Operational objective 4. Within the major thematic work programmes of the Convention include key taxonomic objectives to generate information needed for decision-making in conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and its components

Release date	14/02/2006

Note: studies and inventories are given as examples to the questions below. Their aim is to illustrate the diversity of the Belgian contribution to the Convention's work programmes, not to give an exhaustive overview of Belgium's taxonomy-related research. Fore more information, please consult the following databases: Biodiversity Resources in Belgium (http://www.br.fgov.be/biodiv/) and Integrated Marine Information System 2 (http://www.vliz.be/Vmdcdata/imis2/).

For questions 8-18, the following abbreviations are used: CLO: Ghent Agricultural Research Centre - CRNFB: Research Centre for Nature, Forests and Wood of the Walloon Region - FuSaGx: Gembloux Agricultural Faculty - FUL: University Foundation Luxembourg (now part of ULg) - FUNDP: University of Namur - IBW: Flemish Institute for Forest and Game Management - IN: Flemish Institute for Nature Conservation - KULeuven: Catholic University of Leuven - LUC: Limburg University Centre - MUMM: Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (now a RBINS department) - NBGB: National Botanic Garden of Belgium - RBINS: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences - RMCA: Royal Museum for Central Africa - UA: University of Antwerp - UCL: Catholic University of Louvain - UGent: Ghent University - ULB: Free University of Brussels-ULB - UMH: University of Mons - VLIZ: Flanders Marine Institute - VUB: Free University of Brussels-VUB

8. Has your country made any taxonomic studies and inventories at the national level, which provide a basic assessment of forest biological diversity, in particular in areas under current threat for habitat conversion, or of high conservation value?
a) No (please provide the reasons)
b) no, but some programmes are under development
c) yes, some studies and inventories made (please provide details)
d) yes, comprehensive studies and inventories made (please provide details)	X

Further comments on taxonomic studies and inventories made for a basic assessment of forest biological diversity

Some research projects (listed alphabetically by titles, non exhaustive list): 

• Biodiversity of fishes in Gabon rainforest, 1998-2002, RMCA
• Biodiversity of litter ant communities of the Ceará (Brazil), 2001-, ULB
• Botanical biodiversity of inselbergs from continental Equatorial Guinea, Central Africa, 1999-, ULB
• Calculating the biodiversity of regions in tropical Africa by means of the moth fauna (Lepidoptera), 1993-, RMCA
• Check-list and redlist of macrofungi in Flanders, 1998-, UGent
• Chorology, taxonomy and systematics of european native orchidaceae, 1970- UCL
• Ecology of Acari (Arachnida) and Collembola (Insecta) in soil and canopy in African habitats, ongoing, RMCA
• Ecology of ground beetles (Coleoptera) in forests in Flanders (Belgium), ongoing, UA, RBINS, IN, IBW, UGent
• Evolutionary biology, taxonomy and biogeography of termites in South America and Papua New Guinea, 1982-, ULB, RBINS
• Ex situ conservation of rare and endangered vascular plant species in Belgium, 2000-, NBGB
• Faunistic study of terrestrial organisms in the Comoro archipelago with emphasis on bird population studies, ongoing, RMCA
• Faunistic, synecological and zoogeographical study of the spiders (Araneae) of Belgium, 1974-, RBINS
• Faunistics of various insect groups and terrestrial molluscs in Belgium, RBINS
• Forest inventory of the Flemish Region (vascular plants, bryophytes), 1996-2000, NBBG
• Identification keys to African spider families and subfamilies (1993-1997) and genera (1997-), RMCA
• Identification of lignified tissues by its anatomical characteristics, ongoing, RMCA
• Integrating bryophytes in the forest management plan: lessons from a grid-mapping in the Forest of Soignes (Belgium), ?-2001, ULg
• Levels and dynamics of intra-specific genetic diversity of tropical trees for conservation and sustainable management, 1997-2001, EU project, Flanders Inter-university Institute for biotechnology
• Phylogeny of the flowering plants with special emphasis on Gentianales, Dipsacales, Ericales and Dioscoreales, 1981-, KULeuven
• Revision of Aspleniaceae (Pteridophyta), ongoing, UGent
• Seed bank of wild plants specific for the phytogeographical districts of Belgium, 1989-, NBGB
• Silviculture and biodiversity of Scots pine forests in Europe, 1997-2000, EU project, UGent
• Study of the diversity of various insect communities in tropical environments, rainforests in particular, ongoing, RBINS
• Study of the spider fauna with respect to the restoration of tropical rainforest in Ivory Coast, 1993-, RMCA
• Systematics and ecology of Basidiomycetes, in particular the Gasteromycetes and lignicolous fungi, in Europe and Papua-New Guinea, ongoing, ULg
• Systematics and taxonomy of groups of macrofungi in tropical South-East Asia, 2000?, UGent
• Systematics, taxonomy, ecology and ethnomycology of macromycetes (Fungi) of tropical Africa, 1997-, NBGB, UGent
• Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of several (20+) genera in the family Cyperaceae, 1974-, UGent
• Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of the genus Peperomia worldwide, 2002-, UGent
• Taxonomic revision of the flora of Central and West Africa: Convolvulaceae, Orchidaceae, Poaceae, Marantaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Eriocaulaceae, Burseraceae, Anthericaceae, ongoing, ULB
• Taxonomy and phylogeny of birds in central and West Africa, 1974-, RMCA
• Taxonomy and systematics of reptiles and amphibians of tropical forests, ongoing, RBINS
• Taxonomy of orchids and other monocotyledons in Central Africa, ongoing, NBGB
• Taxonomy of various groups of insects in Africa (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera), ongoing, RMCA- Woodland bryophytes of lowland Belgium, 1997-2000, NBGB
• XYLOBIOS: Diversity, ecology and roles of saproxylic organisms in Belgian deciduous forests, 2000-2005, CRNFB, FuSaGx, UCL, RBINS

