, or images relevant to the science and practice of of seven research institutions has supported FishBase.
conservation to make these resources publicly available
through ConserveOnline, and to share their expertise • Forest Conservation [forests.org/forsite.html]
through the discussion groups. Links to sites relating to biodiversity from a forest
ecosystem perspective, including categories such
• DIVERSITAS [www.icsu.org/DIVERSITAS] as forest type, region, ecology, conservation issue,
DIVERSITAS is an international global environmental protection and campaigns.
change research programme sponsored by
the International Council for Science (ICSU),
9
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
• The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) • ReefBase [www.reefbase.org]
[www.gbif.org] ReefBase is the official database of the Global Coral
A substantial project to create an interoperable Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN). The GCRMN
network of many biodiversity databases and provides data and information on the status and
information technology tools that will enable users trends in coral reefs to the international community to
to navigate and put to use the world’s vast quantities improve conservation.
of biodiversity information to produce national
economic, environmental and social benefits. • Tropical Rain Forest Information Center (TRFIC)
[www.bsrsi.msu.edu/trfic/home.html]
• Global Forest Information Services (GFIS) The Tropical Rain Forest Information Center
[www.iufro.org] (TRFIC) is part of NASA’s Federation of Earth Science
GFIS is a distributed network of databases that catalog Information Partners [www.esipfed.org]. The objective
the information resources, using a common metadata of the Federation is to experiment with and evolve
standard to enhance access to and provision of processes to make Earth system science data easy
quality forest-related information, maintained by the to preserve, locate, access and use for all beneficial
International Union of Forest Research Organizations applications, including research, education, and
[iufro.boku.ac.at/iufro]. commercial, many of which may cross the Federation
membership. The TRFIC is one of several distributed
• Global Forest Watch [www.globalforestwatch.org] collaborating laboratories and data centers located
Global Forest Watch’s overall objective is to infuse within the government, universities and the private
transparency and accountability into the decision- sector, working collectively to provide enhanced
making processes that determine how forests are datasets, information products, and services primarily
managed and for whom. Global Forest Watch promotes to the Earth Science community but also to other users
transparency and accountability by: tracking the actors such as schools, NGOs and businesses.
(corporations, government agencies, individuals) that
are sponsoring development activities, mapping out • Virtual School of Biodiversity
where these actors are operating, and monitoring the [vsb.nott.ac.uk/vsb/Virtschl7.htm]
degree to which these actors are following national and A web-based mechanism for mediating cooperative
local management laws and regulations. teaching and learning between real, research
intensive universities with real, knowledge-seeking
• Marine Conservation Biology Institute [www.mcbi.org] communities of students (it is therefore not primarily
MCBI is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization a mechanism for “distance learning” in the traditional
dedicated to safeguarding life in the sea by advancing sense).
the multidisciplinary science of marine conservation
biology. • World Fish Center [www.worldfishcenter.org]
WorldFish Center is a unique international research
• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) center involved in research on fisheries and other
[www.millenniumassessment.org/en] living aquatic resources.
The MA is a four-year process that commenced in April
2001 to improve the management of the world’s natural 4.3 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND
and managed ecosystems by helping to meet the needs TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
of decision-makers and the public for peer-reviewed,
policy-relevant scientific information on the condition • Indigenous Peoples Biodiversity Information Network
of ecosystems, consequences of ecosystem change, and [www.ibin.org]
options for response. The MA will provide information The Indigenous Peoples Biodiversity Information
and also build human and institutional capacity to Network (IBIN) is a mechanism to exchange
provide information. information about experiences and projects and to
increase collaboration among indigenous groups
• Oceanic Research Group working on common causes related to biodiversity use
[www.oceanicresearch.org/index.html] and conservation.
Dedicated to the conservation of the world’s oceans
through education. Principal outputs include
educational films and products.
