Collections

Vegetation sampling

We observe and collect data on soil

More soil...

Once a plot is set up, the fun begins!

Marl outcrop – Lake Waccamaw, Columbus Co, NC

Fall line rock outcrop vegetation, with Amphianthus pusillus and Diamorpha smallii - Forty Acre Rock HP, Lancaster Co, SC

Determining DBH with d-tape

And more trees...

It’s a plant id party!!

VegBank --- Data Model & XML schema

Why an exchange standard? Many research questions require lots of dataMany research questions require lots of data Facilitate exchange !Facilitate exchange ! Write input/output just onceWrite input/output just once Encourage others to participate (eg US Forest Service)Encourage others to participate (eg US Forest Service) Safe & documented long-term storage of plot dataSafe & documented long-term storage of plot data

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Key design features Many kinds of plots !!!Many kinds of plots !!! Easy searchEasy search Easy citation and linkageEasy citation and linkage Easy downloadEasy download XML input and output optionsXML input and output options Users can annotate plots and determinationsUsers can annotate plots and determinations Support of taxon conceptsSupport of taxon concepts

Biodiversity data structure Taxonomic database Plot/Inventory database Occurrence database Plot Observation/ Collection Event Specimen or Object Bio-Taxon Locality Vegetation Type Vegetation type database

Project Plot Observation Taxon / Individual Observation Taxon Interpretation Plot Interpretation Core elements of VegBank

VegBank consists of three integrated databases 1. The Plot Database 2. The Plant Database 3. The Community Database

The VegBank ERD Available at: at: Click tables for data dictionary and constrained vocabularyClick tables for data dictionary and constrained vocabulary

Plot Embargos Embargos Named Place Named Place

Observation Project Project Disturbance Obs Disturbance Obs Soil Obs Soil Obs Soil taxon Soil taxon Graphic Graphic Observation Synonym Observation Synonym

Taxon Observation Importance values Importance values Author name Author name Taxon Interpretation Which taxon Which taxon Who decided and why Who decided and why Stem or collective Stem or collective Voucher information Voucher information

Strata & Cover Stratum method Stratum method Stratum type Stratum type Stratum Stratum Cover method Cover method Cover Index Cover Index

Interpretation continued Plants Tax Interpretation Tax Interpretation Taxon Alt Taxon AltCommunities Class Class Interpretation Interpretation

Problematic taxa of ecological datasets Carex sp. Crustose lichen Hairy sedge #6. Sporobolus sp. #1 Picea glauca – engelmannii complex Potentilla simplex or P. canadensis Carya ovata sec. Gleason 1952

Party Project Contr. Project Contr. Obs Contr. Obs Contr. Role Role

References

Utilities User defined User defined Notes Notes Revisions Revisions

Taxonomic database challenge: Standardizing organisms and communities The problem: Integration of data potentially representing different times, places, investigators and taxonomic standards. The traditional solution: A standard list of organisms / communities.

Standardized taxon lists fail to allow dataset integration The reasons include: Taxonomic concepts are not defined (just lists),Taxonomic concepts are not defined (just lists), Relationships among concepts are not definedRelationships among concepts are not defined The user cannot reconstruct the database as viewed at an arbitrary time in the past,The user cannot reconstruct the database as viewed at an arbitrary time in the past, Multiple party perspectives on taxonomic concepts and names cannot be supported or reconciled.Multiple party perspectives on taxonomic concepts and names cannot be supported or reconciled.

Abies lasiocarpa Abies bifolia Abies lasiocarpa sec. Little sec. USDA PLANTS sec. Flora North America Three concepts of subalpine fir Splitting one species into two illustrates the ambiguity often associated with scientific names.

USDA Plants & ITIS Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa var. arizonica One concept ofAbies lasiocarpa

Flora North America Abies lasiocarpa Abies bifolia A narrow concept of Abies lasiocarpa Partnership with USDA plants to provide plant concepts for data integration

High-elevation fir trees of western North America AZ NM CO WY MT AB eBC wBC WA OR Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa Distribution USDA - ITIS Flora North America Abies bifolia Abies lasiocarpa Minimal concepts ABC

Andropogon virginicus complex in the Carolinas 9 elemental units; 17 base concepts, 27 scientific names

Relationships among concepts allow comparisons and conversions Congruent, equal (=)Congruent, equal (=) Includes (>)Includes (>) Included in (<)Included in (<) Overlaps (> <) Disjunct (|)Disjunct (|) and others …and others …

Party Perspective The Party Perspective on a concept includes: Status – Standard, Nonstandard, Undetermined Status – Standard, Nonstandard, Undetermined Correlation with other concepts – Equal, Greater, Lesser, Overlap, Undetermined. Correlation with other concepts – Equal, Greater, Lesser, Overlap, Undetermined. Start & Stop dates for tracking changes Start & Stop dates for tracking changes

Intended functionality Organisms are labeled by reference to concept (name-reference combination),Organisms are labeled by reference to concept (name-reference combination), Party perspectives on concepts and names can be dynamic, but remain perfectly archived,Party perspectives on concepts and names can be dynamic, but remain perfectly archived, User can select which party perspective to follow,User can select which party perspective to follow, Different names systems are supported,Different names systems are supported, Enhanced stability in recognized concepts by separating name assignment and rank from concept.Enhanced stability in recognized concepts by separating name assignment and rank from concept.