9. Has your country undertaken any taxonomy-related activities relating to marine and coastal biodiversity, in particular taxonomic work related to identification of ballast water organisms and monitoring health of mangrove systems through their invertebrate fauna?
a) No
b) not applicable
c) no, but some programmes are under development
d) yes, some activities undertaken (please provide details)
e) yes, many measures undertaken (please provide details)	X

Further comments on taxonomy-related activities identified in the programme of work on marine and coastal biodiversity

Some research projects (listed alphabetically by titles, non exhaustive list): 

• Belgian shipwrecks: hotspots for marine biodiversity (BEWREMABI project), 2003-2006, UCL, UGent, RBINS, RBINS-MUMM, VLIZ 
• Biodiversity and taxonomy of marine alien species, ongoing, RBINS-MUMM- Biodiversity of 3 representative groups of the Antarctic Zoobenthos (BIANZO), 2002-2006, RBINS, ULB, ULg, UGent
• Biodiversity of crustacean taxocoenoses in the Southern Ocean, 1996-2000, RBINS
• Biodiversity of microbial mats in Antarctica, 1998-2001, EU project, ULg
• Biogeography and systematics of Halymeniaceae in the Indian Ocean, 2000-2003, UGent
• Biology of marine organisms in the Indian Ocean, 1992-1995, UGent, VUB, LUC, KULeuven
• Biology of Sponge Natural Products, 1998-2001, EU project, ULB
• Changes in Bacterial Diversity and Activity in Mediterranean Coastal Waters as Affected by Eutrophication, 1996-1999, EU project, ULB
• Commercial fish and European estuaries - priorities for management and research, EU project, 1996-1999, UGent
• Crustacea from the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), 1995-, RBINS
• Ecological research on Diptera in the Belgian coastal dunes, ongoing, RBINS
• European Marine Genetic Diversity (EUMAR), 2002-2004, EU project, RBINS
• European microbiology of particulate systems, EU project, 1994-1996, ULg
• Implementation and networking of large-scale long-term marine biodiversity research in Europe (BIOMARE), 2000-2002, EU project, UGent
• Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (MARBEF), 2004-2008, UGent, VLIZ
• Marine ostracods of a coral island in Papua New Guinea, 1999-2002, KULeuven
• Microphytobenthos on the Belgian coast and the Scheldt estuary: a systematic-ecological study, 1991-1993, UGent
• Molecular diversity of marine invertebrates, 2000-2004, UGent
• Molecular phylogeny of invertebrates, 1994-1999, UA, UGent, RBINS
• Molecular systematics and phylogeny of holothuroids, 2000-2002, VUB
• Morphology, taxonomy, phylogeny and systematics of marine freeliving Nematoda, ongoing, RBINS
• Study of Diatoms and Desmidiaceae of Papua New Guinea, 1990-1993, UGent
• Systematic study of algae, fungi, plants and invertebrates in the Indo-Pacific Region, 1996-1999, UGent, RBINS
• Systematic-ecological study of the intertidal microphytobenthos, 1993-1995, UGent
• Systematics and evolutionary biology of marine macro-algae in the Indo-Pacific Region, 2001-2004, UGent
• Taxonomic and ecological research on the plankton communities of Papua New Guinea and Australia, 1993-1996, UGent
• Taxonomic database of the North Sea meiofauna, 2001-2002, UGent
• Taxonomic, phylogenetic and biogeographic studies of Plantae, Fungi and Protoctista, 1998-2000, UGent
• Taxonomy and sustainable use of Holothuroidea in the Comoros, RMCA, RBINS
• Taxonomy and zoogeography of holothuroids, 1985-, RBINS
• Taxonomy of Bacillariophyta, Nematoda, Crustacea, Rotifera, 2000-2003, UGent, RBINS
• Taxonomy, ecology and anatomy of selected Gastropoda in Papua New Guinea, ongoing, RBINS
• Taxonomy, phylogeography, population and eco-genetics of European marine and terrestrial molluscs, ongoing, RBINS
• Use of sclerosponges as biorecorders of environmental changes, ongoing, RBINS