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The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
• Indigenous Peoples and Protected Areas (WWF) 4.4 FRESHWATER RESOURCES
[panda.org/resources/publications/sustainability/
indigenous2] • Conservation International’s Freshwater Hotspots
A site hosted by WWF relating to protected areas and Assessment, and CI’s AquaRAP
indigenous peoples. [www.biodiversityscience.org/xp/CABS/research/rap/
aquarap/aquarap.xml]
• Atlantic Society of Indigenous Chiefs Rapid assessment methodology to assess the biological
[www.atsic.gov.au] and conservation value of tropical freshwater
ecosystems in Latin America
• Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs
Secretariat Inc. [www.apcfnc.org] • Global International Water Assessment [www.giwa.net]
A program on transboundary water areas, sponsored by
• Aurora Research Institute [www.aurresint.nt.ca] UNEP/GEF.
• The Earth Council (Costa Rica) [www.ecouncil.ac.cr] • Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN)
[coral.aoml.noaa.gov/gcrmn/]
• Wildlife Management Advisory Council (Yukon)
[www.taiga.net/wmac] • International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) electronic
forum [www.ICRIFORUM.org]
• World Intellectual Property Organization
[www.wipo.int]
11
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
• Marine Protected Areas (MPA) News needed to help guide effective conservation action.
MPA News is published monthly by Marine Affairs NatureServe and its network of natural heritage
Research and Education (MARE), a not-for-profit programs are the leading source for information
corporation, in association with the School of Marine about rare and endangered species and threatened
Affairs, Univ. of Washington. To subscribe, send an ecosystems. NatureServe represents an international
e-mail message to mpanews@u.washington.edu network of biological inventories-known as natural
heritage programs or conservation data centers
• Reef Links [www.reefbase.org] operating in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Latin America
and the Caribbean.
4.6 DATABASES
• Species Information Service (SIS)
4.6.1 Biological Databases [www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/programs/sisindex.htm]
Through its volunteer membership of 7,000 species
• Base de Dados Tropical (BDT) conservation experts, Species Survival Commission
[www.bdt.org.br/databases] holds what is probably the world’s most complete body
Tropical Database of the André Tasello Foundation, of information on the status and distribution of species
Brazil. A variety of databases providing biological threatened with extinction. The SIS aims to become a
information of environmental and industrial interest worldwide species information resource (interlinked
(available in English and Portuguese). databases of species-related information managed
by SSC’s network of Specialist Groups). It will be
• BirdLife International easily accessible to the conservation and development
[www.birdlife.org/datazone/index.html] communities including scientists, natural resource
This site allows for a search of globally threatened and managers, educators, decision-makers and donors,
lower risk bird species (see Section 3.4.1). and will contribute to integrated biodiversity
conservation products.
• InfoNatura [www.infonatura.org]
A source for conservation information on the birds and • Species in Parks: Flora and Fauna Databases
mammals of Latin America and the Caribbean. [ice.ucdavis.edu/nps]
Databases of vascular plant and vertebrate animal
• Fauna Europaea [www.faunaeur.org] species reported to occur within lands managed by the
The European Commission is funding the Fauna U.S. National Park Service.
Europaea project for a period of four years (March 1,
2000 – March 1, 2004). The project will assemble a • Species 2000 [www.sp2000.org]
database of the scientific names and distribution of all Species 2000 has the objective of enumerating all
living multi-cellular European land and fresh-water known species of plants, animals, fungi and microbes
animals. on Earth as the baseline dataset for studies of global
biodiversity. It will also provide a simple access point
• Man and the Biosphere Species Databases enabling users to link from here to other data systems
[ice.ucdavis.edu/mab] for all groups of organisms, using direct species-links.
Databases of vascular plant and vertebrate animal Users worldwide will be able to verify the scientific
occurrences on the world’s biosphere reserves and name, status and classification of any known species
other protected areas. through species checklist data drawn from an array of
participating databases.
• National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)
[www.nbii.gov] • Threatened Animals of the World
An electronic gateway to biological data and [www.wcmc.org.uk/data/database/rl_anml_
information maintained by federal, state, and local combo.html]
government agencies, private sector organizations, and The WCMC Animals Database holds information on
other partners around the nation and the world. threatened species and others of conservation concern.
