Entomological Collections Network Meeting, Indianapolis, IN13 December 2009
Darwin Core RatifiedDarwin Core Ratified in the Year of Darwin in the Year of Darwin
Gail E. KampmeierGail E. KampmeierIllinois Natural History SurveyIllinois Natural History Survey
Institute of Natural Resource SustainabilityInstitute of Natural Resource Sustainability
University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
What is the Darwin Core What is the Darwin Core (DwC)?(DwC)? Standard for sharing information about Standard for sharing information about
species and biodiversity informationspecies and biodiversity information Based on taxa, their occurrence in nature as Based on taxa, their occurrence in nature as
documented by observations, specimens, and documented by observations, specimens, and samples, and related informationsamples, and related information
Includes a glossary of terms that provide Includes a glossary of terms that provide reference definitions, examples, and reference definitions, examples, and commentaries, including how termscommentaries, including how terms are managedare managed can be extended for new purposescan be extended for new purposes can be usedcan be used
Design Philosophy: minimize the barriers to Design Philosophy: minimize the barriers to adoption and to maximize reusabilityadoption and to maximize reusability
Darwin Core Ratified 9 Oct Darwin Core Ratified 9 Oct 2009!2009!
Consists of aConsists of a Vocabulary of Vocabulary of
terms that provide terms that provide a framework for a framework for sharing sharing biodiversity biodiversity informationinformation
Policy governing Policy governing maintenancemaintenance
Decisions resulting Decisions resulting from changesfrom changes
History & mapping History & mapping to other versions to other versions of termsof terms
XML, text, & other XML, text, & other schemas to show schemas to show how it can be usedhow it can be used
Who died & made you Darwin?Who died & made you Darwin?
The Darwin Core Standard was developed The Darwin Core Standard was developed by the Biodiversity Information Standards by the Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) community (TDWG) community tdwg.orgtdwg.org Not-for-profit international scientific & Not-for-profit international scientific &
educational association affiliated with the educational association affiliated with the International Union of Biological SciencesInternational Union of Biological Sciences
TDWG's original mission was to promote TDWG's original mission was to promote dissemination of the World's heritage of dissemination of the World's heritage of biological organisms - now done by GBIFbiological organisms - now done by GBIF
Now focus on development of standards & Now focus on development of standards & protocols for exchange of biodiversity dataprotocols for exchange of biodiversity data
Resemblance?Resemblance?
John Wieczoreklead author of Darwin Core
Standard
Charles Darwininspiration for Darwin Core
Standard
HeritageHeritage Standard has evolved over 8+ yearsStandard has evolved over 8+ years
Originally a product of the Species Analyst project out of Originally a product of the Species Analyst project out of the University of Kansasthe University of Kansas
Terms were first used in MaNIS (Mammal Networked Terms were first used in MaNIS (Mammal Networked Information System) as Darwin Core 2 with DiGIR protocol Information System) as Darwin Core 2 with DiGIR protocol (Distributed Generic Information Retrieval)(Distributed Generic Information Retrieval)
The DwC is based on standards developed by the Dublin The DwC is based on standards developed by the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) & is an extension of it (dc) Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) & is an extension of it (dc) for biodiversity informationfor biodiversity information
DwC is part of a larger set of vocabularies & technical DwC is part of a larger set of vocabularies & technical specifications under development or maintained by TDWGspecifications under development or maintained by TDWG
Historical versions shaped database structureHistorical versions shaped database structure "Classic" (1.2), or "Draft" (1.4) or "Archive" (GBIF)"Classic" (1.2), or "Draft" (1.4) or "Archive" (GBIF) Extensions for curatorial, geospatial, paleontology, & Extensions for curatorial, geospatial, paleontology, &
specimen interaction information (pollination ecology)specimen interaction information (pollination ecology)
Hooray for Translation Tables!Hooray for Translation Tables!
Interaction extension used by the Interaction extension used by the pollination ecology community to pollination ecology community to describe specimen interactions not yet describe specimen interactions not yet included (no consensus)included (no consensus) Entomological community needs to step Entomological community needs to step
up to ensure terms they need become up to ensure terms they need become part of this living standardpart of this living standard
Mature Mature ExtensionsExtensions
also in also in DwCDwC
Term Definitions: Term Definitions: OccurrenceOccurrence
Clicking on link in Comment takes you to the any Clicking on link in Comment takes you to the any community discussion about the term that is taking community discussion about the term that is taking place OUTSIDE of the DwC Standard in Google Codeplace OUTSIDE of the DwC Standard in Google Code
DwC Project SiteDwC Project Site Link from Link from
CommentComment of termof term
Hosting Hosting the the discussion discussion & & elaboration elaboration here in the here in the wiki leaves wiki leaves the the standard standard flexibleflexible
Issues can Issues can be raised be raised & tracked & tracked here as here as they are they are dealt withdealt with
Issue TrackingIssue Tracking
Find an error? Want to make a request? Find an error? Want to make a request? Add it to the queueAdd it to the queue
Extensions to the DwCExtensions to the DwC Each term has a definition and commentaries that are meant Each term has a definition and commentaries that are meant
to promote the consistent use of the terms across applications to promote the consistent use of the terms across applications and disciplines. and disciplines.
