Project Support

The framework and majority of software development for the Symbiota Virtual Biota Software Project has been financially supported by several the National Science Foundation (NSF) grants. A significant portion of development has also been preformed in collaboration with several partnerships. Using an open source development model, several projects have taken the lead to develop particular modules in a manner that makes the new features available to the greater portal community.

Direct NFS Support

• Networking Our Research Legacy: Infrastructure to Document, Manage, and Access Ecological Data Resources
  • Active 1999-2003 (ABI-9983132)
  • Supplied initial support for the creation of the SEINet specimen search engine in 2001, which was the original prototype that later developed into the Symbiota Software project
• Symbiota, A Virtual Flora Model for the Southwestern United States
  • Active 2008-2012 (ABI-0743827)
  • Primary support for the development to an interactive Biodiversity Content Management System

Secondary Development from Project (Portal) Specific NSF Support

• Collaborative Research: Expanding SEINet
  • Active 2009-2012 HR-0847966
  • Image and digitize thousands of specimens collected within Sonoran Desert Region
• Digitization TCN Collaborative Research: North American Lichens and Bryophytes: Sensitive Indicators of Environmental Quality and Change
  • Active 2011-2015 (DGM-1115116)
  • Image and digitize the label information for approximately 2.3 million biological specimens curated in North American lichen and bryophyte herbaria

Partnerships

Current development focuses on the creation and expansion of various data management features and modules so that they are fully integrated within the software framework. Collaborative development using open-source philosophy ensures the greater community will benefit from the new and improved features. Below lists some of the partners that have supported software development and code submission within the Symbiota code repository.

• Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS) at Arizona State University: Project and server support since the project initial began in 2000.
• Arizona State University Herbarium (ASU): Long-term data support for the SEINet data portal. Financial support for the development and co-development of several specimen management interfaces (batch georeferencing, specimen editing, etc).
• University of Arizona Herbarium (ARIZ): Financial support for the development and co-development of several specimen management interfaces (specimen loan and exchange modules, label printing, specimen management etc)
• Intermountain Herbarium (UTC): Expansion and improvement of various specimen management modules

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