GBIF Spain (GBIF.ES) is not a team, it is a robust network currently comprising 117 entities (including research institutes, collections, projects, public agencies, associations, private companies…) actively engaged in mobilizing, publishing, and using biodiversity data. The glue in this endeavor is the “GBIF.ES Coordination Unit” (UdC, from its Spanish name). Since the inception of GBIF.ES UdC in 2003, its main goal has been supporting the involvement of the Spanish biodiversity community within the GBIF network. This is achieved by providing the following services, adjusted based on the current needs: 1) training workshops, 2) publishing services, 3) portal data and specific data hubs, 4) ICT tools and biodiversity information standards, and 5) supporting citizen science through Natusfera (iNaturalist in Spain). These components are intended to work together in an “organic” way, creating an interconnected framework where the outcomes of each service contribute collaboratively to the success of the others. The Spanish botanical community activity in GBIF is strong: currently publishing over 16 million records through 189 datasets contributed by 72 institutions (as of January 2024). And just as significant is the utilization of this data by the scientific community: the number of citations of these datasets in peer-reviewed journals is 37,605, representing 67.6% of the total citations gathered by datasets from Spanish entities. We have learnt many lessons along the way. Two to emphasize here: 1) Training serves as an open door to the outside world, initiating numerous collaborations and partnerships. In them, GBIF gets known at its best: partnership, data sharing and capacity building in action, and direct contact with participants gives us excellent feedback and ideas. 2) Looking just after data does not work. The key to GBIF’s success lies in motivating and providing skills to biodiversity researchers and data contributors to disseminate their data.

Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Spain Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). Spain

Sin experimentacion animal ni uso de NAMs

Peer reviewed