OBIS Data Content Enhancement Task Team (DataTT)

Chair: Philip Goldstein (OBIS-USA)

The OBIS Data Content Enhancement Task Team (DataTT) addresses issues of capturing more kinds of biogeographic data, with more detail, in standard ways that can apply throughout OBIS communities and Darwin Core communities worldwide. The DataTT guided OBIS’s transition to Ratified Darwin Core in 2012-2014.

OBIS’s use of standards is an essential practice for consistency, quality, and community. By enhancing data content, OBIS continually progresses to reach out for more kinds of data, for more participation, and more applications.

This description of the OBIS DataTT includes reference to the OBIS-ENV-DATA project that constitutes a major portion of the enhancement activities OBIS currently pursues in 2015-2017.

The OBIS Data Content Enhancement Task Team (OBIS-DataTT) has the following terms of reference.

Terms of Reference of the OBIS-dataTT

To identify requirements for new data types, new data integration capabilities, new levels of detail and quality, and more applications, that emerge within the OBIS communities. Examples of requirements recognized by the DataTT include capturing absence and abundance, integrating biogeographic data with environmental data, and capturing details about sampling and observing methods and effort. Additional requirements include subsampling, as well as tracking/telemetry of individual animals.
To match requirements to globally accepted and emerging practices for using Darwin Core and other standards.
To assess and prioritize among requirements and to evaluate and choose solutions to address requirements.
To align OBIS solutions with Ratified Darwin Core, and with tools such as IPT that are available for Darwin-Core-compliant data. Alignment with Ratified Darwin Core includes the possibility of extending Darwin Core according to guidelines for extension.
The DataTT works with the OBIS-ENV-DATA project, as the OBIS-ENV-DATA project includes within its scope several major high priority enhancements such as the examples above.

OBIS-DataTT Presentations / Meetings

Presentation on Data Content Enhancements at the Fifth Session of the IODE Steering Group for OBIS (2016): Download here; including references to enhancements since the Fourth SG-OBIS Session, 2015
Proposal for OBIS-ENV-DATA pilot project 2015-2016
Proceedings of the DataTT including transition of OBIS from the vOBIS (earlier version of Darwin Core) to Ratified Darwin Core, 2012-2014