Functioning principles of the Belgian GBIF Node (BeBIF)
Mergen, P., Piette, D., Duflost, J., Wautelet, F. and Herzog, R., Belgian Biodiversity Information Facility (BeBIF), ULB CP 257, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium (http://www.be.gbif.net)The Belgian GBIF Node has been established in June 2002 and its developments at national level have been made in the framework of the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office initiative http://www.Biodiversity.be. To play its role as national and central gateway to expose "Belgian" biodiversity data to the worldwide GBIF network, BeBIF has developed several strategies and IT tools. An online Biodiversity information infrastructure has been set up. The talk will be explanation about how the Belgian node was set up, which strategies and IT technologies have been used, followed by an online demonstration of its developments.