Workshop to be held in Washington, D.C., Dec. 1-2, 2009; Enabling Biodiversity Research: The Roles of Information and Support Networks

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The vast majority of the Earth's plants, animals and microorganisms still do not have scientific names, nor do we know their natural history, functional roles, or the genetic and biochemical resources they contain. Because these organisms provide human beings with a livable planet by producing oxygen, degrading wastes, cleaning the air and water, providing food, building materials and pharmaceuticals, and a whole host of other ecosystem services, there is a pressing need to determine the dimensions of the unknown biodiversity that surrounds us. A large proportion of the coordination and support that serves as the foundation for biodiversity research is provided by non-governmental organizations and institutions. This project will support a workshop activity to bring together representatives from this research community to: 1)Develop a compendium of the kinds of enabling support currently being provided; 2)Identify significant gaps in this support; 3) Propose mechanisms to fill those gaps; and 4) Develop strategies for strengthening communication and cooperation among the various elements of the community. Approximately forty individuals, representing support networks for elements of biodiversity research from around the world, will engage in two days of discussions, to consider the key scientific questions that should guide exploration of the Earth's unknown dimensions of biodiversity. Workshop participants will examine what is the current capacity (including human resources) needed to support biodiversity research, and what are the major gaps in the support infrastructure. The workshop will be held on December 1-2, 2009 at the National Academy of Sciences, in Washington DC. The results of the workshop will be made available as a report that will be posted for comment soon after the workshop has been completed and distributed to participants and interested parties.