The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) came into existence as of 1 March 2001, with the US being the first country to sign the Memorandum of Understanding that established it as an international, free-standing, not-for-profit organization. The GBIF mission is making all of the global biodiversity data freely and universally available via the Internet for the benefit of science, society and a sustainable future, via a distributed computing platform and network of data providers, Participant nodes, and mirror sites. According to its Work Program for 2007 through 2008, GBIF will work in a user-focused way within four thematic areas: 1) Informatics, 2) Content, 3) Participation and 4) Governance and Funding. Within each area, GBIF will deliver on two or more key goals to ensure realistic progress towards the GBIF vision of the global biodiversity data freely and openly available to all via the Internet, for the benefit of science and society. The second release of the GBIF Data Portal implementation will appear at the end of 2006, and will continue to be enhanced and improved throughout GBIF Phase 2.The new GBIF data portal exploits cutting-edge informatics techniques, and is being developed with the aim of exploiting special interests, skills and resources in different parts of the network. In the Content area, GBIF will refine its data access and retrieval infrastructure to facilitate the effective interlinking of a broad spectrum of data resources. Effective implementation of this will depend on a comprehensive taxon name approach that starts with names attached to GBIF-mediated data resources and a reconciliation of these with reviewed taxonomic opinions. Participant Nodes are crucial to the operation of the GBIF network and to making GBIF the megascience endeavor that was intended by its founders. Since the Nodes are very heterogeneous in terms of aims, affiliation, priorities and resources, during Phase 2, GBIF will work to strengthen the capabilities of its Nodes. These improvements are critical to be able to move swiftly and flexibly to take advantage of funding opportunities that arise, particularly those that can help meet the needs of key user groups.
