iBOL invites countries to participate as Nodes of the project. Nodes are networks of leading researchers and key organizations affiliated to iBOL and engaged in DNA barcoding and/or in funding and advancing biodiversity science in a country or region.
Nodes are divided into three categories of participation - National, Regional and Central. National Nodes focus on collecting, identifying and curating specimens from their own territory. Regional and Central Nodes also participate in barcode acquisition with the Regional Nodes maintaining core sequencing facilities and Central Nodes supporting the bioinformatics facilities required to share barcode records with all nations.