Part of this database is common to the IUCN Red List of
• NatureServe [www.natureserve.org] Threatened Animals, and this information is available
NatureServe is a non-profit conservation organization at this site in an interactive format. This information
that provides the scientific information and tools resource is a result of long-term collaboration between
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The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
a large number of individual scientists worldwide 4.7 GATEWAYS, DIRECTORIES AND SEARCH
and many organizations, notably the Species Survival ENGINES
Commission of IUCN, BirdLife International and
WCMC. • American Society of International Law Wildlife
Interest Group
4.6.2 Molecular Databases [www.internationalwildlifelaw.org/index.shtml]
Bibliographies, links, etc. regarding international
• Complete Genome Assemblies wildlife laws, treaties and agreements
[www3.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrezquery.fcgi?db=Genome]
The whole genomes of over 800 organisms. • Biodiversity Support Program (BSP)
[www.bsponline.org]
• Entrez WWW Server The Biodiversity Support Program (BSP) operated
[www3.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Entrez/index.html] from 1989-2001 as a consortium of WWF (see Sections
A search and retrieval system that integrates 3.2.4 and 3.10), The Nature Conservancy (see Section
information from databases at the National Center for 4.10), and World Resources Institute (see Section
Biotechnology Information (USA). 4.10) and was funded by the United States Agency
for International Development. BSP carried out
4.6.3 Mapping Databases its mission by supporting projects that combined
conservation with social and economic development.
• Checklist of Online Vegetation and Plant Distribution
Maps [www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/vegmaps.html] • Bio Seek [www.biodiv.org/search]
Compiled by Claire Englander and Philip Hoehn. Biodiversity and ecological information search engine
based in the CBD website
• German Remote Sensing Data Center
[satftp.satlab.hawaii.edu/dlr/catalog.html] • Biosis Internet Resource Guide for Zoology
Satellite imaging of landforms. [www.biosis.org/free_resources/resource_guide.html]
13
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) zoological literature) since 1978, including algae,
[www.itis.usda.gov] bacteria, fungi, and mosses.
Taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and
microbes of North America and the world. ITIS is a • International Plant Name Index (IPNI) [www.ipni.org]
partner of Species 2000 (see Section 4.4.1) and the IPNI is a database of the names and associated basic
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (see bibliographical details of all seed plants. Its goal is to
Section 4.2). eliminate the need for repeated reference to primary
sources for basic bibliographic information about
• IUCN Biodiversity Economics Library plant names. The data are freely available and are
[biodiversityeconomics.org/index.htm] gradually being standardized and checked. IPNI will be
a dynamic resource, depending on direct contributions
• MedBioWorld [www.sciencekomm.at/index.html] by all members of the botanical community.
Links to thousands of journals, research sites and
references. • Mammal Species of the World
[www.nmnh.si.edu/msw]
• Natural Selection [nature.ac.uk] The Mammal Species of the World (MSW) contains the
A gateway to quality, evaluated Internet resources in names of the more than 4,500 currently recognized
the natural world coordinated by The Natural History species of mammals, in a taxonomic hierarchy that
Museum, London (UK). includes order, family, subfamily, and genus.
• The Global Register of Migratory Species (GROMS) • PLANTS National Database [plants.usda.gov]
[www.biologie.uni-freiburg.de/data/zoology/riede/ Maintains and generates data reports in specialized
groms/index.html] areas including alternative crops, plant characteristics,
GROMS summarizes the state of knowledge about checklists and searches, classification, cultural
migratory species. It contains a list of 2,880 migratory significance of plants, distribution, fact sheets,
vertebrate species in digital format, together with their invasive and noxious species, threatened and
threat status according to the International Red List endangered species and wetland indicator status.
