U.S.-Brazil Cooperative Research Program: Adapting 'Flora Brasiliensis' for Internet Access

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0123663BerryThis Americas Program award will support Dr. Paul E. Berry of the University of Wisconsin Madison in collaboration with Dr. George J. Shepherd and Dr. Maria de Carmo Amaral, both of the Instituto de Biologia (UNICAMP). The aim of this project is to initiate the revaluation of Martius' great work and explore the feasibility of presenting Flora Brasiliensis in facsimile form on the World Wide Web, including corrections for the now outdated taxonomy. The following steps will be taken: (1) Develop a pilot Web page, (2) Evaluate the cost of digitizing and indexing images only, (3) Contact and recruit active systematists worldwide to update the taxonomy and nomenclature of the published treatments in the Flora, (4) Use the concept of this project as a springboard to help produce new regional and national floristic treatments in Brazil and neighboring areas. The long-term goal is to develop a complete Neotropical checklist of vascular plants and contribute more fully towards floristic treatments within tropical South America. This project will build strong and lasting international ties between key institutions involved in plant diversity efforts as well as strengthen international ties between systematic biologists and discourage isolationist tendencies in individual countries where the greatest biodiversity is found.