This document summarizes key points from a presentation given at the Entomological Collections Network meeting about the Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) Conference 2013. The presentation discussed iDigBio's goals of building an accessible database of US specimen data and facilitating digitization. It provided an overview of TDWG topics like data quality, semantics, and standards. Researchers, collections managers, and others were encouraged to get involved in TDWG to help bridge the gap between research data and databases and avoid duplicating efforts.
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1. From Standards to Practice and Back Again.
News from TDWG*:
The Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) Conference 2013
Deborah L. Paul
Institute for Digital Information (iDigInfo)
Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio) at
Entomological Collections Network (ECN) Meeting
Austin, Texas 9 – 10 November 2013
iDigBio is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections Program
(Cooperative Agreement EF-1115210). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material
are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Images used are copyright
free or used with permission.
2. goals
build an accessible
aggregated, integrated,
scalable,
vouchered-specimen
database (USA collections)
facilitate and increase participation in digitization
enable researchers’ access to and use of the data
build partnerships to expand and enhance
4. Up for discussion – TDWG 2013 Topics
Virtual Communities for Biodiversity
eCollaboration for Sustainability
Data Quality (whose job is this anyway)?
Semantics (who needs these)?
Big Data
Names-Based Architecture for Linking Data
Global Observation Networks
Data and Metadata Standards: Beyond Darwin Core
Scholarly Publishing
Sharing and Re-using Phylogenetic Knowledge
Interest Groups / Working Groups / TAG
What does the work of TDWG offer to the collections community?
How is it relevant to ECN?
http://www.tdwg.org
https://mbgserv18.mobot.org/ocs/index.php/tdwg/2013/schedConf/presentations
7. Biodiversity Information Standards
formerly known as
Taxonomic Databases Working Group (TDWG)
began 1985
Our Mission
Develop, adopt and promote standards and guidelines
for the recording and exchange of data about organisms
Promote the use of standards through the most
appropriate and effective means and
Act as a forum for discussion through holding meetings
and through publications
11. The data is born (digital)?
researcher collects data
organizes it for their purpose
or not
non-standard metadata
non-standard file formats, file-naming, packaging
user file system
unique
sometimes enigmatic?
12. Data use, data re-use
need rich/er metadata
“good” (standard?) field notes
will be increasingly shared / distributed / linked with
specimen data and flora / fauna data
using standard terminology
dwc, other standards, and ontologies
data management skills
data / dataset reuse, data citation – data
discovery, reproducibility
13. From the researcher into a database (eventually)
has standard metadata
in standard formats
standard packaging
storage
Who bridges the transition from data collected in the
field to transform it, standardize it for
sharing, publication, storage?
14. Coming to a database near you?
What’s your title?
Research Information Manager
Technology Liaison to Science
Biodiversity Informatics Manager
Biodiversity Informatics & GIS Lab Manager
Collections Database Architect
Information Manager
Data Curator
Bioinformatics manager
Manager of Biodiversity Informatics
Research Specialist
Research Project Manager
Biodiversity Informatics Manager
Biodiversity Informatics Manager
Data Manager
Information Manager
Biodiversity Information
Assistant Botanist / Assistant Curator
Head of Nomenclature and Taxonomy
(Biodiversity Informatics)
Head, Computer Systems Office
Sr. Database Manager
Collection Manager
Database Admin/Programmer
Assistant Curator and Virtual Herbarium
Coordinator
Biological Informatician
15. For the (digital) collection manager
tools for cleaning data
open refine
Specify Workbench
Darwin Core Test validation tools
data feedback from tools like Filtered PUSH, …
TDWG offers tools, standards and methodologies
enables GBIF (and others) to effectively share data
and makes possible data discovery from other
collections
what Texas knows…
the Digital Collection is a tool for everyone
16. Data Quality – GBIF priorities
metadata completeness
aids discovery and citation
data quality and fitness-for-use reports
dataset and by species
possible approaches to endorsement of datasets
fitness-for-use working groups
all datasets and records have stable identifiers,
allows annotation, correction, curation and citation
collaborate with other major players
e.g., in developing a common global taxonomic
framework to underpin taxonomic quality
17. Data Quality - Southwest Collection of
Arthropods (SCAN) Thematic Collection Network
Filtered Push (FP) based service
http://wiki.filteredpush.org/wiki/
primary purpose is to connect high-quality imaged of
yet insufficiently identified specimens with suitable
experts who can provide identifications remotely
“IDs Needed” System
18. Data quality
Beyond Barriers: Exporting data quality assessments from
Spain Arturo H. Ariño, Francisco Pando, Javier Otegui
Data Quality Assessment tool - Darwin Test (DT)
validates Darwin Core Archive files
checks common errors arising from digitization
checks for errors from migration
enforces data standards on records,
records not conforming are sent back
allows for calculation of the Apparent Quality Index (AQI) of the
dataset.
reduces noise in the data published,
allows data to be iteratively corrected before indexing.
