Network of Biological Collections of Paraná State – Taxonline
The Taxonline Project – Network of Biological Collections of Paraná State started in December 2005 and is mainly characterized by the computerization and availability of data from biological collections on the internet. The transfer of data from each biological specimen to a computer storage system is the essential initial step in making the immense amount of information in the collections accessible and capable of being transformed into useful products for society. With its growth, the Network started to have a greater involvement of the curators and, nowadays, it comprises a large group of institutions and researchers with common goals that go beyond the computerization of its collections.
The implantation of the Taxonline Project was initially funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and comprised nine botanical and zoological collections in the Paraná State. From August 2008 to the end of 2010, the Project received additional funds from the State Department of Science and Technology (SETI) to include in the Network the collections of the State University of Maringá (UEM) and State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG), which initially were not integrants of the Network.
In 2013, the Taxonline Network underwent another expansion process to embrace collections of biological cultures, including collections of microbial cultures, with the creation of the first Center for Collections of Biological Cultures in the State of Paraná. At this stage, the Network was awarded funds from the Foundation for Research Support of the Paraná State (Araucaria Foundation), followed by further support from the CNPq and the Financier of Studies and Projects (FINEP).
At the end of 2013, the Taxonline Network became part of the Brazilian Biodiversity Information System – SIBBR (http://www.sibbr.gov.br/) e Global Biodiversity Information Facility (http://www.gbif.org). Recently, through an initiative from the Araucaria Foundation, the Taxonline Network was recognized as a New Research and Innovation Arrangement (NAPI).
