Global mountain biodiversity assessment coordination office 2014-2015
GMBA, founded in 2000, is the oldest and one of the most successful networks of the international biodiversity programme DIVERSITAS, covering all 4 DIVERSITAS core themes and projects (bioGENESIS, bioDISCOVERY, ecoSERVICES and bioSUSTAINABILITY) focussing on mountain ecosystems. Through meetings, reports, a newsletter, workshops to coordinate worldwide collaborative research, an experimental research network, e-mining of mountain biodiversity data for the open access GBIF database, internationally accepted research guidelines for specific fields, and 3 synthesis publications to date, GMBA has succeeded in creating a corporate identity and forum for mountain biodiversity researchers worldwide, under Swiss leadership. GMBA documents and synthesizes knowledge on mountain biodiversity, coordinates international efforts to understand the functional significance of mountain biodiversity, communicates these findings to international policy fora and interested institutions, and ensures that Swiss biodiversity researchers have access to international activities. It thus acts as a platform for international mountain biodiversity research.. The current network consists of about 500 researchers and policy makers who work in the field of mountain biodiversity in all major mountain regions of the world; more than 1000 members from 74 countries are subscribers.
The main products 2011-2014 will include:
•    Upgrading of the Global mountain biodiversity data portal to a “one-stop, open access shop” for Mountain Biodiversity Information, in collaboration with GBIF and Vizzuality;
•    GMBA will link the mountain biodiversity community and provide input for IPBES, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, e.g. through publications, network of experts, reviewers, etc.
•    Increase the amount and quality of mountain biodiversity data in GBIF, through training workshops, projects (e.g. SCOPES Georgia), partnerships (e.g ICIMOD Nepal, EURAC Italy…).