Caribbean Encyclopaedia of Biodiversity 

Departmento Botanica at the Jardin Botanico Nacional, Departmento de Entomologia at the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Fundación Ecológica Punta Cana, Punta Cana Center for Sustainable Tourism and Biodiversity Laboratory, Department of Invertebrate Systematics at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Department of Entomology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, Department of Systematic Biology at the Smithsonian Institution and Conservation International

Departmento Botanica at the Jardin Botanico Nacional, Departmento de Entomologia at the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Fundación Ecológica Punta Cana, Punta Cana Center for Sustainable Tourism and Biodiversity Laboratory, Department of Invertebrate Systematics at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Department of Entomology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, Department of Systematic Biology at the Smithsonian Institution and Conservation International

Argos based satellite tracking device

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Caribbean Insects

Hispaniola is the least known, and yet probably most biodiverse, island in the Caribbean – the region of which is in the top 4 of 25 Biodiversity Hotspots. The ultimate goal is to develop an integrative, comprehensive online encyclopaedia of biodiversity of Hispaniola that serves research, conservation and educational needs. Through the setting up of bioinformatic centres it is aimed that Dominican scientists and institutions are strengthened and provide documentation of best practices for use in other countries.

Bioinformatics centres have been set up in Hispaniola at the Jardin Botanico Nacional, Departmento de Entomologia at the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural and the Punta Cana Center for Sustainable Tourism and Biodiversity Laboratory.  Activities include 1) Complete documentation of native and invasive insect and plant species diversity in Hispaniola via barcoding and imaging specimens in the Dominican National Collections and specimens newly sampled from the National Parks for the database served on the internet; and 2) Continually improving the standard of georeferencing and the accuracy in taxonomy and coverage of diversity in the database in a way consistent with the grants that initiated and maintain the centres.

• The initiative strengthens national institutions and provides a global community with the knowledge of this endangered biota and more.
• The encyclopaedia serves as a reservoir of information on known species, with at present 7,000 species of plants and 5,000 species of insects described.  Permits identifications of insects via high-resolution images in a searchable database and in downloadable field guides.
• The encyclopaedia includes a comprehensive bibliography of primary taxonomic literature on Caribbean insects.
• The encyclopaedia provides high resolution digital images of the type specimens (the first specimens described for a new species, often crucial for identification) of Caribbean insects from the Museum of Comparative Zoology and several other important national collections to aid researchers in this biodiversity hotspot.

• A projected database of over 200,000 insect species, some four times the number in the Dominican National Insect Collections today. 
• The encyclopaedia can also serve to initiate new research in species that have not been described yet.
• Establishing a Biodiversity Corps for an inventory of the flora and fauna, capture of images and distributional data for field guides, posters and maps to be distributed to the schools and orphanages.
• To encourage substantial participation of additional partners or members with the establishment of additional CCB centres in the DR and in Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Cuba.

The most important lesson is that the high resolution images produced drive the project. They are relatively cheap and easy to produce by nationals in country, helping to build capacity. Because they come from specimens prepared for the museums, they are vouchered and reflect a growing national inventory, a point of pride. They also lend value to the national collections and connect the national parks with collections and educational institutions in a mutually reinforcing triangle of relationships.

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