Pl@ntMedit: a collaborative network for the Mediterranean flora

Both global food and biodiversity extinction crisis imply the need for a substantial increased plant knowledge and data accessibility. A scientific and associative consortium funded by the French "Agropolis Fondation" has proposed the Pl@ntNet project as a collaborative network integrating solutions to overcome this alarming situation at global level. Pl@ntMedit is one of the case studies of this project, focusing on the circum-Mediterranean flora (more than 30.000 species or subspecies). Currently our principal objective is to reinforce trans-Mediterranean partnership through the constitution of working groups. Their aim is to focus on specific actions about Maghrebian and western-Mediterranean floras. Groups will work simultaneously with a common taxonomical referential, e.g. "Synonymic and bibliographic index of North-African flora" by Alain Dobignard (in press…). Current actions are : - Chorological portal: for each taxa, phytogeographical and grid-based maps with citizen participation (input / outpout) - Herbaria inventory: plant checklist of each herbarium, collection data and numerical view of each specimen - Photo gallery: for each taxa, general view and detailed view of organs (including variability) - Species traits: biological traits of taxa (biogeography, dispersion, longevity, phenology, pollination, etc.) All kind of data can be stored in the Pl@ntNote database software or in other compatible systems as well. The data collected will be compiled in the Pl@ntNet project website and/or in the E-Flore application of the Tela Botanica website. This case study is an opportunity to develop new IDAO applications (computer-assisted identification, AMAP), to adapt Carnet en Ligne (online field note-book for botanists, Tela Botanica) for north-African countries, and to test the IKONA software (image-based recognition, INRIA) for newbotanicalapplications