Redbioma—the Data Science Network for the Conservation of Mesoamerican Biodiversity—has launched a GBIF hosted portal to advance regional efforts to foster cross-border collaboration, promote free and open access to biodiversity data and strengthen capacity in data-driven biodiversity science across Central America and Mexico.
Redbioma emphasizes building technical skills and empowering local communities to use and apply innovative approaches that address biodiversity challenges in Mesoamerica. Coordinated by the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (ITCR), the network unites researchers and institutions from Mexico to Panama through prominent regional biodiversity institutions that include the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO, Mexico), the National Commission for Biodiversity Management (CONAGEBIO, Costa Rica), the National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP, Guatemala) and the Entomological Museum of León (Nicaragua).
The Redbioma portal currently helps users explore more than 94 million occurrence records across 1,100-plus datasets from nearly 200 institutions. The site also enables search and discovery of regional events and training courses as well as GBIF-enabled scientific and policy publications authored or co-written by researchers based in Mesoamerican institutions.
“As coordinators, we recognized a critical need to support data-driven decision-making in conservation efforts, particularly in a region as biodiverse and complex as Mesoamerica,” said María Auxiliadora Mora-Cross, professor at ITCR and former head of delegation and node manager for GBIF Costa Rica. “What makes the Redbioma portal especially important is its potential to strengthen regional capacity in data science while ensuring that biodiversity information is not only accessible, but useful for researchers, policymakers and local communities.”
Redbioma is part of the regional initiative “Strengthening Inclusive Science and Innovation Systems in Latin America,” led by the Central American Higher Education Council (CSUCA) and funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The project prioritizes equity and inclusion, with a strong focus on empowering women and vulnerable populations through access to training in biodiversity data science, programming and information technologies.
"Mesoamerica, a region of high biodiversity and a diverse cultural heritage, is uniquely positioned to benefit from sharing information on Mesoamerica species through the hosted portal," said Patricia Koleff of CONABIO and head of delegation for GBIF Mexico. "The Redbioma network can leverage collaboration to collectively strengthen information management and analysis capabilities towards innovative, ad hoc solutions for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem recovery and restoration, and their sustainable use."
By reducing data fragmentation and promoting open science in the region, the Redbioma portal aims to enhance regional collaboration, improve access to biodiversity information and reflect Mesoamerica’s growing leadership in open data and biodiversity informatics.
About GBIF hosted portals
Launched in 2022, the hosted portals programme leverages GBIF infrastructure to make it easier to present, explore and discover subsets of biodiversity data already available through the GBIF network. By offering a free, simple, branded and fully customizable website, the programme offers a scalable solution to support GBIF participants and other partners to visualize biodiversity data from and for their communities.