Anais 4º Simpósio de Geotecnologias no Pantanal, Bonito, MS, 20-24 de outubro 2012 Embrapa Informática Agropecuária/INPE, p. 1252 1252 -1258 Distributing biodiversity data through the web: The Geospatial Center for Biodiversity in Bolivia Humberto L. Perotto-Baldivieso 1 Kathia Rivero 2 Jesus Pinto-Ledezma 2 Andrew B. Gill 1 1 Department of Environmental Science and Technology Cranfield University Cranfield, MK43 0AL United Kingdom h.perotto@cranfield.ac.uk 2 Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado Universidad Autónoma Gabriel Rene Moreno Avenida Irala 565 Santa Cruz, Bolivia Abstract: Current and future biodiversity management requires understanding properly its status and to that end information availability is of vital importance. In Bolivia, significant research has documented its extensive biological resources. However, major challenges exist for the assimilation, spatial interpretation and dissemination of the data, as well as the access to outputs, particularly for research, education, stakeholders and the general public. The Geospatial Centre for Biodiversity (GCB) aims to collect, assimilate, synthesize, distribute, and disseminate spatially explicit information and scientifically robust biodiversity knowledge to students, policy-makers, and the public to promote the sustainable management of Bolivia’s biodiversity as a Natural Capital. The Centre is composed by three main portals: The Biodiversity Data Entry System (BDES), the Biodiversity Science Portal (BSP), and the Education and Outreach Portal (EOP). These portals are built around the taxonomic collections of the Museum of Natural History “Noel Kempff Mercado”. Partners and collaborators have access to upload spatial and non-spatial information to the portal (BDES). Scientists, researchers and university students can download information related to different species, instructional videos and manuals from the databases, which are all appropriate for use in research (BSP). Finally, the EOP disseminates information via a WebGIS portal, with a number of customized functions with user-friendly interface aiming to a wider range of people. The structure of the GCB is fully interlinked so updates are available at all levels, ensuring that the biodiversity portal is constantly actualized Key Words: Biodiversity; Bolivia; geospatial technologies; open access software.