ABCD Schema - Task Group on
Access to Biological Collection Data

A joint CODATA and TDWG initiative supported by GBIF

Mapping between ABCD v. 2.06b concepts and those used in the DarwinCore (DwC) and its extensions

The following tables serve to locate DwC concepts in ABCD and state the compatibility for transformations between the different schemas. "Fully compatible" means identical concepts and format, "Compatible" concepts need some kind of transformation as stated in the table. Please also see http://wiki.tdwg.org/twiki/bin/view/DarwinCore/DarwinCoreVersions for a table stating the relationship between different flavours of DwC itself. The following concept groups are treated here (all as found on the web as of April 7, 2007):
DarwinCore 1.4 (including core elements from DwC "2", 1.2, and 1.21)
DarwinCore 1.4 Geospatial Extension
DarwinCore 1.4 Curatorial Extension
DarwinCore 1.2 OBIS 1.1 Extension (= additional concepts used in OBIS 1.1)

Please send your comments to the editor: w.berendsohn [at] bgbm.org

Mapping between Darwin Core 1.4 concepts (DwC) and ABCD 2.06b

This document was originally based on a table dated August 4, 2005 and provided by Stan Blum to describe DwC "2" v. 1.4, see http://darwincore.calacademy.org/Documentation/DarwinCore2Draft_v1-4_HTML. It has been updated April 4, 2007 using the DwC Concept List r33 dated 17 Feb 2007 - 19:54:25 under http://wiki.tdwg.org/twiki/bin/view/DarwinCore/DarwinCoreDraftStandard. Deprecated DwC elements are still included (and marked accordingly) or commented on.

