ABSTRACT
LIAS is a multi-authored database system for descriptive and related biodiversity data on lichens and non-lichenized ascomycetes. In 2004 it contained about 5500 species-level and 850 genus-level records. Various Web interfaces are provided for editing and querying the data. Aside from this major goal, LIAS has meanwhile gained importance with respect to (1) the general demand for rapid identification of organisms; (2) the demand for geospatial distribution of organisms; and (3) the demand for name pools. For enabling coverage of these aspects, three subprojects — LIAS light, LIAS checklists and LIAS names — were set up.
