November 2007 - tdwg - lists.tdwg.org

Metadata for biodiversity datasets
by Eamonn O Tuama 14 Nov '07

14 Nov '07

Dear TDWG Member, GBIF has identified metadata as a core component of the new distributed architecture model it will be developing as it seeks to scale up by orders of magnitude the numbers of records available through its network. We are planning to run a workshop early in 2008 to begin the process of defining a metadata profile for biodiversity datasets. As a precursor to the workshop, and to help identify and draw potential contributors together, we have created a metadata wiki on the GBIF portal. You will find some pages there to seed the discussions and you are invited to contribute to the wiki if this area is of interest to you. http://wiki.gbif.org/dadiwiki/wikka.php?wakka=CategoryMetadata Best regards, Éamonn ________________________________________________________________ Éamonn Ó Tuama, Ph.D. (eotuama(a)gbif.org), Senior Programme Officer for Data Access & Database Interoperability (DADI), Global Biodiversity Information Facility Secretariat, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, DENMARK Phone: +45 3532 1494; Fax: +45 3532 1480

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TDWG's vision for 2008
by Lee Belbin 06 Nov '07

06 Nov '07

Dear taxacomers and tdwgians Donald Hobern, TDWG's incoming Chairman, has just posted his vision for TDWG for 2008 to http://www.tdwg.org/about-tdwg/news/article/the-new-chairmans-vision-for-200 8/ Best Wishes Lee Lee Belbin Manager, TDWG Infrastructure Project Email: lee(a)tdwg.org

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TDWG specimen RDF and browser project completion
by Kevin Richards 05 Nov '07

05 Nov '07

A new tool has been developed for searching, harvesting and browsing RDF and XML data within the TDWG domain. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG: http://www.tdwg.org) recognised the urgent need to apply semantic web technologies to sharing biodiversity data. The endorsement of LSID (Life Science Identifiers) for use within the TDWG domain and associated development of RDF metadata has introduced semantic web protocols. This project was accomplished with funding from the TDWG Infrastructure Project (www.tdwg.org/activities/tip), funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (http://www.moore.org). The tool was developed in parallel with an LSID resolver for specimen-related data. The Herb IMI specimen database was used for the specimen records, which is closely related to the index of Fungi names, IndexFungorum (http://www.indexfungorum.org). Herb IMI contains nearly 400000 specimen records including location data, and is currently hosted by CABI in the UK. The tool's data sources are configurable and the protocols available include TDWG's TAPIR, OAI-PMH and LSID resolution. Multiple data sources can be configured using various protocols, then queried, harvested and stored in a local RDF-triple store cache. Semantic web inferences can then be derived from the cached RDF. The VB.NET code and documentation is located at the source forge project site, http://sourceforge.net/projects/tdwgrdfbrowser/. The code re-uses the TapirDotNET and LSIDDotNET Source Forge projects. An installation file allows for easy installation. The Herb IMI LSID resolver is set up at http://lsid.herbimi.info/authority/ - for example urn:lsid:herbimi.info:specimens:100069. The TAPIR provider (including a subset of the OAI-PMH protocol) is set up at http://lsid.herbimi.info/tapirdotnet/tapir.aspx. Any feedback is very welcome. Kevin Richards Landcare Research New Zealand

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The Global Biodiversity Information Facility and the TDWG Infrastructure Project
by Lee Belbin 02 Nov '07

02 Nov '07

Apologies for cross-postings (but I didn't want to miss anyone!)- The TDWG Infrastructure Project will complete at the end of 2007. Significant advances have been made, among them establishing a common architecture for standards and, as a component, the deployment of Life Science Identifiers (LSIDs). A brief news item on advances is now on the GBIF site- http://www.gbif.org/Stories/STORY1193926152 Many are asking "...where to now for TDWG?" Donald Hobern, as the incoming Chairman of TDWG will post a 'Vision for 2008' in the next week or so. Donald is also stepping down from his role as Deputy Director for Informatics at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to become the Director of the Atlas of Living Australia project. I'm sure that all those who have had the pleasure of working with Donald wish him and his family (very) well! Lee Lee Belbin Manager, TDWG Infrastructure Project Email: lee(a)tdwg.org

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