2000 (see Section 3.4.2), and digital maps for about
800 species. • Species 2000 [www.sp2000.org]
Has the objective of enumerating all known species of
• Index to Organism Names (ION) plants, animals, fungi and microbes on Earth as the
[www.biosis.org/free_resources/ion.html] baseline dataset for studies of global biodiversity (see
The index currently covers all animals that have been Section 4.4.1).
reported in the Zoological Record (the index to world
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The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
• Tree of Life [tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html] 4.9.2 Asia
Provides information about the diversity of organisms
on Earth, their history, and characteristics. • Biodiversity Planning Support Programme - North
East and East Central Asia [bpsp-neca.brim.ac.cn]
• World Species List Taxa Database The Biodiversity Planning Support Programme is a
[species.enviroweb.org] multi-donor initiative implemented by the United
A list of world species (animals, plants and microbes). Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
4.9 BIODIVERSITY – REGIONAL PROJECTS with core financing from the Global Environment
Facility. The global program is being implemented
4.9.1 Africa in cooperation with regional partners covering 10
regions. The program was established to respond to
• African Wildlife Foundation [www.awf.org] needs recognized by the Parties to the United Nations
The African Wildlife Foundation has a vision statement Convention on Biological Diversity for strengthening
that “together with the people of Africa, works to national capacity to prepare and implement National
ensure the wildlife and wild lands of Africa will endure Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) in
forever.” compliance with Article 6 of the Convention.
15
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
• Finnish Biodiversity Research Programme (FIBRE) • Chihuahuan Desert Home Page
[fibre.utu.fi] [nasa.utep.edu/chih/chihdes.htm]
A multidisciplinary six-year research program The Chihuahuan Desert is the easternmost and
focusing on biological, socio-economic and legal southernmost of the four North American deserts: the
aspects of biodiversity. Great Basin Desert, the Sonoran Desert, the Mojave
Desert, and the Chihuahuan Desert. Over several
• Russian Conservation Monitoring Centre years, the Centennial Museum and its Laboratory for
[www.rcmc.ru] Environmental Biology have gathered information on
this desert. In November of 1999, a NASA MUSPIN
• Shetland Wildlife [www.wildlife.shetland.co.uk] grant was received to further develop Web resources on
News and information on the wildlife of Shetland (UK). the Chihuahuan Desert. Since that time, material from
the other web sites has been consolidated and currently
• UK Biodiversity Group [www.jncc.gov.uk/ukbg] is being enhanced.
The website of the UK Biodiversity Group provides
guidance and factsheets on Species Action Plans • Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la
(SAPs) and Habitat Action Plans (HAPs), a summary Biodiversidad (CONABIO)
of the guidance for Local Biodiversity Action Plans [www.conabio.gob.mx]
(LBAPs) and includes a database of all BAPS including Mexico’s National Commission for the knowledge and
contact details. use of biodiversity (in Spanish).
4.9.4 Central America and South America • Endangered Species Home Page [endangered.fws.gov]
A program of the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
• Centro de Referência em Informação Ambiental - BDT
[www.bdt.org.br] • Information Center for the Environment
(Reference Centre for Environmental Information [ice.ucdavis.edu]
– BDT). Contributing toward a more sustainable use of The Information Center for the Environment is a
Brazil’s biodiversity through the dissemination of high cooperative effort of environmental scientists at the
quality information and education (in Portuguese and University of California, Davis and collaborators at
English). over thirty private, state, federal, and international
organizations interested in environmental protection.
• INBio - Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad
[www.inbio.ac.cr] • National Wildlife Federation [www.nwf.org]
Costa Rica’s National Biodiversity Institute, promoting The National Wildlife Federation is the United States’
the value of biodiversity (in Spanish and English). largest member-supported conservation group,
uniting individuals, organizations, businesses and
4.9.5 North America government to protect wildlife, wild places, and the
environment.