DwC 1.4 Record-level Element	ABCD 2.06b X-Path	DwC to ABCD	ABCD to DwC
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/...
GlobalUniqueIdentifier	UnitGUID	Fully compatible.	Fully compatible.
DateLastModified	DateLastEdited	Fully compatible.	Fully compatible.
BasisOfRecord	RecordBasis	Fully compatible DwC gives only recommendations for content. The examples given are the same as the restriction for ABCD, except that "StillImage" is used instead of "DrawingOrPhotograph", and that "MovingImage" and "SoundRecording" are listed, which should be mapped to "MultimediaObject" in ABCD	Fully compatible ABCD is restricting content to values representing: "PreservedSpecimen", "LivingSpecimen", "FossileSpecimen", "OtherSpecimen", "HumanObservation", "MachineObservation", "DrawingOrPhotograph", "MultimediaObject" and "AbsenceObservation".
InstitutionCode	SourceInstitutionID	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
CollectionCode	SourceID	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
CatalogNumber	UnitID	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
InformationWithheld	InformationWithheld	Fully compatible	Fully compatible ABCD allows the language to be stated.
Remarks	Notes	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
Taxonomic Elements	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/ Identifications/Identification/ TaxonIdentified/...
ScientificName	ScientificName/FullScientificNameString	Fully compatible (but ABCD able to support multiple identifications and identification history)	Fully compatible preferred identification must be used
HigherTaxon	HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/HigherTaxonName	+/- compatible. Unbounded ABCD element can be parsed from DwC text string.	+/- compatible. List can be compiled from unbounded ABCD element.
Kingdom	HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/HigherTaxonName with HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/ HigherTaxonRank = regnum	Fully compatible. "regnum" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data (incl. rank) are provided.
Phylum	HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/HigherTaxonName with HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/ HigherTaxonRank = phylum	Fully compatible. "phylum" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data (incl. rank) are provided.
Class	HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/HigherTaxonName with HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/ HigherTaxonRank = classis	Fully compatible. "classis" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data (incl. rank) are provided.
Order	HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/HigherTaxonName with HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/ HigherTaxonRank = ordo	Fully compatible. "ordo" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data (incl. rank) are provided.
Family	HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/HigherTaxonName with HigherTaxa/HigherTaxon/ HigherTaxonRank = familia	Fully compatible. "familia" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data (incl. rank) are provided.
Genus	ScientificName/NameAtomised/Bacterial/ GenusOrMonomial ScientificName/NameAtomised/Botanical/ GenusOrMonomial ScientificName/NameAtomised/Viral/ GenusOrMonomial ScientificName/NameAtomised/Zoological/ GenusOrMonomial	Compatible if taxonomic context (Code of Nomenclature) is known, which may also be deduced from value for Regnum in most cases.	Fully compatible for Genus as part of name.
SpecificEpithet	ScientificName/NameAtomised/Bacterial/ SpeciesEpithet ScientificName/NameAtomised/Botanical/ FirstEpithet ScientificName/NameAtomised/Zoological/ SpeciesEpithet	Compatible if taxonomic context (Code of Nomenclature) is known, which may also be deduced from value for Regnum in most cases.	Fully compatible for zoological and bacteriological names, in Botany subdivisions of genera may be included. ABCD additionally supports viral names.
InfraspecificRank	ScientificName/NameAtomised/Botanical/Rank	Compatible if taxonomic context (Code of Nomenclature) is known, which may also be deduced from value for Regnum in most cases. It defaults to subspecies in zoology and bacteriology.	Fully compatible. Subspecies as constant for zoological and bacterial names.
InfraspecificEpithet	ScientificName/NameAtomised/Bacterial/ SubspeciesEpithet ScientificName/NameAtomised/Botanical/ SecondEpithet ScientificName/NameAtomised/Zoological/ SubspeciesEpithet	Compatible if taxonomic context (NomenclaturalCode) is known, which may also be deduced from value for Regnum in most cases.	Fully compatible ABCD additionally supports viral names, breeds and named individuals, and cultivar groups, names, and trade designations.
AuthorYearOfScientificName	ScientificName/NameAtomised/Bacterial/ ParentheticalAuthorTeamAndYear + ScientificName/NameAtomised/Bacterial/ AuthorTeamAndYear ScientificName/NameAtomised/Botanical/ AuthorTeamParenthesis + ScientificName/ NameAtomised/Botanical/AuthorTeam ScientificName/NameAtomised/Zoological/ AuthorTeamOriginalAndYear + [= or] ScientificName/NameAtomised/Zoological/ AuthorTeamParenthesisAndYear	Content compatible, but needs parsing to classify parenthetical author(s).	Compatible when concatenated
NomenclaturalCode	Code	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
IdentificationQualifier	IdentificationQualifier	Fully compatible	Fully compatible In addition ABCD provides an attribute to define the insertion point in a string concatenated from atomised data.
Locality Elements	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Gathering/
HigherGeography	LocalityText or NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaName	DwC element is part of the ABCD Element. May be parsed	Compatible for the purpose stated for DwC ('like' queries) Compatible. List can be compiled from unbounded ABCD element. ABCD allows the language to be stated.
Continent	NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaName with NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaClass = Continent	Fully compatible "continent" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data are provided. ABCD allows the language to be stated.
WaterBody	NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaName with NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaClass = Water body	Fully compatible "Water body" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data are provided. ABCD allows the language to be stated.
IslandGroup	NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaName with NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaClass = IslandGroup	Fully compatible "Island group" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data are provided. ABCD allows the language to be stated.
Island	NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaName with NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaClass = Island	Fully compatible "island" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data are provided. ABCD allows the language to be stated.
Country	Country/CountryName	Fully compatible	Fully compatible ABCD allows the language to be stated.
StateProvince	NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaName with NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaClass = State or = Province (etc.)	+/- compatible "State or Province" as constant	Fully compatible if complete ABCD data are provided. ABCD allows the language to be stated.
County	NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaName with NamedAreas/NamedArea/AreaClass = County	+/- compatible "county" as constant	+/- compatible if complete ABCD data are provided. ABCD allows the language to be stated.
Locality	AreaDetail	Fully compatible	Fully compatible ABCD allows the language to be stated.
MinimumElevationIn Meters	Altitude/MeasurementOrFactAtomised/ LowerValue	Fully compatible. "m" as constant	Fully compatible for metric values, otherwise conversion is necessary.
MaximumElevationIn Meters	Altitude/MeasurementOrFactAtomised/ UpperValue	Fully compatible "m" as constant	Fully compatible for metric values, otherwise conversion is necessary.
MinimumDepthIn Meters	Depth/MeasurementOrFactAtomised/ LowerValue	Fully compatible "m" as constant	Fully compatible for metric values, otherwise conversion is necessary.
MaximumDepthIn Meters	Depth/MeasurementAtomised/ UpperValue	Fully compatible "m" as constant	Fully compatible for metric values, otherwise conversion is necessary.
Collecting Event Elements	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Gathering/
CollectingMethod	Method	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
ValidDistributionFlag (under discussion)	ValidDistributionFlag	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
EstablishmentMeans (under discussion)	EstablishmentMeans	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
EarliestDateCollected	DateTime/ISODateTimeBegin	Fully compatible (Note that some versions of DwC use three fields, namely YearCollected, MonthCollected, and DayCollected, which may be concatenated to ISO date.)	Fully compatible (The three fields used in some DwC versions may be extracted from the ISO datetime in ABCD.)
LatestDateCollected	DateTime/ISODateTimeEnd	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
(TimeCollected) (deprecated element in v.1.4, covered by EarliestDateCollected)	DateTime/TimeOfDayBegin	Compatible	Compatible Time maintained as separate element in ABCD for cases where no date is given. ABCD provides end of time period
DayOfYear (JulianDay)	DateTime/DayNumberBegin	Fully compatible	Compatible (should not be given if ABCD's DayNumberEnd is given, because in DwC this does not refer to time periods)
Collector	GatheringAgentes/GatheringAgentsText	Fully compatible	Fully compatible ABCD provides also atomised version.
Biological Elements	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/
Sex	Sex	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
LifeStage	ZoologicalUnit/PhasesOrStages/PhaseOrStage or MycologicalUnit/MycologicalLifeStages/ MycologicalLifeStage or MycologicalUnit/MycologicalSexualStage	May be compatible where taxonomic domain is known	Partly compatible, but left to community to define ABCD allows the language to be stated.
Attributes	MeasurementsOrFacts (alternatively: Notes)	A well-formed string may be parsed into character-character state pairs that fit into an ABCD MeasurementOrFact element. Otherwise put into Notes.	MeasurementsOrFacts can be concatenated and accomodated in this DwC element.
References Elements	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/
ImageURL	MultimediaObjects/MultimediaObject/FileURI or MultimediaObjects/MultimediaObject/ProductURI	+/- compatible (needs clearer definition of DwC item)	Fully compatible but unbound in ABCD
RelatedInformation	Notes	Fully compatible	Fully compatible

