March 2013 - tdwg-content - lists.tdwg.org

iDigBio Train-the-Trainers Georeferencing Workshop Oct 8 - 12, 2012
by Deb Paul 09 Aug '13

09 Aug '13

** Hi Everyone, The Georeferencing Working Group at iDigBio is pleased to announce our first "Train-the-Trainers" Georeferencing Workshop for Thematic Collections Networks (TCNs) and others in engaged in the digitization of biological collections in the United States. See: https://www.idigbio.org/content/idigbios-first-train-trainers-georeferencin… for details. Three slots are still available in this workshop that is designed to focus on training participants to teach others to georeference. If you are interested, please send an application describing the reason(s) for your interest in the workshop, the current and future projects that will benefit from your attendance, and any previous experience you have with georeferencing to iDigBio's Program Assistant, Cathy Bester, cbester(a)flmnh.ufl.edu What: Train-the-Trainers -- Georeferencing Workshop Where: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Who: Interested members of current TCNs and others in the biodiversity natural history collections community. When: October 8-12, 2012 Contact: Deborah Paul dpaul(a)fsu.edu for further information. Best, Deb and the iDigBio Georeferencing Working Group Deborah Paul User Services, iDigBio Institute for Digital Information, iDigInfo Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida 32308 850-644-6366

2 2

AC Comment: terms for phylocode and DNA barcode
by Steve Baskauf 25 Mar '13

25 Mar '13

Rob Stevenson made another helpful comment with regards to the proposed Audubon Core standard: "Rather than have Term Name: associatedSpecimenReference as a place for phylocode and a DNA barcode, should the standard support specific fields for a phylocode and a DNA barcode? These seem to be independent approaches that might help anchor or tie together multimedia observations. I can image people taking a picture of an insect and getting a DNA barcode but not having a Taxon Name or a set of characters completed. It seems that molecular data are becoming more and more important and their collection is becoming more and more automated. For microbes, molecular characterization seems to be the main approach uses". I have not opened an issue for this item because although it is an important issue, I'm not sure it is in scope for Audubon Core. AC imports terms from other vocabularies when possible (notably Darwin Core), but generally only mints terms when they deal specifically with multimedia and when existing vocabularies don't already provide such a term. The issue that Rob raises is a general one that needs to be discussed in the context of how vocabularies such as Darwin Core (which are currently designed primarily to facilitate "flat", specimen-oriented databases) can be adapted for use in more normalized databases which integrate information about many kinds of resources (e.g. specimens, DNA sequences, images, etc. ). This is a topic that is the subject of ongoing discussions with groups such as BiSciCol, RCN4GSC, and the TDWG RDF task group. But it may be too much for Audubon Core to take on at this point in time. Opinions? Steve -- Steven J. Baskauf, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer Vanderbilt University Dept. of Biological Sciences postal mail address: PMB 351634 Nashville, TN 37235-1634, U.S.A. delivery address: 2125 Stevenson Center 1161 21st Ave., S. Nashville, TN 37235 office: 2128 Stevenson Center phone: (615) 343-4582, fax: (615) 322-4942 If you fax, please phone or email so that I will know to look for it. http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu

1 0

AC Comment: opened new issues
by Steve Baskauf 25 Mar '13

25 Mar '13

Rob Stevenson has provided several useful comments regarding the proposed Audubon Core standard. I have opened two issues related to his comments: Issue 45 (http://code.google.com/p/auduboncore/issues/detail?id=45 ) to include LTER Datasets controlled vocabulary for CVterm term. Issue 46 (http://code.google.com/p/auduboncore/issues/detail?id=46 ) which combines Alexey Zinovjev's earlier comment with a comment from Rob regarding specifying multiple taxa related to a media item: "Let's say I have a picture of a leaf with holes in it. Is there a way to specify the taxon of the leaf and the taxon of the insect that made the holes. Caterpillar species A eats Plant leaf Species B? If I know that caterpillar only made that shape hole when it was parasitized can I also specify the taxon of the parasite? Another leaf example would be lichens and liverworts that colonize leaves. One might be over growing another? In general I would like to specific multiple taxa and relationships among the taxa in the image or movie, etc" Steve -- Steven J. Baskauf, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer Vanderbilt University Dept. of Biological Sciences postal mail address: PMB 351634 Nashville, TN 37235-1634, U.S.A. delivery address: 2125 Stevenson Center 1161 21st Ave., S. Nashville, TN 37235 office: 2128 Stevenson Center phone: (615) 343-4582, fax: (615) 322-4942 If you fax, please phone or email so that I will know to look for it. http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu

1 0

Audubon Core Review: media recording traces of organisms
by Steve Baskauf 24 Mar '13

24 Mar '13

Here is a forward of a question I received regarding the Audubon Core term list: The immediate question: How would I record most of my sawfly photos: which are usually not sawflies [adults or larvae] themselves but their galls, mines, 'holes in leaves' (sometimes, by their shape, I can precisely identify species produced it), etc., etc. People will photograph nests, animal's traces, record bird songs, but how such media would be tracked? It seems to be a very common situation. I did not notice anything for such "product" instead of animal itself. I should have seen a generic term somewhere but don't remember neither the English or Latin word nor where could I see it. Alexey -- azinovjev(a)fastmail.fm

