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What is Species.ie?

Species.ie is a database of Irish living organisms developed at NUI Galway as part of the Biochange project funded by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency. It is currently (February 2010) in an early stage of development, although more than 16,000 species have now been added. Presently, the database includes a preliminary set of reasonably complete data on seaweeds, flowering plants, birds, and marine vertebrates and invertebrates together with some sources, references, distributional data and other information. Incomplete entries include freshwater algae and terrestrial fungi and lichens. The database will eventually will include conservation status, ecological preferences and taxonomy. It is hoped that these data will be of use to professional and amateur scientists and naturalists alike. It is intended eventually to provide information on a county by county basis for use by county environmental officers and by conservationists. Mapping will be added when funding becomes available.

The database is being updated continuously by Sarah Cosgrove, Stephen Cusack, Meadhbh Moriarty, Dermot Ryan, and Annette Wilson, all students of Marine Science at the Martin Ryan Institute, NUI, Galway. Louise Scalley provided some pictures, and Wendy and Mike Guiry provided data and pictures.

Species data can be searched by clicking on the categories above, but be aware that mistakes in spellings of and indeed typing of Latin names can easily be made and it is sometimes a good idea to type in the first four letters of the genus name, a space and then the first four letters of the species name.

Another initiative of the Biochange project is a database of alien plants developed by the participants. This can be found at www.biochange.ie and each non-native species included here is linked to the Alien Plants database.

Michael Guiry, National University of Ireland, Galway

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Click on picture below for larger version.

Epilobium angustifolium Kilreaney Woods, Moycullen, Co. Galway; woodland path