|
Introduction to Darwin Core
|
Darwin Core isn’t difficult to apply, it just takes a little bit of time.
Using Darwin Core allows datasets from across projects, organizations, and countries to be integrated together.
Applying certain general principles to the data will make it easier to map to Darwin Core.
Implementing Darwin Core makes data FAIR-er and means becoming part of a community of people working together to understand species no matter where they work or are based.
|
|
Data Cleaning
|
When doing conversions it’s best to break out your data into it’s component pieces.
Dates are messy to deal with. Some packages have easy solutions, otherwise use regular expressions to align date strings to ISO 8601.
WoRMS LSIDs are a requirement for OBIS.
Latitude and longitudes are like dates, they can be messy to deal with. Take a similar approach.
|
|
Darwin Core and Extension Schemas
|
Darwin Core uses cores and extensions to model the multitude of biological observation data that exists.
OBIS uses the Event (or Occurrence) Core with the Extended Measurement or Fact extension to make sure no information is lost.
Additional fields are required and put into different files when using a Core with the Extended Measurement or Fact extension.
ID fields are important keys in your data and we recommend building them from the information in your data.
|
|
QA/QC
|
|
|
Metadata and publishing
|
The IPT is a well-documented and flexible system for publishing data to OBIS
Some Darwin Core and Ecological Metadata Language fields are required for publishing to OBIS.
Strive to write more than the minimal metadata
|
|
Continuing the Conversation
|
The Standardizing Marine Bio Data (SBMD) group is available to help.
The SMBD meets monthly and you are welcome to join.
The SMBD github issue tracker is the best place to reach out for help.
|