[tdwg-content] Conflict between DarwinCore and DublinCore usageof dcterms:type / basisOfRecord

[Kevin Richards]

I'm not sure I agrre here...

>> Steve Baskauf [steve.baskauf at vanderbilt.edu]
>> Unfortunately, this issue has been clouded somewhat by
>> adoption of the term Occurrence for the class that includes specimens
>> and observations.  I understand the reason why this was done (i.e.
>> because specimens and observations both can serve as records of
>> occurrence), but I think it would be better to have used something like
>> "DerivativeResource" (i.e. a resource that is derived from an organism)
>>for the dwc:recordClass rather than "Occurrence" because an occurrence
>> can documented by resources other than specimens and observations

I think there is really only 2 categories of occurrence here - those with physical vouchered specimens, and those with digital only representations.  Only those with a physical specimen are "specimen occurrences", all others are "observed occurrences" (even if thay have an image assocuated with them).  I can't see why this would really restrict you from represetning any occurrence data you may have.

Also, one of the beneficial things about DwC is its simplicity and specificity.  If we generalise again (to handle "all" types of occurrence, "resources derived from organisms"), then I feel the ontology will become less usable, and obvious, to end users.  Sometimes it is a good thing to specify precise data fields and types in an ontology.

Kevin

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