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- 100 - The establishment of a clearinghouse, a database of databases, is an essential first step in any attempt (a) to understand what is known about the diversity, distribution, and abundance of plant and animal species in the United States and the rapid changes that are occurring in this biodiversity; and (b) to develop strategies to deal with adverse changes. Such a clearinghouse should not amass all the data in one central data bank, but rather point to and provide information on the databases that are available throughout the nation and the world. Where possible, an electronic network should be established to provide direct access to the available databases, with whatever access limitations that might be placed on each database. Support for existing critical major databases should also be provided through the Center. 2. To define the state of knowledge of biodiversity and determine the major gaps: At present no one has clear understanding of biological diversity in the continental United States, and the world picture is even less clear. While there is some understanding of the systematics, distribution, and abundance of the larger vertebrates and higher plants and knowledge of the major ecosystems, the understanding of the lower plants, uncommon ecosystems, and most invertebrates (the bulk of animal species on earth) is still sketchy, so that change or loss cannot be monitored or measured. The Center should then assess the state of knowledge periodically and provide baseline information on the current state of knowledge and understanding of biodiversity. It also should provide a retrospective picture of changes in diversity and distribution in the past based on existing data from Federal and state agencies and museums. Given the limitations of skilled personnel and resources, it is essential to determine the major gaps in current knowledge of biodiversity and set national priorities for research to fill these gaps. The Center should work with scientists in the public and private sectors and managers in the state and federal wildlife and land agencies and with the conservation organizations. The priority concerns of the Center will be to foster research on the basic systematics of poorly understood plant and animal groups and the delineation of poorly known ecosystems, as well as to promote the study and conservation of populations and rapidly or critically changing cases of genetic and species diversity. 3. To support biodiversity research of national importance: Much is yet to be learned about the fauna and flora even within the United States, and there is a critical need to acquire new knowledge on many fronts. Further information is essential for an understanding of what is happening to the biodiversity of the United States. On the world scene the U.S. also has a stake in preserving prime areas ("hot spots") of important biological diversity, to slow or prevent what seems to be an accelerating, massive loss of species. The Center should establish a model national program that has a core function of creating and maintaining a national biological survey built around a taxon-based information system, focussed in the first instance on the flora and fauna of the United States but eventually extending to all of North