Mapping between Darwin Core 1.4 (DwC) Geospatial Extension Concept List and ABCD 2.06b

The DwC part of this table is based on the Geospatial Extentension Concept List dated June 30, 2005 and the associated comments, page r18, 14 Feb 2007, see http://wiki.tdwg.org/twiki/bin/view/DarwinCore/GeospatialExtension.

DwC Geospatial Ext. Record-level Element	ABCD 2.06 X-Path	DwC to ABCD	ABCD to DwC
Geospatial Elements	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Gathering/ SiteCoordinateSets/SiteCoordinates/
DecimalLatitude	CoordinatesLatLon/LatitudeDecimal	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
DecimalLongitude	CoordinatesLatLon/LongitudeDecimal	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
GeodeticDatum	CoordinatesLatLon/SpatialDatum	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
CoordinateUncertainty InMeters	CoordinatesLatLon/ CoordinateErrorDistanceInMeters	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
PointRadiusSpatialFit	PointRadiusSpatialFit	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
VerbatimCoordinates	CoordinatesLatLon/CoordinatesText or CoordinatesUTM/UTMText	Fully compatible, if coordinate system is known	Fully compatible
VerbatimLatitude	CoordinatesLatLon/VerbatimLatitude	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
VerbatimLongitude	CoordinatesLatLon/VerbatimLongitude	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
VerbatimCoordinateSystem	(partly) CoordinatesGrid/GridCellSystem	Applicable only for grid systems.	+/- compatible using constants for UTM and geographical coordinates
GeoreferenceProtocol	CoordinateMethod	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
GeoreferenceSources	GeoreferenceSources	Fully compatible	could be parsed for valid expressions
GeoreferenceRemarks	GeoreferenceRemarks	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
GeoreferenceVerificationStatus	GeoreferenceVerificationStatus	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Gathering/
FootprintWKT	FootprintWKT	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
FootprintSpatialFit	FootprintSpatialFit	Fully compatible	Fully compatible

Mapping between Darwin Core 1.4 (DwC) Curatorial Extension and ABCD 2.06b

The DwC information in this table is is based on the Curatorial Extension Concept List r. 15 dated 16 April 2007, see http://wiki.tdwg.org/twiki/bin/view/DarwinCore/CuratorialExtension and the DwC Schema Element Comparison Table in the Darwin Core Versions document r. 18 dated 14 February 2007, see http://wiki.tdwg.org/twiki/bin/view/DarwinCore/DarwinCoreVersions. This version of the curatorial extension should be referred to as v. 1.4 according to John Wieczorek (pers.comm. April 17, 2007)