10. Has your country developed taxonomic support for implementing relevant actions identified in the programme of work on dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity, in particular identification of key indicator taxa like lichens?
a) No (please provide reasons and plans for improvement)
b) not applicable
c) no, but some programmes are under development
d) yes, some activities undertaken(please provide details)	X
e) yes, many activities undertaken (please provide details)

Further comments on taxonomic support for implementing the programme of work on dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity

Some research projects (listed alphabetically by titles, non exhaustive list):

• A world monograph of the lichen genus Gyalectidium (Gomphillaceae), published 2001, ULg
• Diversity patterns of organisms in ephemeral rock pools in arid regions in USA, Botswana and Australia, 2003-, KULeuven
• Diversity patterns of organisms in ephemeral wetlands in South Africa, 2003-, KULeuven
• Ethnobotanical survey of the Namib desert, 1991-1992, UGent
• Flora and vegetation of the deserts of Iran, 1972-1992, NBGB
• Mycorrhizal symbiosis of trees, mainly in Europe and Africa, 1968-, FUL
• Non-marine Ostracoda (Crustacea) of southern Africa, 1987-, RBINS
• Plant and insect diversity and ecological relationships in Western Mediterranean area (Calypso project), 1993-1998, FuSaGx, ULB, ULg, UMH
• Plant diversity in grassland and on field margins in Tunisia, 1996-2005, UGent
• Taxonomy and cladistics of spiders (Araneae), mainly from Africa, 1984-, independent expert at RMCA
• Taxonomy and eco-geography of lichenised and lichenicolous fungi, ongoing, ULg
• Taxonomy and ecological biogeography of large branchiopods (Crustacea) from ephemeral pools in arid and semi-arid areas, 1987 - , KUleuven
• Taxonomy, behaviour and rearing of mites (Acari) associated with stored seeds in northern Iran , 1997-2000, RBINS

11. Has your country developed taxonomic support for implementing relevant actions identified in the programme of work on inland waters biodiversity, in particular regional guides to freshwater fish and invertebrates as an input to ecosystem monitoring for river and lake health?
a) No
b) no, but some programmes are under development
c) yes, some activities undertaken(please provide details)
d) yes, many activities undertaken (please provide details)	X

Further comments on taxonomic support for the implementation of the programme of work on inland waters biodiversity

Some research projects (listed alphabetically by titles, non exhaustive list):

