GBIF Portugal has joined the pilot phase of the new Metabarcoding Data Programme, an initiative launched by the GBIF Secretariat to strengthen connections between the GBIF network and DNA metabarcoding communities worldwide. At the heart of this programme is the Metabarcoding Data Toolkit (MDT), a tool designed to standardize the publication of biodiversity data derived from metabarcoding studies. By taking part in this pilot, GBIF Portugal is helping test and refine the MDT, ensuring that it meets the needs of researchers and data providers in the field of environmental DNA (eDNA).
During the pilot phase, GBIF Portugal will work with its network of metabarcoding data holders, particularly BIOPOLIS-CIBIO, to format and publish datasets through GBIF.org, while providing feedback to the GBIF Secretariat on the tool’s performance and usability. This collaboration also involves participation in quarterly webinars and contribution to the improvement of training materials and workflows that will support the broader adoption of the MDT across the GBIF network.
The programme’s overall goal is to empower GBIF nodes to mobilize DNA metabarcoding data more effectively and to integrate these datasets into global biodiversity infrastructures. Through its involvement, GBIF Portugal is playing a key role in ensuring that Portuguese metabarcoding data are made accessible, standardized, and discoverable, contributing to better-informed research and decision-making in biodiversity conservation and management.
- Learn more about the Metabarcoding Data Programme.
- User guide of the MDT
- Portuguese instance of the mdt.gbif.pt.