World Conservation Monitoring Centre's East Africa Biodiversity Metadatabase catalogs sources and types of biodiversity information for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The project launched in 1992, collecting data via 350 completed questionnaires from over 100 institutions within the region and more than 1000 outside it. It was a collaborative effort between IUCN, WCMC, and national institutions, funded by the European Commission and UN agencies.
Use Cases
- Analyze taxonomic_coverage and geographic_coverage fields to identify gaps in biodiversity data for specific species or regions.
- Use the institution_name and information_type fields to map the network of organizations holding biodiversity data for conservation planning.
- Leverage the questionnaire_entry catalogue to assess the volume and diversity of data sources available for sustainable development research.
Strengths
- Systematic survey of over 100 institutions within East Africa and outreach to more than 1000 institutions globally.
- 350 completed questionnaires provide a substantive sample of metadata entries.
Limitations
- Data is from a 1992 survey, making it temporally stale for current biodiversity assessments.
- Sample size of 350 returned questionnaires is limited relative to the total outreach pool.
Provenance
- Source
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Africa (EARO), and national institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- Collection Method
- Data collected via standardized questionnaires administered through face-to-face interviews, mailings, and a global electronic bulletin board.
- Time Range
- Survey conducted starting in 1992.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda (East Africa).