1 0

reminder about the Audubon Core public review (ending April 1)
by Steve Baskauf 23 Mar '13

23 Mar '13

Please note that the end of the public review period for the Audubon Core Multimedia Resources Metadata Standard is near (April 1). The call for public review, which includes links to the proposal and instructions for commenting, can be viewed at http://terms.gbif.org/wiki/Audubon_Core_1.0_Call_For_Public_Review . If you would like to comment but don't want to figure out how to use the issue tracker, you may also send your comments directly to me at steve.baskauf(a)vanderbilt.edu and I will post them for you. Steve Baskauf Audubon Core review manager -- Steven J. Baskauf, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer Vanderbilt University Dept. of Biological Sciences postal mail address: PMB 351634 Nashville, TN 37235-1634, U.S.A. delivery address: 2125 Stevenson Center 1161 21st Ave., S. Nashville, TN 37235 office: 2128 Stevenson Center phone: (615) 343-4582, fax: (615) 322-4942 If you fax, please phone or email so that I will know to look for it. http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu

1 0

Review of TDWG ontologies and DwC namespace policy
by Steve Baskauf 13 Mar '13

13 Mar '13

The Vocabulary Management task group (VoMaG) is soliciting input for a report with recommendations for future action on the part of TDWG. I have been co-opted to organize contributions to the report on the topic of the status of the TDWG ontologies and a review of the Darwin Core namespace policy. In particular, what (if anything) should be done with the TDWG ontologies and should the Darwin Core namespace policy (i.e. the mechanism for amending Darwin Core) be adopted in some form as a model for all TDWG voabularies? If you have opinions or suggestions that you would like to contribute, you can do so at the VoMaG site. The task group entry page is at: http://community.gbif.org/pg/pages/view/30603/ The background summary on the TDWG ontologies and DwC namespace policy is at: http://community.gbif.org/pg/pages/view/29079/ which has a link to the page for discussion. If you find the wiki format to be a barrier, you can also email comments directly to me. The timeline for moving the report forward has a March 31 deadline for contributions, so if you have thoughts on the subject, please assemble them by the end of the month. Thanks, Steve Baskauf -- Steven J. Baskauf, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer Vanderbilt University Dept. of Biological Sciences postal mail address: VU Station B 351634 Nashville, TN 37235-1634, U.S.A. delivery address: 2125 Stevenson Center 1161 21st Ave., S. Nashville, TN 37235 office: 2128 Stevenson Center phone: (615) 343-4582, fax: (615) 343-6707 http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu

1 0

Audubon Core Public Review
by Steve Baskauf 02 Mar '13

02 Mar '13

(Apologies for any cross-listing) Audubon Core Public Review By: Steve Baskauf, Review Manager Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) announces the Public Review of the proposed Audubon Core Multimedia Resources Metadata Standard. Audubon Core is designed to provide a controlled vocabulary to address the management, acquisition, and content descriptions of biodiversity multimedia. It is a product of the Joint GBIF- TDWG Multimedia Resources Task Group (MRTG) and has undergone peer review, several revisions, and review by the TDWG Executive Committee. If you are a potential producer or consumer of metadata for biodiversity-related multimedia, we would like your input on this proposed TDWG Technical Specification Standard. You may find it easiest to view the proposed standard online. The following links lead to the three parts of the standard: - the non-normative introduction: http://terms.gbif.org/wiki/Audubon_Core_Non_Normative_Document - the normative introductory material: http://terms.gbif.org/wiki/Audubon_Core_(1.0_normative) - the normative term list: http://terms.gbif.org/wiki/Audubon_Core_Term_List_(1.0_normative) A downloadable zip archive containing the proposed standard can be obtained at http://www.tdwg.org/standards/638/ . This archive includes an informative adoption and sustainability plan which is not an official part of the proposed standard. To raise specific issues or to make specific recommendations, use the issues tracker described at http://code.google.com/p/auduboncore/wiki/AboutIssueTracker . To engage in general discussion about the standard, join the TDWG email list (tdwg-content) by subscribing at http://lists.tdwg.org/mailman/listinfo/tdwg-content . You can then post messages to tdwg-content(a)lists.tdwg.org . Issues raised in that conversation may be added to the issue tracker as well. Comments about the proposed standard will be archived as a part of the standards adoption process. In accordance with the TDWG standards process, a minimum of 30 days is required for public comment on the proposed standard. Comments should therefore be received by 1st April 2013. For more information about the TDWG standards process, see http://www.tdwg.org/standards/status-and-categories/ and http://www.tdwg.org/about-tdwg/process/ . Please distribute this call for comment to anyone you think could or should comment on Audubon Core. You may address any questions about the review process to me at steve.baskauf(a)vanderbilt.edu . Thanks to the authors, Robert A. Morris (convenor), Vijay Barve, Mihail Carausu, Vishwas Chavan, Jose Cuadra, Chris Freeland, Gregor Hagedorn, Patrick Leary, Dimitry Mozzherin, Annette Olson, Greg Riccardi, and Ivan Teage for their work on the proposed standard. Thanks also to the anonymous reviewers, the Executive Committee, and Lee Belbin who served previously as Review Manager for the standard.

1 0