Corresponding author: Beata Bramorska (
Academic editor:
Poland is characterised by a relatively high variety of living organisms attributed to terrestrial and water environments. Currently, close to 57.000 species of living organisms are described that occur in Poland (
The Mammal Research Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences (MRI PAS), located in Białowieża Forest, a UNESCO Heritage Site, has been collecting biodiversity data for 90 years. However, a great amount of data gathered over the years, especially old data, is gradually being forgotten and hard to access. Old catalogues and databases have never been digitalized or publicly shared, and not many Polish scientists are aware of the existence of such resources, not to mention the rest of the scientific world.
Recognizing the need for an online, interoperable platform, following
The OFD platform is based entirely on reliable, globally recognized open source software: DATAVERSE, an interactive database app which supports sharing, storing, exploration, citation and analysis of scientific data; GEONODE, a content management geospatial system used for storing, publicly sharing and visualising vector and raster layers, GRAFANA, a system meant for storing and analysis of metrics and large scale measurement data, as well as visualisation of historical graphs at any time range and analysis for trends; and external tools for database storage (Orthanc) and data visualisation (Orthanc plugin Osimis Web Viewer and Online 3D Viewer (
Currently, OFD stores more than 10.000 datasets and objects from the collections of Mammal Research Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences and Forest Science Institute of Białystok University of Technology. The objects from natural collections were digitalized, described, catalogued and made public in free-access. OFD manages seven types of collection materials:
3D and 2D scans of specimen in Herbarium, Fungarium, Insect and Mammal Collections, images from microscopes (including stereoscopic and scanning electron microscopes), morphometric measurements, computed tomography and microtomography scans in Mammal Collection, mammal telemetry data, satellite imagery, geospatial climatic and environmental data, georeferenced historical maps.
In the OFD repository, researchers have the possibility to share data in standardized way, which nowadays is often a requirement during the publishing process of a scientific article. Beside scientists, OFD is designed to be open and free for students and specialists in nature protection, but also for officials, foresters and nature enthusiasts. Creation of the OFD repository supports the development of citizen science in Poland, increases visibility and access to published data, improves scientific collaboration, exchange and reuse of data within and across borders.
Beata Bramorska
TDWG 2021
This project received partial funding from Operational Programme Digital Poland.
Mammal Research Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences
This project received partial funding from Operational Programme Digital Poland.
e-Puszcza. Data repository for natural scientific data of Podlasie Voivodeship, Poland
Mammal Research Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences
Open Forest Data logo.