AlgaeBase (http://www.algaebase.org) is a web-searchable store of information on those protists generally considered to be algae. Access is free and some 10,000 browser searches on average now take place each month. The database was established in 1996 and at first only included seaweeds. Its main function at this time was as a catalog of the marine algae of Europe for the European Union-funded BioMar and European Register of Marine Species (ERMS) projects, and for the recently published Atlas and Check-list of the Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland. The data are now being extended to cover all algae. Over 50,000 names, of which about half are presently accepted species names, are now included, together with the names of some 3500 genera, about 3000 common names, approximately 700 pictures, and in excess of 28,000 literature references. URL-based links from a number of other databases including the Species 2000 Annual Check-list, BIOSIS, GenBank, and Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota have been implemented. It is intended to initiate similar connections from new initiatives such as EuroCat and SPICE, and a number of other global biodiversity databases. As part of a further EU-funded project, SeaweedAfrica (http://www.seaweedafrica.org), AlgaeBase is being completely rewritten as an SQL database with a browser-enabled interface, enabling access by a panel of taxonomic experts. AlgaeBase hopes thereby to continue to provide high-quality access to community-serviced data in the best traditions of the Internet. |
