World Data Center for Biodiversity and Ecology (WDC-BE)

The World Data Center for Biodiversity and Ecology is a "virtual observatory," established in 2002. It is one of 52 virtual centers in the World Data Center System,  created to archive and distribute the world's data and information from a wide range of scientific disciplines.

The staff, infrastructure, and organizational framework for the WDC-BE is provided by three programs within the U.S. Geological Survey: the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Program; the Geospatial Analysis and Monitoring (GAM) Program; and the Rocky Mountain Mapping Center.

The initial focus of the WDC-BE is to provide access to data from leading global biodiversity and conservation networks. The WDC-BE enables users to integrate and view their data in the context of other key global datasets. The program works at national, hemispheric, and global levels to

• facilitate standards development and implementation
• build and implement open source Web Map Services
• conduct user workshops
• acquire and provide access to relevant data through partnerships with data holders

Point of Contact: John Mosesso, Program Development Manager

Go to the World Data Center for Biodiversity and Ecology Web site