A prelude to the Caucasus Barcode of Life Platform (CaBOL):Biodiversity Days in Georgia in 2018 and 2019

Here we report on collaborative expeditions run by ISU (Ilia State University, Tbilisi), ZFMK (Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn) and external taxonomists in Georgia in 2018 and 2019 as part of the renewed close cooperation between Germany and Caucasus countries aiming at the exploration of biodiversity in the Caucasus region. The 2018 and 2019 field work campaigns serve as a starting point for a larger cooperative venture, planned to start in 2020 – the Caucasus Barcode of Life Platform (CaBOL). To encourage participation by additional partners and to build an active expert network, we here describe the so-far collected material and collection methods, provide detailed information on collecting sites and the diversity of habitats and outline the goals of the planned CaBOL project. Building on experiences from the German Barcode of Life (GBOL) initiative, our goal is to increase expertise and capacity in the region for modern integrative taxonomy approaches.