Although the data types and constraints are not provided in Although the data types and constraints are not provided in the term definitions, recommendations are made about how to the term definitions, recommendations are made about how to restrict the values where appropriate.restrict the values where appropriate.
Discuss, refine, expand, or translate the definitions and Discuss, refine, expand, or translate the definitions and examples through links in the examples through links in the CommentsComments attribute of each attribute of each term to the Google Code wiki. term to the Google Code wiki.
Using Google Code to document, allows the standard to adapt Using Google Code to document, allows the standard to adapt to new purposes without disrupting existing applications. to new purposes without disrupting existing applications.
A clear separation between the terms defined in this standard A clear separation between the terms defined in this standard and applications that make use of them is intentional. and applications that make use of them is intentional.
Before proposing a new termBefore proposing a new term, consider the existing terms , consider the existing terms in this and other compatible standards to determine if the new in this and other compatible standards to determine if the new concept can be accommodated by a simple revision of the concept can be accommodated by a simple revision of the description and comments for an existing term, without losing description and comments for an existing term, without losing the existing meaning of that term (see Term Change Policy)the existing meaning of that term (see Term Change Policy)
So how So how do I get do I get from from DwC DwC termsterms……to to sharing sharing my data my data with the with the world?world?
See about the GBIF data portal: http://www.gbif.org/informatics/infrastructure/integrating/
Choosing a protocolChoosing a protocol May depend on the extent of your IT supportMay depend on the extent of your IT support
Via web services - data transfer longVia web services - data transfer long BioCASE - Biological Collection Access ServicesBioCASE - Biological Collection Access Services DiGIR - Distributed Generic Information RetrievalDiGIR - Distributed Generic Information Retrieval TAPIR - TDWG Access Protocol for Information RetrievaTAPIR - TDWG Access Protocol for Information Retrievall
Via zipped text archives - data transfer shortVia zipped text archives - data transfer short Darwin Core Archives (GBIF)Darwin Core Archives (GBIF) Tab-separated values with appropriate headers Tab-separated values with appropriate headers
(DiscoverLife.org)(DiscoverLife.org) GBIF's IPT (Integrated Publishing Toolkit)GBIF's IPT (Integrated Publishing Toolkit)
XML - Guide includesXML - Guide includes Simple Darwin Core Schema Simple Darwin Core Schema
http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/xsd/tdwg_dwc_simple.xsdhttp://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/xsd/tdwg_dwc_simple.xsd
Additional resources (including Excel Additional resources (including Excel spreadsheet!) spreadsheet!)
http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/ToolsAndApplicationshttp://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/ToolsAndApplications
Resources:Resources: Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) tdwg.orgtdwg.org
Darwin CoreDarwin Core http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/
DwC DocumentationDwC Documentation http://http://code.google.com/p/darwincorecode.google.com/p/darwincore//
Participate through tdwg-content listParticipate through tdwg-content list http://http://lists.tdwg.org/mailman/listinfo/tdwglists.tdwg.org/mailman/listinfo/tdwg-content-content
TDWG StandardsTDWG Standards http://www.tdwg.org/standards/http://www.tdwg.org/standards/
TDWG 2009 presentations in Montpellier, FranceTDWG 2009 presentations in Montpellier, France http://www.tdwg.org/conference2009/program/slides-upload/http://www.tdwg.org/conference2009/program/slides-upload/
Proceedings of TDWG Proceedings of TDWG http://www.tdwg.org/proceedings/issue/currenthttp://www.tdwg.org/proceedings/issue/current
DwC Tools & Applications DwC Tools & Applications http://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/ToolsAndApplicationshttp://code.google.com/p/darwincore/wiki/ToolsAndApplications
DiGIR DiGIR http://http://digir.netdigir.net//
TAPIR TAPIR http://www.tdwg.org/activities/tapir/http://www.tdwg.org/activities/tapir/
Discover LifeDiscover Life http://http://www.discoverlife.orgwww.discoverlife.org
GBIF IPT (Integrated Publishing Toolkit) GBIF IPT (Integrated Publishing Toolkit) http://www.gbif.org/informatics/infrastructure/publishing/#c889http://www.gbif.org/informatics/infrastructure/publishing/#c889
