NatureServe is pleased to announce the release of a public working draft
(version 0.3) of an XML schema to describe species-level data as
reflected in NatureServe's biodiversity data model. We are seeking
public review and comments on this version until January 31, 2006.
Comments received during the review period will be addressed in the next
release, version 1.0.
NatureServe is evolving its data delivery strategy to use XML-based, Web
services protocols. The XML schemas that will form the basis for this
Web services architecture are in different stages of development. The
NatureServe Species Schema, the subject of this announcement, is now in
public review. A companion XML schema document for describing species
occurrence-level data as managed by the NatureServe network is also in
development and will be released for public review at a later date. Our
Web services strategy for sharing data among NatureServe network members
and with external users is dependent upon the usability of these XML
schemas. For this reason, we are seeking as wide a review as possible
among our colleagues within the biodiversity informatics community, and
especially from those organizations that regularly rely on and interact
with NatureServe data.
Reviewers are invited to submit comments on either the content or the
structure of the XML documents. Content reviewers will want to follow
the link for the human readable documentation. We have also provided a
sample document for review, which describes NatureServe's species-level
data for Haliaeetus leucocephalus (bald eagle) as expressed in XML
format. Users of the NatureServe Explorer website should find the
content represented in the sample document very familiar. Technical
reviewers will also find useful the links to the XSD documents.
Technical reviewer comments may cover the names of the XML tags, the
nesting of the XML document, and the structure of the XML schema.
Technical reviewer comments from organizations that may develop
applications to consume NatureServe data as expressed by these XML
schema are highly encouraged.
The NatureServe Species Schema documentation can be found at:
http://services.natureserve.org/technical/speciesSchema.htm
Please submit comments using the feedback forms found at the same
location, or via email to:
services(a)natureserve.org
Lynn Kutner
NatureServe
Email: lynn_kutner(a)natureserve.org
Phone: (303) 541-0360
www.natureserve.org
