CoL (Catalog of Life)

The Catalog of Life (CoL) is a comprehensive, online database that aims to list all known species of plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms on Earth. It compiles information from experts worldwide to provide a standardized, authoritative inventory of living organisms. This helps scientists, conservationists, and policymakers understand biodiversity, track species distributions, and identify new or threatened species. Essentially, CoL serves as a global directory for life forms, making complex biological data accessible and organized to aid research, conservation, and education efforts.