National Database on Biodiversity : a tool contributing to a better understanding of the flora and fauna of the Maltese Islands

Abstract

The National Database on Biodiversity (NDB) project was initiated in 1991 within the framework of the Biological Diversity and Genetic Resources Network of the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), in partnership with the Department of Biology of the University of Malta. This project is concerned with the collection and cataloguing of information on Maltese biodiversity and with making this information accessible to a wide range of potential users in the form of a computer database. In the pilot and building phases of the project, data on the flora and fauna of the Maltese Islands was structured in an appropriate format and a customised database with data entry, editing, management and querying facilities was created using Corel® Paradox® 8; the database currently holds some 450 species records and can be expanded to cover the entire range of MaItese species. The problems and opportunities in setting up such a database are discussed.