A data-hosting centre (DHC) can provide users with an account on their IPT installation, enabling you to manage your own datasets and publish them through GBIF.org.
Using a DHC is highly recommended, as it saves the time, expense and computing resources needed to set up your own self-hosted IPT installation. DHC users are also more likely to receive help desk support in your own language.
Please use this page to discover a trusted DHC by country or by theme that is right for you. If no appropriate DHC exists, or the DHC doesn't reply promptly to your enquiry, please contact the GBIF help desk for assistance.
Criteria for data-hosting centres
Centres must meet the following set of strict requirements to earn the privilege of being recommended to data publishers:
- Their IPT is online nearly 100 per cent of the time
- They can properly administer their IPT by
- Keeping it up-to-date with latest version
- Keeping the operating system and servlet container (if used) up-to-date
- Ensuring the IPT data directory is regularly backed up
- Managing user accounts
- Managing IPT cores and extensions
- They have a proven track-record of hosting data for publishers in their country
- They can provide prompt and knowledgeable help desk support:
- They know how to use the IPT to publish data through GBIF.org
- They know about biodiversity data standards in general
- They know how to publish data papers
If you host an IPT instance, believe your DHC meets these standards, and would like to offer your services to publishers in your country, please email helpdesk@gbif.org.
Data-hosting centres by theme
Freshwater data
Contact: -
Biofresh provides data hosting and help desk support to publishers of freshwater data around the globe on the Biofresh IPT, which is hosted by the Belgium Biodiversity Platform.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Biofresh is an EU-funded international project that aims to build a global information platform for scientists and ecosystem managers with access to all available databases describing the distribution, status and trends of global freshwater biodiversity. BioFresh integrates the freshwater biodiversity competencies and expertise of 19 research institutions.
Marine data
Contact: -
The Ocean Biodiversity Information System or OBIS provides help desk and hosting support to publishers of marine data around the globe. EurOBIS, based at the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), hosts multiple IPT installations on behalf of various OBIS Nodes.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Vertebrate data
Contact: David Bloom
VertNet provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers of vertebrate specimen and observation data on the VertNet IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Data-hosting centres by location
- Belgium
- Canada*
- Colombia*
- Denmark
- Finland
- France (also providing services to Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Uganda)
- Norway
- Portugal
- South Africa
- Spain*
- Sweden
- Taiwan
- United States
* designates the availability of an IPT that serves as a repository and can assign DOIs® to datasets
Belgium
Contact: André Heughebaert
Belgian Biodiversity Platform
The Belgian Biodiversity Platform provides helpdesk support to publishers in Belgium and hosting support for datasets on the Belgian BIF IPT. The Belgian Biodiversity Platform shares their IPT with the following organizations:
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
- University of Liège
- Botanical Garden Meise
- Service Public de Wallonie – Département d’Etude du Milieu Naturel et Agricole (SPW – DEMNA)
- University of Mons-Hainaut
- Université Libre de Bruxelles
- The AfricaMuseum
- Ghent University
- Natagriwal
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp
The Belgian Biodiversity Platform also hosts three more separate IPTs:
Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO)
The Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) also provides IPT hosting support for datasets originating from the Flemish region. The INBO is sharing their IPT instance with these organizations:
Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)
The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) hosts a server with multiple IPT installations for its own data, OBIS & EMODnet Biology. Publishers of marine data should refer to the section Marine data.
Canada
Contact: Canadensys
The Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility (CBIF) does not run an IPT, so new data publishers from Canada are encouraged to contact Canadensys, which provides help desk and hosting support for datasets on the Canadensys IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Colombia
Contact: SiB Colombia
The Colombian Biodiversity Information System (SiB Colombia) provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in Colombia on their IPTs.
The SiB Colombia installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Denmark
Contact: DanBIF
The Danish Biodiversity Information Facility (DanBIF) provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in Denmark on the DanBIF IPT
This repository is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Finland
Contact: FinBIF
The Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF) provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in Finland on their data bank.
This repository is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
France
Contact: GBIF France
GBIF France provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in each of the following countries and institutions:
- GBIF Benin IPT
- Botswana IPT
- Burkina Faso IPT
- Burundi IPT
- GBIF Cameroon IPT
- Côte d'Ivoire IPT
- GBIF France IPT
- Gabon IPT
- Ghana BIF IPT
- GBIF Guinea IPT
- INPN IPT
- MadBIF IPT (Madagascar)
- GBIF Nigeria IPT
- Senegal IPT
- GBIF Togo IPT
- GBIF Uganda IPT
The GBIF France IPT is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Please contact dev@gbif.fr for technical issues.
Norway
Contact: GBIF Norway
GBIF Norway provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in Norway on the GBIF Norway IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Portugal
Contact: GBIF Portugal
GBIF Portugal provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in Portugal on the GBIF Portugal IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
South Africa
Contact: f.ramwashe@sanbi.org.za
The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in South Africa on the SANBI IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Spain
Contact: GBIF Spain
GBIF Spain provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in Spain on the GBIF Spain IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Sweden
Contact: Anders Telenius
GBIF Sweden provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in Sweden on the GBIF Sweden IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
Taiwan
Contact: Melissa Liu
The Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility (TaiBIF) provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in Taiwan on the TaiBIF IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
United States
GBIF-US (U.S. Geological Survey)
Contact: gbif-us@usgs.gov
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in the United States on the GBIF-US IPT.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
The USGS also hosts these additional IPT resources:
- Ocean Biodiversity Information System USA (OBIS-USA)
- Non-indigenous Aquatic Species (NAS)
iDigBio
Contact: data@idigbio.org
The iDigBio IPT provides help desk and hosting support for datasets from new publishers in the United States as well as data-publishing resources for mobilization support.
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.
VertNet
Contact: David Bloom
VertNet provides help desk support to publishers of vertebrate data, who can refer to the section above on Vertebrate data
This installation is listed in FAIRsharing.org, a resource that many journals refer authors to in hope of ensuring that the standardized, domain-specific data underlying scientific publications is deposited in a suitable and stable repository.