• Biological Resources Division (BRD) [biology.usgs.gov]
Working to provide the scientific understanding and • Natural History of Orange County, California
technologies needed to support the sound management [mamba.bio.uci.edu/%7Epjbryant/biodiv/index.htm]
and conservation of the USA’s biological resources. Ultimate goal is to assemble at least one photograph,
common name, order, family, species, genus,
• Canada’s Aquatic Environments distribution, seasonality and conservation status for
[www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/NEW_front_page/ each species in the area.
index.htm]
Dedicated to the improvement of educational • Nearctica [www.nearctica.com]
materials. The natural world of North America, including ecology
and conservation links.
• Center for Biological Diversity
[www.sw-center.org/swcbd]
Protecting endangered species and wild places of
western North America through science, policy,
education, and environmental law.
16
The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
• North American Biodiversity Information Network (NABIN) 4.9.8 Miscellaneous Resources
[www.cec.org/programs_projects/conserv_biodiv/
project/index.cfm?projectID=21&varlan=english] • Arabian Wildlife Online [www.arabianwildlife.com]
NABIN is a collaborative network that brings together The on-line version of the Arabian Wildlife Magazine,
primary data sources for those involved in the covering all facets of wildlife and conservation in the
protection and conservation of biological diversity in Arabian peninsula.
North America.
• Biodiversity and Conservation
• Our Living Resources [darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sustain/bio65/Titlpage.htm]
[biology.usgs.gov/s+t/index.htm] A Hypertext Book by Peter J. Bryant. University of
A report to the nation on the distribution, abundance, California, Irvine
and health of U.S. plants, animals, and ecosystems.
• Center for International Biogeographic Research
• Sierra Club [www.sierraclub.org] [www.biogeography.org]
Influential conservation pressure group with more Modern biogeography now explores a great diversity of
than 700,000 members. patterns in the geographic variation of nature — from
physiological, morphological and genetic variation
• South Florida Ecosystem History Project among individuals and populations to differences
[sofia.usgs.gov/flaecohist/index.html] in the diversity and composition of biotas along
The USGS South Florida Ecosystem History Project, geographic gradients.
part of the USGS South Florida Ecosystem Program,
is designed to integrate studies from a number of • Major Biomes of the World
researchers compiling data from terrestrial, marine, [www.runet.edu/%7Eswoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/
and freshwater ecosystems within south Florida. biomes/main.html]
This module is part of the Virtual Geography
4.9.6 North Pacific Department Project and has been prepared for the
Physical Geography Working Group of the Project
• Hawaii Biological Survey Web Site (authored by Susan L. Woodward, The Virtual
[www.bishop.hawaii.org/bishop/HBS/hbs1.html] Geography Department Project and the Department of
The Hawaii Biological Survey (HBS), established by the Geography, Radford University).
State Legislature in 1992 as a program of the Bishop
Museum, is an ongoing natural history inventory of the • Association for Biodiversity Information
Hawaiian Archipelago. [www.natureserve.org]
• Science and Natural History Museums Hotlist • Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (AMNH)
[sln.fi.edu/tfi/hotlists/museums.html] [research.amnh.org/biodiversity/index.html]
List of international natural history and science Section of the American Museum for Natural History.
museums hosted by the Franklin Institute.
• Conservation Biology Institute [www.consbio.org]
4.10.2 North America CBI actively seeks creative new ways to address a wide
range of ecological problems from endangered species
• American Museum of Natural History [www.amnh.org] to regional conservation planning. The objective of
their research is to develop better conservation tools,
• Canadian Museum of Nature [www.nature.ca] techniques, and analyses.
