Frank Ainley Bisby (April 24, 1945 – October 25, 2011) was a botanist who specialized in legumes, and was a pioneer in the development of
taxonomic databases. He is noted for his work in founding
Species 2000
Species 2000 is a federation of database organizations around the world that compiles the ''Catalogue of Life'', a comprehensive checklist of the world's species, in partnership with the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). The creatio ...
in 1997, which coordinated the publication of the ''
Catalogue of Life
The Catalogue of Life is an online database that provides an index of known species of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms. It was created in 2001 as a partnership between the global Species 2000 and the American Integrated Taxonomic I ...
'', the most comprehensive catalogue of species. Bisby was the first chair of the
Taxonomic Database Working Group (TDWG), which was founded in 1985. Bisby continued to lead significant projects, including the
International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS). He served as a professor of botany at the
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a public university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as University College, Reading, a University of Oxford extension college. The institution received the power to grant its own degrees in 192 ...
for most of his career.
After his PhD at Oxford University he worked with the University of Southampton before becoming a professor in botany at Reading University.
References
External links
A latest release of the Catalogue of Life
The Catalogue of Life development
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bisby, Frank
British taxonomists
1945 births
2011 deaths
Academics of the University of Reading
Alumni of the University of Oxford