LifeWatch-ERIC

LifeWatch Portugal is managed by PORBIOTA. PORBIOTA is a Portuguese e-infrastructure consortium for storing and managing biodiversity data aimed at fostering a national agenda for biodiversity research, providing services and raising awareness of biodiversity. By fostering research into biodiversity, ecology and environmental sciences, it generates high-quality knowledge with which to meet societal challenges regarding environmental protection and sustainable development. The consortium includes national R&D centres, natural history museums, the Portuguese GBIF node, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) and national ICOS and LTER-related networks.

Download the leaflet to know more about LifeWatch Portugal.

PORBIOTA connects the main Portuguese research institutions working in biodiversity:
the Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (InBIO/CIBIO Associated Laboratory); Ce3c, LEAF-ISA and CEF-ISA, University of Lisbon; CESAM, University of Aveiro; MARE, University of Coimbra; Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo; and the three main natural history museums in the Network of Portuguese Natural History Museums, MUHNAC (University of Lisbon), MHNUC (University of Coimbra), MHNC (University of Porto).

It also includes the national governmental agency responsible for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use (ICNF), the Portuguese GBIF node and the Portuguese Ecological Society (SPECO). PORBIOTA is listed in the Portuguese Roadmap of Research Infrastructures of strategic interest, which includes LTER Portugal, ICOS Portugal and Azores BIOPORTAL.

PORBIOTA's action plan will contribute to the attainment of LifeWatch ERIC's key goals: 

Data source and infrastructure management; e-infrastructure specification, organisation and coordination; Inventory/registration of data sources/providers and gap analysis; Definition of requirements, guidelines and procedures for data modelling, transformation, integration and interoperability; Data science; e-infrastructure implementation, operation and maintenance; Mobilisation of biodiversity data; Development and implementation of a national monitoring system for data on genetics, species and ecosystem diversity; Data modelling for biodiversity and ecosystem research; Policy and communication management; Support for policy-making and management; Dissemination of research results; Advanced/technical training; and Outreach, with a special focus on citizen science.

On an Iberian level, the IBERLife/IBERGRID initiative will match actions and eco-regions, not restricted by political boundaries.