BioFresh is an EU-funded international project that aims to build a global information platform for scientists and ecosystem managers with access to all available databases describing the distribution, status and trends of global freshwater biodiversity. BioFresh integrates the freshwater biodiversity competencies and expertise of 19 research institutions.

Scientists and water managers have collected vast amounts of data on freshwater biodiversity. Nonetheless it is often impossible to be certain of the geographic range of a species. Why is this? The existing data from all of these studies are widely dispersed, gathered in locally-managed databases, many of which are not publicly available. In summary, the pieces of the global freshwater biodiversity puzzle are scattered, and it is difficult even to find them. What a story they could they tell if all of the pieces were combined and easily accessible to scientists, policy makers and planners?

Such an integrated and accessible dataset will be used to improve and establish effective plans for conservation and for a better understanding of the services provided by aquatic ecosystems.

BioFresh will improve the capacity to protect and manage freshwater biodiversity

• by building an information platform as a gateway for scientific research on freshwater biodiversity.
• by raising awareness of the importance of freshwater biodiversity and its role in providing ecosystem services.
• by predicting the future responses of freshwater biodiversity to multiple stressors in the face of global change.

BioFresh is funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework programme, Contract No. 226874.