Objectives

1. To provide European taxonomists with a community driven e-platform that acts as a web-accessible depository for integrated taxonomic knowledge systems (databases, keys, biogeographic data) based upon existing software and technologies;
   
   
2. To use this mechanism to open up relevant taxonomic expertise to the MARBEF community and to establish interaction with the European taxonomists and the corresponding Network of the Natural History Museums for needed (missing) expertise
   
   
3. To train specialists and students
   
   

Description of the work

1. Phase 1:

1. A workshop will be organized centrally (Amsterdam) to identify, present, test and review relevant softwares and technologies currently available to establish a community-driven e-platform that acts as a web-accessible depository for integrated taxonomic knowledge systems (databases, keys, biogeographic data). Potential technical gaps or shortcomings will be identified and a tentative list of the basic components to be included in the e-platform will be drafted in a report.
   
   
2. Using the output of the workshop a practical solution for an e-platform for Web-Accessible Taxonomic Expertise will be selected, and if needed and where possible, adapted to previously-identified needs.
   
   
   

3. Phase 2:

3. Subsequently, a demonstrator project with a single taxon will be carried out, which will then be tested in the MARBEF community (user feedback report).
   
   
4. The e-platform for Web-Accessible Taxonomic Expertise will be further adapted/developed based on the user feedback. Also, a questionnaire will be used to identify taxonomic knowledge gaps and prioritize needs ('needed' taxa) in the MARBEF community.
   
   
   

5. Phase 3:

5. Second and final test with the application of the tools for the e-platform on a second single taxon; system broadly available on the web, taxonomic information publicized on the web; final training workshop.