A Pan-European Speciesdirectories Infrastructure (PESI)

Abstract

This paper introduces the rationale and aims of the Europewide biodiversity informatics PESI [1] project. PESI defines and coordinates strategies to enhance the quality and reliability of European biodiversity information by integrating the infrastructural components of four major community networks on taxonomic indexing, namely those of marine life, terrestrial plants, fungi and animals, into a joint work programme. This will include functional knowledge networks of both taxonomic experts and regional focal points, which will collaborate on the establishment of standardised and authoritative taxonomic (meta-) data. In addition PESI will coordinate the integration and synchronisation of the European taxonomic information systems into a joint e-infrastructure and the creation of a common userinterface disseminating the pan-European checklists and associated userservices results.