Bioinformatics
We all need names and information about the world's plants and animals so we can understand, manage and conserve them. Bioinformatics (from 'biology' + 'informatics' (computer science) is how we make that information available electronically to the whole world. Australia is a world leader in the storage and retrieval of taxonomic information, and the Botanic Gardens Trust has been a key player in establishing standards and protocols and providing information on plants.
What are we doing at the Royal Botanic Gardens?
Through our program ‘National and International Bioinformatics’, led by Karen Wilson, the Botanic Gardens Trust is involved in many different bioinformatics projects locally, nationally and internationally that aim to
- put together information electronically on plant species that we are studying
- provide digital images of these plants and herbarium specimens
- map their geographic distribution
- link plant information to other biodiversity information (on animals, fungi, bacteria, ecology, nutrition, economic uses, etc.)
- establish the standards needed for store, exchange, link and search data on Websites everywhere
- agree on copyright and intellectual property rights issues
Links for New South Wales information
CANRI (Community Access to Natural Resources Information) - brings together environmental information from NSW Government agencies and other organisations
NSW Biodiversity Research Network - summarises the current state of biodiversity research in NSW, and identifies gaps and priorities for future research
PlantNET - which includes:
Floristic Lists of NSW - bibliography of botanical lists for reserves, forests and parks in NSW
Links for Australia-wide information
Links for Worldwide information
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