18
The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
• BirdLife International [www.birdlife.org/] • CIFOR (Centre for International Forestry Research
This site allows for a search of globally threatened – Indonesia) [www.cifor.org]
and lower risk bird species. Details of BirdLife
International’s Important Bird Areas may be found • Conservation International
at www.birdlife.net. For over 20 years, BirdLife [www.conservation.org]
International has published information on globally Established in 1987, Conservation International (CI) is
threatened bird species in Red Data Books and an environmental organization working in more than
checklists, and now birds are recognized as the best- 30 countries around the globe to protect biodiversity
documented group of all species. BirdLife is the and to demonstrate that human societies can live
official Listing Authority for birds for the IUCN Red harmoniously with nature. CI works to conserve the
List and works closely with the IUCN/Species Survival earth’s living heritage, our global biodiversity, by
Commission Specialist Groups (see Section 3.4.3) concentrating its efforts on the Earth’s biodiversity
and a worldwide network of experts in this capacity. hotspots – the 25 terrestrial places with the most
The wealth of information generated by this program densely packed biodiversity and the highest threat to
lays the foundation for BirdLife’s work and guides its them. The biodiversity hotspots give CI its focus and
priorities for action. Readers can also check the books its strategy. Hotspot assessments are being completed
available at www.birdlife.org/species/programme.cfm for the global marine and freshwater ecosystems. The
Center for Environmental Leadership in Business
• Center for Health, Ecological and Economic provides a new forum for collaboration between the
Dimensions (HEED) of Global Change Program private sector and the environmental community.
[heed.harvard.edu] Created in a partnership between CI and Ford Motor
Research and publications on major marine ecological Company, the Center operates as a division of CI and is
diseases (MMEDs). Online reports available, such as, governed by a distinct executive board of leaders from
Marine Ecosystems: Emerging Diseases as Indicators of the business and environmental communities. The
Change and Year of the Ocean Special Report on Health of Center engages the private sector worldwide in creating
the Oceans from Labrador to Venezuela. solutions to critical global environmental problems in
which industry plays a defining role.
• Centro Cientifico Tropical, Costa Rica [www.cct.or.cr]
• CSIRO - Australia, particularly CSIRO Sustainable
• CÉSPEDES (Centro de Estudios del Sector Privado para Ecosystems [www.cse.csiro.au]
el Desarrollo Sostenible) - Mexico
[www.cce.org.mx/cespedes/] • Defenders of Wildlife [www.defenders.org]
CÉSPEDES is an organization closely linked to the Offers information on endangered habitats and
Consejo Coordinador Empresarial, CCE (National species.
Enterprise Federation) and was created in 1994 by
a group of major industrialists concerned about and • Earthwatch Europe [www.earthwatch.org/europe/]
supportive of sustainable development. CÉSPEDES is Earthwatch promotes sustainable conservation of
committed to helping Mexican enterprises improve natural resources and cultural heritage by creating
their environmental performance in the following partnerships among scientists, the general public,
ways: 1) develop research that can show industry how educators and businesses. Earthwatch Europe hosts
to prevent environmental degradation; 2) propose the UK Business and Biodiversity Resource Centre,
efficient environmental regulation and public policies, funded by the UK Department for the Environment,
and promote self-regulation mechanisms; 3) promote Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The aim of the Centre
the effective enforcement of environmental law; 4) is to raise awareness of how and why the private sector
generate environmental databases; 5) coordinate and should get involved with biodiversity and to develop
represent the private sector voice at international and promote initiatives that will engage companies
events; 6) help to prevent the deterioration of in this area. The Centre publishes the ongoing series
ecosystems and propose the creation of conservation of Business and Biodiversity Guides which address
areas; and, 7) develop training and educational aspects of biodiversity to business and manages the UK
materials and organize workshops, courses and Business and Biodiversity website:
conferences that promote eco-efficient practices www.businessandbiodiversity.org.
among industries.
19
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
• Fauna and Flora International (FFI) strategies, services, scientific knowledge and technical
[www.fauna-flora.org] support they need to achieve their goals. Operations
Founded in 1903, FFI is the world’s longest established are increasingly decentralized and carried forward by
international conservation organization. Its remit is to an expanding network of regional and country offices,
protect “the entire spectrum of endangered plant and located primarily in developing countries. IUCN’s
animal species on the planet.” Through partnerships, web site maintains a sizable library of documents,
technical assistance and funding, FFI provides support databases, and relevant links.
to conservation initiatives throughout the world. It
works with a wide variety of stakeholders, including • Living Earth Foundation [www.liveart2.dircon.co.uk]
bilateral and multilateral agencies, governments, LEF is an international NGO that encourages people
local communities, NGOs, academic institutions and to learn and work together to resolve environmental
businesses. issues. Living Earth’s programs address a wide range of
issues from pollution to biodiversity, from population
• Fondo Mexicano para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza, to cultural diversity and from agricultural practices to
Mexico [www.fmcn.org] energy consumption.