19. Other bits of News from TDWG
New standard ratified: Audubon Core
for sharing media data and metadata
iDigBio, Morphbank,
Darwin Core definitions work – ongoing
Darwin Core Archive Files +
Semantic web
Host relationships, for example
Crowd-sourcing
Collaboration
trend / funding constraint / challenge / help
Facilitating African Biodiversity
next year’s meeting in Nairobi, Kenya
20. You and Biodiversity Information Standards?
Join TDWG (it’s free)!
Data Quality Interest Group?
Find out what your peers are up to
Avoid wheel re-invention and N-I-H too!
Join the tdwg-content listserve
North American TDWG representatives
Bryan Heidorn
James Macklin
Inspiration, New Tools, New Ideas, Potential – all at TDWG
21. Acknowledgement
and Thanks to
Gail Kampmeier, INHS
Katja Seltmann, ECN, AMNH
ECN 2013 Organizers and Attendees
TDWG 2013 Organizers
Notas del editor
Deborah Paul (iDigInfo, iDigBio)From Standards to Practice and Back Again. News from TDWG*: The Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) 2013 Conference - Virtual Communities for Biodiversity Science.AbstractFrom their website: "Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG), also known as the Taxonomic Databases Working Group, is a not for profit, volunteer organization,…formed to establish international collaboration among biological database projects." Currently, TDWG focuses on the development of standards for the exchange of biological/biodiversity data. Whether you already know about BIS (TDWG) or have never heard them, this is your opportunity to find out what TDWG is working on now. Come find out about the recent symposiums and workshops (October 2013), some of which are: Biodiversity Data Quality, Crowd-sourcing Websites and their Communities, Biodiversity informatics services and workflows, Beyond Darwin Core, Biodiversity Observation Networks, Documenting the Darwin Core, e-Collaboration for Sustainability, Mobilizing African Biodiversity, and Sharing and Delivery of Reusable Phylogenetic Knowledge. What does the work of TDWG offer to the collections community? How is it relevant to ECN? How can the collections community work with TDWG? Please join in the conversation.
From NIBA create a national database of vouchered specimen records from US institutions using existing national and international specimen data aggregation projects as models, specify the functional requirements of an aggregated US specimen data store.
Image Interest Group Multimedia Resources Task Group Audubon Core (AC) - convener: Bob MorrisBiological Descriptions and Identification - convener: GregorHagedornGenomic Biodiversity Working Interest Group - convener: John DeckSemantics4Biodiversity - convener: Elizabeth ArnaudTechnical Architecture Group - convener: Greg WhitbreadSpecies Information Interest Group - convener: Paco PandoEconomic Botany - convener Nicola NicolsonEmpowering International e-Collaboration for Sustainability Biodiversity informatics services and workflows Global Earth Observation, Biodiversity Observation networks Biodiversity Data QualityCrafting the future of a Global Biodiversity Heritage Library for diverse community’s needsDocumenting the Darwin CoreMinimum Information Standards for Biological Collections: Beyond Darwin Core Building and maintaining crowd-sourcing Websites and their CommunitiesSemantics for Biodiversity Workshop:Mobilizing African Biodiversity - convener: Hank BartDarwin Archives: beyond star Developing a Names-based Architecture for Linking Biodiversity Sharing and delivery of reusable phylogenetic knowledge Biodiversity vocabulary management Use of Semantic MediaWiki for vocabulary managementDarwin Core DNA and Tissue Data Standard for the Global Genome Biodiversity Network Scholarly Data Publishing in Biodiversity: Challenges and Potentials - Convener: VishwasChavan
http://prezi.com/iib3pqk-kyd-/curators-workbench/Why care about standards?What do they have the potential to accomplish?Collection Managers doing what they need to do – for themselves.When we share, we need standards.Data becomes useful for others / other purposes.a common vocab is requiredFeedback and Attribution become possible.The collection gets used, more, increasing the value of the collection. indirect, subtlePutting identifiers on specimens --- makes more useful to others. consistency is important!
Scene from the Arno River, Florence Italy. TDWG 2013 meeting.
TDWG looks at the range of issues from higher level e-collaborationto nitty-gritty of interpretation of dwc termsto data trends in biodiversity information sharingTDWG warmly welcomes all newcomers, regardless of background. We are always seeking input from biologists, taxonomists, library and information scientists, zoologists, entomologists, ecologists, geneticists, information technologists...TDWG interested indiscussing higher level topics like e-collaborationto nitty-gritty of interpretation of dwc termsto data trends in biodiversity information sharingfostering standards development to support interoperability and data exchange andencouraging standards adoption / useparticipation of those who are developing standards and tools but also those who want to learnregister on the TDWG sitehttp://www.tdwg.org/activities/some of the interest / working groups