[Taxacom] Global biodiversity databases

[Richard Pyle]

>   Rich et al. --- I am just not comfortable with the question: "Do you
expect a
> comprehensive and reliable GBD to exist in the foreseeable future (or do
you
> think that one or more already exist)?"

Neither am I.  I didn't write the questions; I only took a shot at the
answers (something I feel like I am going to regret.....)

> We've been working on a project
> called Map of Life (http://mappinglife.org), that is meant to aggregate
not
> just point occurrence records but also range maps, area inventories,
> ecoregion checklists, etc. globally and for all taxa.

This is exactly the sort of effort I meant when I said that the emphasis
should be on integration, not building more databases.

>  There is no GBD.  There won't be.  Thank goodness.

It depends on how you define it.  My contention is that there already is a
GBD (with the "D" sensu lato).  We just need to be better about tying all
the pieces together.

Aloha,
Rich


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