GetRootTConcepts method of TaxonAPI

Description

TaxonName objects form a series of isolated directed graphs. There is no logical (semantically correct) way of joining them together into a single graph that could be crawled. This reflects that fact that it is possible to publish a taxon name legitimately under the codes without refering to any other name. Even suggesting placement of a new taxon is a TaxonConcept relationship not a nomenclatural relationship. The only way to explore or browse nomenclatural data is to run a series of queries perhaps making use of metadata elements.

TaxonConcepts are different. It is possible and arguably desireable for a publisher to link all their TaxonConcepts into a single graph. If need be this can be done by administrative concepts. The publisher could define a concepts such as:

'Algae' according-to 'Administrative Category'

Support for such an approach is optional but desirable.

Parameters

This method accepts no parameters.

Returns

A valid TCS document containing TaxonConcepts from which it is possible to navigate to all other TaxonConcepts published at this end point or an empty document if the publisher can not guarantee this behaviour.

Notes

It may be possible in the future to implement similar behaviour using RelationshipAssertions? but it is not possible to make assertions about other assertions in the current model so it would not be possible to make an administrative hierarchy that the 'proper' TaxonConcepts hang off.

-- RogerHyam - 28 Nov 2005