Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
(+32) 2 627 42 38
(+32) 2 627 42 65
(+32) 2 627 42 11
Patricia Supply, Director i.a., directie@naturalsciences.be, Economy
Thierry Backeljau, tbackeljau@naturalsciences.be, +32 2 627 4339
Carole Paleco, International relations, 02 627 42 65, carole.paleco@naturalsciences.be
Koen Martens, Head of European Journal of Taxonomy, T. 02 627 43 15, Koen.Martens@natuurwetenschappen.be
Patricia Supply, Director i.a., directie@naturalsciences.be, Economy
The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is a Federal scientific establishment governed by the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO). It is a state Service, managed by 3 independent entities: a Scientific Council; a Nature Focus Management Commission and a Management Board.
| Permanent (P) | Non – Permanent (NP) | |
|---|---|---|
| a) TOTAL scientific staff | 51 | 113 |
| b) Scientific staff linked to Collections | 6 | 1 |
| c) Post-docs / PhD students | 0 | 56 |
| d) Others (Associates, etc.) | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL (a+b+c+d) | 57 | 170 |
| Permanent (P) | Non – Permanent (NP) | |
|---|---|---|
| e) Exhibitions | 104 | 156 |
| f) Collection Managers / technicians | 12 | 6 |
| g) Others | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL (e+f+g) | 116 | 162 |
The OD Taxonomy and Phylogeny (OD T&Ph) disposes of standard taxonomic infrastructure including microscopes, stereomicroscopes, equipment for high-resolution macrophotography, and equipment for the preparation of tissue slides (ultramicrotome, devices for cryogenic preparations). There is also an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope with dedicated technical support by members of the OD T&Ph (use is to be booked in advance). The OD T&Ph is responsible for the “Laboratory for Molecular Systematics (LMS)” which is an “open” research infrastructure that focuses on the application of DNA markers in taxonomic, population genetic and phylogenetic research. The core of this facility is an ABI 3130 capillary DNA sequencer. In addition, the facility is equipped with, amongst others, seven PCR thermocyclers (two of which can implement temperature gradients), five centrifuges, an Agilent BioAnalyzer 2100, a nanodrop spectrophotometer, a Qubit 2.0 fluorometer, two fume hoods, a laminar flow, six set-ups for horizontal DNA electrophoresis (agarose), a gene flash bio imaging system, a Machery-Nagel DNA purification set-up, an autoclave, 10 fridges, 20 freezers, five ultrafreezers (-80 °C), two portable dry-shipping nitrogen containers and a GeneVault DNA storage archive. This infrastructure allows for a wide variety of DNA marker analyses, though most applications involve nucleotide sequencing and microsatellite genotyping. Completely separated (i.e. on a different floor) from the DNA facility, there is a small “Archival DNA Room” dedicated to the extraction and handling of degraded DNA (e.g. “old” DNA). This room is equipped with programmable UV-light, positive air pressure, a sterile working chamber and a microcentrifuge.
Founded in 1846, RBINS houses a diverse and exceptionally rich zoological collection, palaeoanthropological and mineralogical collections and prehistoric items involving ca. 37,000,000 specimens with ca. 100,000 primary types. This places RBINS among the world top ten collections in terms of volume of specimen stored and available for research. The mollusc collection includes some 9,000,000 specimens representing 45,000 species and is ranked among the world top five. The RBINS scientific library is one of the largest documentary resources of NH in Belgium. It offers 695,368 volumes. The Filing Cabinet owns about 35,000 geographical, hydrological and geological maps. The unique Dautzenberg collection contains rare volumes concerning conchology.
A suite of equipment is available for scanning collections objects. The data and references are recorded in a common management tool developed by RBINS ICT service. Research supported by the infrastructure: Research focuses on the study of biodiversity through taxonomy and phylogeny in all animal groups (extant and fossils). RBINS staff also studies the land, fresh water and marine ecosystems, the history of life, of the climate and of human installations, plus, mechanisms involved in the evolution of life along with the geology of Belgium and modelling of the North Sea. In addition, RBINS develops tools and methods for monitoring natural land or marine environments. It also offers useful advice for the development of national and European policies for the protection and conservation of biotopes and biodiversity and serves as Belgium’s National Focal Point to the Global Taxonomy Initiative.
