Species Model Workshop

This workshop took place at the GBIF Secretariat in Copenhagen on 16 to 18 April, 2007. The purpose and expected outcomes of the workshop as initially circulated to participants are presented below.

Introduction

GBIF and TDWG have identified a pressing need to develop a standardised species data model (now referred to as the SpeciesProfileModel) to complement those already available for specimens and observations (Darwin Core, ABCD). Several initiatives (e.g., Plinian Core; GISIN IASPS; Nature Serve; ETI Bioinformatics) have already begun to model species data and there is a need to bring these together to reach consensus and avoid fragmentation.

Species level schema

The species level schema is intended to be a specification of data concepts and structure intended to support the retrieval and integration of data that documents species.

Purpose of workshop

The objective of the workshop is to develop a top-level categorisation of species data suitable for the content served by different projects, building on work already done by other initiatives that dealt with a species level model (e.g., Plinian Core; GISIN IASPS; Nature Serve; ETI Bioinformatics). It is expected that individual specialist groups would then extend this top level categorisation to accommodate their own particular requirements. Several SpeciesProfileModelUseCases are envisaged.

Outcomes of workshop

The expected outcomes of the workshop are:

• version 0.1 of the species level schema;
• agreement (at least in principle) to adopt the species level schema;
• a model for extending the top-level categories to accommodate different taxa;
• a method for dealing with versioning of the schema (e.g., adding or deprecating elements)

-- EamonnOTuama - 09 May 2007