• Biodiversity and human impact in shallow lakes, 2000-2003, EU project, KULeuven, UGent
• Biodiversity of fishes in Gabon rainforest, 1998-2002, RMCA
• Biodiversity of microbial mats in Antarctica, 1998-2001, EU project, ULg
• Biodiversity of the freshwater and brackish water fish fauna from Cameroon, 1993-1997, RMCA
• Biodiversity, taxonomy and biogeography of rotifers (Rotifera), ongoing, RBINS
• Biodiversity, taxonomy and phylogeny of catfishes from Africa and SE Asia, 1997-2002, RMCA
• Database of freshwater molluscs in Belgium, 1989-, RBINS
• Diversity and speciation of Ostracoda (Crustacea) in ancient lakes, 1990-, RBINS
• East African fish diversity project, 1999-2004, RMCA
• Ecology and faunistics of Chironomidae (Diptera, Insecta), 1976-, RBINS
• Fish biodiversity in the coastal zone in West Africa, 2000-2002, RMCA
• Fish biodiversity on Mayotte island, 1993-2001, RMCA
• Freshwater algae of Belgium, ongoing, NBGB- Freshwater algae of tropical regions, ongoing, NBGB
• Lake Baïkal (Chironomidae, Oligochaeta, Amphipoda, etc.), 1990-, RBINS
• Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa Biodiversity Conservation Project, 1996-2000, RMCA
• Morphology and systematics of copepods (Crustacea) of Belgium, 1988-, RBINS
• Multidisciplinary research on the diversity of fishes from the Congo Basin; the fishes of the Lower Congo and the Malebo Pool, 2004-2008, RMCA
• Protocols for the Assessment and Conservation of Aquatic Life In the Subsurface (PASCALIS), 2002-2004, EU project, RBINS
• Structure and functioning of aquatic communities in inland waters in USA, Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Bolivia and Australia, ongoing, KULeuven
• Study of aquatic bryophytes for the survey and monitoring of water quality, ongoing, ULg
• Support to the Population Biology Laboratory of the Marien Ngouabi University in Brazaville for the study of biodiversity and conservation of freshwater fishes of Congo-Brazaville, 2002-2006, RMCA
• Taxonomic, phylogenetic and biogeographic studies of Plantae, Fungi and Protoctista, 1998-2000, UGent
• Taxonomy and systematics of cichlids (Pisces) from Lakes Malawi/Niassa, Tanganyika, and Kivu, ongoing, RMCA, RBINS
• Taxonomy, phylogeny and evolution of aquatic mosses, ongoing, ULg, UCL
• Taxonomy, systematics and ecology of aquatic Oligochaeta (Annelida), 1991-, RBINS
• Trophic ecology of the demersal fish community of Lake Malawi/Niassa, Central Africa, 1998-2002, EU project, RMCA, RBINS
• Zoological inventory of the river Meuse (W-Europe) and its tributaries, ongoing, FUNDP

12. Has your country undertaken any taxonomy-related activities identified in the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity as well as relevant activities identified in the International Pollinator Initiative and the International Soil Biodiversity Initiative?
a) No
b) no, but some activities are being planned
c) yes, some activities undertaken (please provide details)
d) yes, comprehensive activities undertaken (please provide details)	X

Further comments on taxonomy-related activities for the implementation of the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity

Some research projects (listed alphabetically by titles, non exhaustive list):

• ACONITE (Association pour la Cartographie d'Organismes Naturels et les Inventaires Taxonomiques et Ecologiques) - Study of the Apoidea in their role of pollinators, 2004-, FuSaGx, UMH, CNRFB
• Biodiversity of wild and semi-domesticated species of Vasconcellea in Ecuador, 1999-2003, UGent
• Development of rapid novel molecular and cellular tools for the assessment and evaluation of genetic diversity in plants, 1993-1997, EU project, KULeuven
• Diversity patterns of zooplankton communities in pools in an agricultural landscape, 2003-, KULeuven
• Ecology of Acari (Arachnida) and Collembola (Insecta) in soil and canopy in African habitats, ongoing, RMCA
• European crop wild relative diversity assessment & conservation forum, 2002-2005, EU project, FuSaGx
• Evaluation and use of beneficial entomofauna in vegetable open fields, ongoing, FuSaGx
• Fluorescent Pseudomonads (Bacteria) in agricultural applications, 1994-1999, VUB
• Germplasm collection, characterisation and crop development of locally used fruit species in southern Ecuador, ongoing, UGent
• Morphology, taxonomy, phylogeny and systematics of plant parasitic Nematoda, ongoing, RBINS
• Musa germplasm collection for International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP), ongoing, KULeuven
• Pathogenic nematodes (Invertebrata) in arable crops in Belgium, 1987-, CLO
• Phaseoleae - Phaseolinae seed collection - IPGRI base collection for wild Phaseolus and Vigna species, 1988-, NBGB
• Systematics and biogeography of bees (Hymenoptera Aculeata, Apoidea), ongoing, UMH
• Systematics and host plant specificity of African fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae, ongoing, RMCA
• Taxonomy and identification of Bacillus (Eubacteria) and relatives, 1989-, UGent
• Taxonomy and systematics of Braconidae (Ichneumonoidea, Hymenoptera, Insecta) from tropical and palaearctic areas, 1995-, FuSaGx, RBINS
• Taxonomy, adaptations, habitat and behaviour of oribatid mites (Oribatida); developmental stability in the spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Prostigmata), 1972?, RBINS
• Taxonomy, behaviour and rearing of mites (Acari) associated with stored seeds in northern Iran , 1997-2000, RBINS
• The soil fauna: the other last biotic frontier, ongoing, UCL

