Darwin Core extension for recording insect observations


This list builds on Darwin Core 2 version 1.30 which has been documented at http://darwincore.calacademy.org/

This extension offers support for time periods, counts of organisms, collecting/observing efficiency, and repetition of sites, periods, and expeditions for large samples.  However, this document does not define data types sites, etc.

This extension does not give full support for linking to other organisms to express any detail on host-parasite interactions, although simple strings for these are included.

There also is an element for taxonomic concept identifier and a taxon numbering system.  This is to avoid ambiguity on species that have been split and lumped.  ScientificName simply is not sufficient in these cases.  Because there is often no going back to specimens, the concept of taxon that was used in identification is needed for observations mode than it is for specimens.

Uncertainty of identification should be expressed.  Here is percentage, to be used like in medical diagnostics (100% = fully certain diagnosis), and qualifier ("near", "near but not", "not", ...).  There is an attempt to map the two with each other in the table below.  Certification of person who identifies the object is not included here.
---
Certainty
Percentage Phrase Boolean
100 Is Yes
99 Likely Yes
95 Belongs to Yes
90 Near Yes
50 Possibly No
10 Near but not No
0 Is not No

Version 0.2, draft, Hannu Saarenmaa hannu@bioshare.com