Multidisciplinary “integrative” taxonomic biodiversity research in a broad evolutionary perspective. As such the OD T&Ph conducts research in the following fields: alpha-taxonomy (species descriptions), anatomy (including histology and ultrastructural research), morphometrics, faunistics, (behavioural) ecology, zoogeography, population genetics, and phylogeny, including DNA barcoding. These research activities are done in the context of more specific research interests, many of which relate to grand societal challenges such as climate change, invasive species, habitat fragmentation, environmental pollution, animal conservation, forensics, vector control, agricultural practices, and public education and awareness (including countering anti-evolutionary thinking). As such the OD T&Ph attempts to combine fundamental and applied taxonomic biodiversity research.
Marine ecosystems, fresh water biology, monitoring of the North Sea, biological evaluation, national focal point to the convention on biodiversity, Belgian Marine data center
Micropalaeontology and Palaeobotany; Invertebrate Palaeontology; Vertebrate Palaeontology; Anthropology and Prehistory; General Geology and Mineralogy; Applied geology and geo-information.
Notae Prehistoricae – fast publication in Archaeology Anthropologica & Prehistorica – co-edition with Royal Belgian Society of Anthropology and Prehistory
European Journal Of Taxonomy – online publications ad-hoc – no time constraints Fauna of Belgium
| Typology | Primary types | Individual specimens/objects | % registered cards | % recorded cards in database | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Palaeontology | 40000 | 22 | ||
| 1.2 | Mineralogy | 3 | 100 |
| Typology | Primary types | Individual specimens/objects | % registered cards | % recorded cards in database | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Zoology | 200000 | 30650000 | 15 |
scientific books: 300 000 titles journals 450 000 volumes
Press communiqué (80/year)
Publicity campaigns
E-newsletter (6/y)
External events,fair, showroom, (10/y)
Touring exhibitions
XperiLAB, the science truck
Head of communication service: Yannick Siebens Press promotion NL: Yannick.Siebens@natuurwetenschappen.be 02 627 43 77 Press, promotion FR : Donatienne.Boland@sciencesnaturelles.be 02 627 41 21 Website updated (NL) Reinout VERBEKE: rverbeke@naturalsciences.be , 02 627 43 78, (FR) Charlotte DEGUELDRE, Charlotte.Degueldre@sciencesnaturelles.be, 02 627 43 70
The RBINS hosts as well the Belgian Bird Ringing Scheme and offers its expertise through You have found a wild bird with a ring? Send a mail to the Belgian Ringing Scheme: ring@naturalsciences.be more info: didier.vangeluwe@naturalsciences.be
Yes, the Education service has developed links with various teachers associations, other museums, primary and secondary schools, notably. More specifically, for several years now, the RBINS has taken the lead in training young taxonomists from around the world. The Distributed European School of Taxonomy (DEST) was set up with funding from the European Commission (EDIT, www.e-taxonomy.eu, 2006 –2011). With support of RBINS, and under the auspices of the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF), DEST offers high quality education and prepares students for future taxonomic careers. Since its foundation, DEST has gained a worldwide reputation. Yearly more than one hundred bachelor students, master students, post-doctoral students and early-career researchers take part in the training programme taught by lecturers from renowned European institutions. More info on the training programmes can be found on the official DEST website. (www.taxonomytraining.eu)
No
Presently the DEST managed by RBINS is involved in the following projects: EU-BON http://www.eubon.eu/ EUColComp eucolcomp.myspecies.info
See website: http://www.sciencesnaturelles.be/educa
Pierre Coulon, Head of Public Programmes, pierre.coulon@naturalsciences.be
Taxonomy and phylogeny research on zoology and paleontology
Molecular biology
Modelling of ecosystems
e-learning (DEST)
Digitization of collections
Citizen science
SciColl http://www.scicoll.org/