Digitized biodiversity data under the DiSSCo-BG project have been shared in an open and standardized format to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility — GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility).
The National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, as part of the Bulgarian Taxonomic Consortium and one of the participants in the DiSSCo-BG project, has published over 26 615 records on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility — GBIF website by the end of 2024, of which 11 416 are from museum collections, and the rest — from biodiversity monitoring projects and scientific publications. The following collections have been published so far: Bird Osteological Collection — 3 944 specimens and 1 042 images, Vascular Plants — 4 791 specimens and 699 images, Lichenological collection — 3 342 specimens and 54 images. The publication of collections on the gbif.org website is done through regular automatic export of data in the form of Darwin Core Archive from the DiSSCo-BG database in Specify 7.
The publication of collections on GBIF is important for several key reasons:
1. Increases the visibility and accessibility of data
By publishing on GBIF, collections and monitoring data become available to the global scientific community and other interested parties — in a standard format that facilitates their integration with data from other sources. This increases their use for scientific research, educational purposes and nature conservation projects.
2. Compliance with the FAIR principles
Good practices in science and funding instruments require compliance with the principles of so-called FAIR principles: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reproducible.
3. Contribution to global biodiversity databases
GBIF brings together information on biodiversity from all over the world. The inclusion of Bulgarian biological collections expands the geographical and taxonomic scope of the database, thus enriching global knowledge about biodiversity.
4. Support for scientific research
Data from biological collections can be used for:
— Studies of evolutionary and biogeographic processes.
— Analysis of changes in biodiversity over time.
— Assessment of the impact of climate change and human activity on nature.
5. Encourage collaboration
Publishing on gbif.org encourages collaboration between researchers and institutions around the world. The collections become part of a global network, facilitating information exchange and pooling researchers’ efforts.
6. Improving collections management
The process of digitization and publishing on gbif.org requires systematization and updating of data. This leads to better management of the collections and ensures their long-term preservation and usability.
7. Implementation in biodiversity conservation
Species distribution data based on collection specimens can be used to:
— Assess the status of endangered species.
— Develop habitat and species conservation strategies.
— Support informed management decisions.