EoL commentary in Science
Mitch Leslie has written an article on EoL
(doi:10.1126/science.316.5826.818). It starts:
Hands up if you've heard this before: An ambitious new project
promises to create an online compendium of all 1.8 million or so
described species. It can already claim participation by premier
institutions, a wad of start-up cash, and huzzahs from biodiversity
guru Edward O. Wilson. Although some confess to a wary sense of
d�j� vu, taxonomists hope that the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) can
provide the long-awaited comprehensive species catalog. Even
enthusiasts agree that it faces some tall hurdles, however, such as
signing up curators and getting permission to use copyrighted
material.
D�j� vu because the defunct All-Species Foundation -- also covered in
Science (doi:10.1126/science.294.5543.769) -- had much the same
ambitions six years ago. It is easy to be sceptical, but I think it
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