13. Is your country developing any taxonomic support for the implementation of the programme of work on mountain biodiversity, in particular identification of biodiversity components unique to mountain ecosystems?
a) No
b) no, but some programmes are under development
c) yes, limited support (please provide details)	X
d) yes, significant support (please provide details)

Further comments on taxonomic support for the implementation of the programme of work on mountain biodiversity

Some research projects (listed alphabetically by titles, non exhaustive list):

• Biodiversity and origin of spider fauna (Araneae) at high latitudes and altitudes in Eurasia, 1995-1997, EU project, RBINS
• Biodiversity of Taita Hills in southeastern Kenya, ongoing, UA, RMCA
• Diversity of benthic diatom communities in New Zealand alpine aquatic systems, 2001-, UGent
• Ecology and phytogeography of alpine vegetations (Jura, Alps, Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada, Corsica, Peloponnesos), 1965-, FUNDP
• Myxomycetes (Fungi) in Western Europe, especially Belgium and nivicolous species in the French Alps, 1986-, Royal Antwerp Mycologists Circle
• Taxonomy, phytosociology and phytochorology of the mountainous massif Jebel Uweinat (desert of Libya), 1964-2001, NBGB
• Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Andean scirpoids (Cyperaceae), 1999-2004, UGent

14. Has your country developed taxonomic support for the implementation of the programme of work on protected areas?
a) No
b) no, but some programmes are under development
c) yes, some programmes in place and are being implemented (please provide details)	X
d) yes, comprehensive programmes are being implemented (please provide details)

Further comments on taxonomic support provided to the implementation of the programme of work on protected areas

Some research projects (listed alphabetically by titles, non exhaustive list):

• Conservation of bryophytes in Flanders (Belgium) with special emphasis on Red List, 1990-2010, NBGB
• Diversity and abundance of bryophytes, and applications to the conservation and management of ecosystems, ongoing, ULg
• European crop wild relative diversity assessment & conservation forum, 2002-2005, EU project, FuSaGx
• Inventory of the freshwater and brackish water fish fauna of the protected nature reserve Mayombe in Congo-Brazzaville, 1991-2003, RMCA
• Monitoring of flora and vegetation in managed nature reserves in the Zoniën forest (Belgium), 1991-1998, VUB
• Monitoring of species diversity and vegetation development in strict forest reserves as important reference tools for nature-based forest management, ongoing, IBW
• Phytodiversity in relation with ecological and patrimonial values, 2002-2006, UCL
• SADC/GEF Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa Biodiversity Conservation Project, 1996-2000, RMCA
• Seed bank of wild plants specific for the phytogeographical districts of Belgium (seed samples of representative of rare or endangered species of the different phytogeographical regions of Belgium are stored at -20 C. This ex situ conservation is considered to contribute to the global strategy of nature conservation), 1989-, NBGB
• Survey and monitoring of all terrestrial life in Flanders (Belgium), 2000-, IN
• Survey and monitoring of sites of biological importance (SGIB) in Wallonia (Belgium), ongoing, CRNFB
• Survey of endemic birds in protected areas of Comoro Republic and Mayotte, 1985-, RMCA