• World Resources Institute (WRI) [www.wri.org] • IIED - Biodiversity and Livelihoods Issues
WRI is an environmental think tank founded in 1982 [www.iied.org/blg/pubs/biolivlihood.html]
with a mission to “move human society to live in ways
that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity • OECD Handbook of Biodiversity Valuation (2002), and
to provide for the needs and aspirations of current biodiversity publication series [www.oecd.org/]
and future generations.” It is actively involved in the In 1999, the OECD Working Group on Economic
fields of the environment, resource management Aspects of Biodiversity (WGEAB) embarked on a
and environmental policy. WRI’s business program project focusing on “…the monetary and non-monetary
21
Online Biodiversity Information Sources
evaluation of the benefits of biodiversity and biological • World Bank [www.worldbank.org/]
resources.” This publication represents the main The World Bank has a substantial, wide-ranging online
output of this project. It is supported by nine country set of documents and resources related to issues facing
case studies and by a compendium of related papers biodiversity, sustainable development, and industrial
(OECD, 2001 – Valuation of Biodiversity Benefits: Selected practices. The onsite search engine is one good
Studies). The Handbook of Biodiversity Valuation is way to locate files. There are also specific sections,
aimed at policy-makers and practitioners interested in such as New Ideas in Pollution Regulation (NIPR),
using valuation tools for the effective management of which includes entire books online, such as, Greening
biodiversity. Other titles include: Saving Biological Diversity: Industry: New Roles for Communities, Markets, and
Harnessing Markets for Conservation and Sustainable Use, Governments; and a Biodiversity and Environmental
(2002); and Handbook of Incentive Measures for Biodiversity: Impact Assessment toolkit.
Design and Implementation (1999).
4.13.2 Journals Relating to Biodiversity,
• Plantlife International Ecology and Oil and Gas Operations
[www.plantlife.org.uk/html/goods_publications.htm]
Identifying Important Plant Areas - A Site Selection A comprehensive list of biodiversity and ecology
Manual for Europe e-journals (hosted by the University of Southampton,
The manual is focused on providing a framework for UK) can be found at: www.library.soton.ac.uk/info/
parties/governments worldwide to achieve target 5 subjects/2039ej/index.shtml
of the CBD’s Global Plant Conservation Strategy (i.e.
protection of 50% of the worlds most important areas A similar list of journals containing information on
for plant diversity assured by 2010) and includes various environmental and resource management
guidelines for site selection criteria, a questionnaire aspects of offshore oil and gas operations can be found
template etc. This manual should form an extremely at www.offshore-environment.com/journals.html. A
useful reference for those working in biodiversity selection of the most relevant journals (with website
(especially plant) conservation, use, mapping, information) derived from these two sites is listed below:
planning, etc. Copies are currently (April 2003)
obtainable from andy.brown@plantlife.org.uk and • Accidents Associated with Oil & Gas Operations on the
should be available from Plant International’s website Outer Continental Shelf [http://www.mms.gov]
noted above in the future.
• Acta oecologica
• Smithsonian Institution Monitoring and Assessment [http://www.elsevier.com/locate/issn/1146609X]
of Biodiversity [www.si.edu/simab]
Connecting with the Tapestry of Life. Published by the • Advances in Environmental Research
Smithsonian Institution. [http://www.elsevier.com/locate/issn/10930191]
24
The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative
• Trends in Ecology and Evolution
[http://www.elsevier.com/locate/issn/01695347]
25
Online Biodiversity Information Sources