Biodiversity information standards (TDWG) Guntsch, A.1; Jacob, B.2; Mergen, P.3 & Rainer, H.4 1Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Freie Universitat Berlin, Koenigin-Luise-Str. 6-8, 14195 Berlin, Germany a.guentsch@bgbm.org 2Museum fur Naturkunde (MfN), Leibniz-Institut fur Evolutions- und Biodiversitatsforschung an der Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Invalidenstrase 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany 3Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA), Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium 4Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Austria Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) was known as the Taxonomic Database Working Group. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) is a not for profit scientific and educational association that is affiliated with the International Union of Biological Sciences. TDWG was formed to establish international collaboration among biological database projects. TDWG promoted the wider and more effective dissemination of information about the World's heritage of biological organisms for the benefit of the world at large. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) now focuses on the development of standards for the exchange of biological/biodiversity data. TDWG s Mission: * Develop, adopt and promote standards and guidelines for the recording and exchange of data about organisms. * Promote the use of standards through the most appropriate and effective means and. * Act as a forum for discussion through holding meetings and through publications.