Corresponding author: Choki Gyeltshen (
Academic editor:
Biodiversity information and biorepositories in Bhutan were instituted in the 1990s, and have contributed towards biodiversity conservation efforts in the country including citizen-science initiatives. Bioinformatics in Bhutan is still in its initial stage, and some biorepositories have incorporated information systems for their collections. Some major biorepositories in the country include the
Biorepositories are one of the major sources of biodiversity data and information, where the
Other major information use and sharing systems related to biodiversity include
Citizen science initiatives in Bhutan are increasing annually with major participation from youths. The contribution from young people is playing a major role in biodiversity documentation and data use in the country. The most used applications include
Molecular data and information on species are limited in the country, however, through collaboration with international partners, some molecular information, especially for new species, is available to the public, through the use of
The country’s molecular information would be enhanced with the establishment of advanced molecular laboratories and capacities in bioinformatics. Advancements in bioinformatics would also contribute towards enhancing accessibility of specimen collections distributed around the country. Other major challenges include non-availability of experts in some taxonomic groups, especially for understudied groups. It is also imperative to have a coordination mechanism for sharing all data and information related to biodiversity, bringing in all the relevant national and international stakeholders.
Choki Gyeltshen
TDWG 2022
Authors declare no conflict of interest.
We would like to acknowledge National Biodiversity Centre and all our partners involved in biodiversity documentation.
Authors declare no conflict of interest.
All authors contributed equally