Announcing an open review of the Darwin Core 2.

The Darwin Core 2 is a simple set of data element definitions designed to support the sharing and integration of primary biodiversity data. An un-reviewed or informal version of the Darwin Core 2 is already being used in conjunction with DiGIR in several biodiversity information networks, including GBIF, MaNIS, OBIS, SpeciesLink, HerpNet, and OrNIS.

The Darwin Core 2 is now being proposed for consideration as a DRAFT standard under the Taxonomic Databases Working Group (http://www.tdwg.org). Two collaboration tools have been setup to facilitate this review. The first is a web site (http://DarwinCore.CalAcademy.org) that supports distributed authorship. (The web site is based on "Plone", which is like at wiki, but more structured.) The second is an email-list and newsgroup (archive) located at http://circa.gbif.net/Public/irc/tdwg/dwcrev/newsgroups?n=dwcrev (Register and/or login at: http://circa.gbif.net/tdwg )

The web site is the best place to start because it presents an HTML (readable) version of the Darwin Core 2, the "normative" version (an XML schema), as well as background and summaries of pending issues. These summaries will grow and evolve over the course of the review.

The primary discussion, however, will take place on the mailing list. Please subscribe if you want to participate in this discussion and please use the mailing list to ensure that your comments are seen by everyone interested.

A face-to-face discussion of the Darwin Core 2 will take place at this year's TDWG annual meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand, Oct. 11-18. If you cannot attend, but would like your perspective and concerns to be addressed, please participate in the electronic review. It's the most practical way to get a global community together.

Finally, please let me know (via email) if you have any trouble with either the web site or the email list.

Sincerely,

Stan Blum Chair, TDWG Executive Committee 2004 Research Information Manager, California Academy of Sciences