National and international cooperation
- International consortia
CETAF Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities
CETAF is a networked consortium of scientific institutions in Europe formed to promote training, research and understanding of systematic biology and palaeobiology, Together, CETAF institutions hold very substantial biological (zoological and botanical), palaeobiological, and geological collections and provide the resource for the work of thousands of researchers in a variety of scientific disciplines.CETAF aims to promote research in systematic biology and palaeobiology as well as access to the information and expertise of its member institutions, by improving the efficiency of their taxonomic facilities through co-operation. In support of its aims, CETAF will act as a forum for the exchange of information and policies, working towards co-ordinated activities (SYNTHESYS, EDIT, LIFEWATCH).
More information.CBOL Consortium for the Barcode of Life
CBOL is an international (more than 170 Member Organizations from more than 50 countries) initiative devoted to developing DNA barcoding as a global standard for the identification of biological species. DNA barcoding is a new technique that uses a short DNA sequence from a standardized and agreed-upon position in the genome as a molecular diagnostic for species-level identification. DNA barcode sequences are very short relative to the entire genome and they can be obtained reasonably quickly and cheaply.
The European counterpart of CBOL is ECBOL (European Consortium for the Barcode of Life) which envisaged DNA-barcoding labs across Europe, whcih will barcode specimens from existing European natural history collections and specimens acquired by ATBIs (all taxa biodiversity initiatives) or targeted taxonomic sampling. A centralized bioinformatics hub (EBOLD) is planned to make information present in local databases (i.e. collection databases, taxonomic resources, sequence repositories) available through a single interface.
Within ECBOL, NBOL (Netherlands Barcode of Life) provides a platform for organizing & streamlining DNA barcoding initiatives in The Netherlands. NBOL’s mission therefore involves: (i) concerted contribution to proposals for national large-scale DNA barcoding facilities, (ii) provide a platform for interested potential users and generators of DNA barcoding in The Netherlands, and (iii) secure effective embedding in international DNA barcoding initiatives, i.e. avoid inventing our own national barcoding wheels. The National Herbarium of the Netherlands is strongly involved in this initiative.
- International research projects
SYNTHESYS Synthesis of Systematic Resources
This five year project which began in February 2004, comprises 20 European natural history museums and botanic gardens, aims to create an integrated European infrastructure for researchers in the natural sciences.Due to its success this project will be followed by SYNTHESYS II in September 2009. The National Herbarium of the Netherlands will provide access to high calibre researchers for short-term visits. SYNTHESYS II will meet the users’ costs for research (including bench fees and consumables), international travel, local accommodation and a per diem to contribute towards living costs. Furthermore we will provide expertise for specific training elements. The Wageningen University and Research Centre branch will lead a Joined Research Activity (JRA) into the development of protocols for optimizing DNA extraction from herbarium specimens, both plants and fungi.
EDIT European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy
The European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy, EDIT, is a Network of Excellence: a common effort from 28 leading scientific institutions to integrate their activities, their strengths and their research plans. Taxonomy is a uniquely fragmented science. This hides its tremendous power to explain and understand biodiversity; yet Europe possesses research institutions with great resources and skills, which, together, can respond to modern challenges.
The National Herbarium of the Netherlands (NHN) strongly participates in EDIT Work package 3 “Integrating and Reshaping the Infrastructure Basis”. Because the EDIT institutions represent around 30% of the world’s taxonomic collections and are at the forefront of the development of databases, information networks, and large-scale instrumental facilities (remote microscopy, DNA barcoding), the integration of these strengths will unlock massive power for taxonomy. An important spearhead for the NHN in this work package are the Barcode of Life initiatives.
The Leiden University branch leads work package 3.5 “Liaison with international infrastructures”. This work package has the task to establish relationships and contacts with international infrastructures. These relationships between EDIT and these infrastructures will be established through signed MoU’s.
PROTA Plant Resources of Tropical Africa
PROTA is a formal partnership of 11 organizations (7 in Africa, 3 in Europe, 1 in South-East Asia). It aims to synthesize and publish a comprehensive information about the 7 000 inventoried useful plants of tropical Africa, in every aspect (uses, properties, botany, agronomy, processing,) and aims to promote their use to contribute to the reduction of poverty on a sustainable basis, with due respect for traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights.
- National consortia
NCB Naturalis Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis
NCB Naturalis is still in the process of formation, but it promisses to become an important research centre for biodiversity related research. Merging several world-class specimen collections will instantly house the world’s fifth largest natural history collection.National Research School Biodiversity
The National Research School Biodiversity is a network organization for scientific research and training of PhDs in which a number of institutes spread throughout the country join forces. The school has been officially acknowledged at 29 May 1995. This acknowledgement was officially renewed by the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences in May 2000 and again in June 2005. The mission of the Research School is to discover, describe and name biodiversity by untangling the different processes affacting this biodiversity. The research and PhD training are based on the large national botanical, zoological and fungal collections.
