EDIT WP6

Insect exemplar group

For the insect exemplar group there has been a dual approach to this deliverable. First: small expert networks focused on the production of web revisions were set up for Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) and Sciaroidea (Diptera). These networks are currently too small to justify the establishment of committees. Second: a workshop was held at the congress of the Societas Europaea Lepidopterologica (SEL) specifically for EDIT with the intention of starting a culture change for doing taxonomy in Europe across a major insect taxon [see report].

The deliverable has therefore been met in part: small taxa do have networks, but we preferred to take a broader approach to a very large and complex community (lepidopterists) better aligned with the culture change that EDIT is charged with encouraging, particularly in light of the Commission's emphasis on creating a durable and structural change in the taxonomic landscape.

Palm exemplar group

The Palm Exemplar Group works in close collaboration with the European Network of Palm Scientists (EUNOPS), an association established in 2001 that brings together over 70 palm researchers from several disciplines, including taxonomy, conservation, evolution and ecology. Several members of this network formed the start-up committee that provides regular advice to the exemplar group and has had a key role in defining Palmweb, the prototype portal created to deliver palm taxonomic and biodiversity content on the web.

In the last annual meeting of Eunops (Paris, June 2007), Palmweb was introduced to the broader community of the palm specialists. Currently a web site is being developed using a scratchpad in order to broadcast the work of the network, facilitate interaction among its members and obtain more feedback on the exemplar group developments.

The definition of the network organization will run parallel to the development of the mechanisms for online content contribution, but it is expected that the start-up committee will serve as the initial editorial board.

Cichorieae exemplar group

In February 2007, the Cichorieae exemplar group Berlin has launched the intiative of the "International Cichorieae Network". Nearly one hundred people actively working on parts of the group or related fields such as cytology, palynology or biochemistry were invited via e-mail to take part in this network. Until now, more than one third of them have responded positively and now constitute the core of the network. Communication within the network is via e-mail and via the website, hosted with the Cichorieae team at the BGBM. The site presently contains a webblog with actual news, a participants list, and a literature section with abstracts and links to electronically available new papers on Cichorieae.

The website content is currently managed by the network initiators. In our view, it is premature to further formalize the organization of the network by establishing committees before taxonomic content can be shown on the cyberplatform, which is currently under development by EDIT WP5.

Content: 10.10.2007