DwC Curatorial Ext. Record-level Element	ABCD 2.06b X-Path	DwC to ABCD	ABCD to DwC
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/
CatalogNumberNumeric	UnitIDNumeric	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
CollectorNumber	CollectorsFieldNumber	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
FieldNotes	FieldNotes	Fully compatible	Fully compatible ABCD allows the language to be stated.
IndividualCount	MeasurementsOrFacts/MeasurementOrFact/MeasurementOrFactAtomised/LowerValue + constant	Fully compatible (with constant Parameter set to IndividualCount)	Compatible (for parameter = Individual count
GenBankNum(ber)	Sequences/Sequence/ID-in-Database + constant	Fully compatible (with constant Database set to GenBank)	Compatible (for Database = GenBank). ABCD recognises other sequence databases.
RelatedCatalogItems	UnitAssociation/*	May be parsed into atomised ABCD structure. Note that the OBIS and DwC 1.2 element RelatedCatalogItem is semantically different.	Compatible (UnitAssociation elements for Unit ID and Association type can be concatenated).
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Identifications/Identification/
IdentifiedBy	Identifiers/IdentifiersText	Fully compatible	Fully compatible ABCD provides also atomised version.
DateIdentified	Date/DateText	Fully compatible (ABCD additionally provides an ISODateTime element)	Fully compatible ABCD also provides verbatim version
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Gathering/
FieldNumber	Code	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
VerbatimCollectingDate	DateTime/DateText	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
VerbatimElevation	Altitude/MeasurementOrFactText	Fully compatible	Fully compatible ABCD allows the language to be stated.
VerbatimDepth	Depth/MeasurementOrFactText	Fully compatible	Fully compatible ABCD allows the language to be stated.
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/SpecimenUnit/
Preparations	Preparations/PreparationsText	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
TypeStatus	NomenclaturalTypeDesignations/NomenclaturalTypeText	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
OtherCatalogNumbers	History/PreviousUnitsText	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
Disposition	Disposition	Fully compatible	Fully compatible

Mapping between additional elements in the OBIS Schema 1.1 DwC 1.2 extension and ABCD 2.06b

The OBIS (Ocean Biographic Information System) record level elements were taken from the "The OBIS SchemaVersion 1.1 08 July 2005" (http://www.iobis.org/tech/provider/schemadef1) page ("Last modified 2007-03-01 03:55 PM"). Only elements that are not documented under DwC 1.4 above are treated here.

OBIS Record-level Element	ABCD 2.06b X-Path	OBIS to ABCD	ABCD to OBIS
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/
RecordURL	RecordURI	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
Source	partly covered (for literature reference as the source of the record's information) by SourceReference/TitleCitation	("OBIS does not encourage the use of this field - it is a legacy field.")	Compatible for attribution of literature as source
Citation	IPRStatements/Citations/Citation/Text	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
Subgenus	Identifications/.../NameAtomised/Zoological/Subgenus	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Gathering/DateTime/
JulianDay (DayOfYear)	DayNumberBegin	Partly compatible (in contrast to DwC 1.4 this may be the only date, or an average of Start and End day of a period.	Compatible (if ABCD's DayNumberEnd is given, an average should be calculated)
StartJulianDay	DayNumberBegin	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
EndJulianDay	DayNumberEnd	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
TimeOfDay	TimeOfDayBegin	Compatible (transform to xs:time type)	Compatible (transform from xs:time to numeric; if ABCD's TimeOfDayEnd is given, this should be left blank)
StartTimeOfDay	TimeOfDayBegin	Compatible (transform to xs:time type)	Compatible (transform to xs:time type)
EndTimeOfDay	TimeOfDayBegin	Compatible (transform to xs:time type)	Compatible (transform to xs:time type)
TimeZone	DateTime/TimeZone	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Gathering/CoordinateSets/SiteCoordinates/
StartLongitude	CoordinatesLatLon/LongitudeDecimal with attribute "begin" set to true	Fully compatible	Fully compatible (for attribute begin=true)
EndLongitude	CoordinatesLatLon/LongitudeDecimal with attribute "end" set to true	Fully compatible	Fully compatible (for attribute end=true)
StartLatitude	CoordinatesLatLon/LatitudeDecimal with attribute "begin" set to true	Fully compatible	Fully compatible (for attribute begin=true)
EndLatitude	CoordinatesLatLon/LatititudeDecimal with attribute "end" set to true	Fully compatible	Fully compatible (for attribute end=true)
CoordinatePrecision	CoordinatesLatLon/CoordinateErrorDistanceInMeters	Fully compatible (use together with coordinate set determined by OBIS Latitude and Longitude elements)	Fully compatible (for neither attribute end nor begin = true)
StartEndCoordinatePrecision	CoordinatesLatLon/CoordinateErrorDistanceInMeters	Fully compatible (enter into both end and begin coordinate set)	Compatible (if end and begin coordinate sets are given, use average of non-null errors)
BoundingBox	--	not covered by ABCD	not covered by ABCD
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/Gathering/
DepthRange	Depth/MeasurementOrFactText	Fully compatible (set attribute datum to Sea level or Water surface)	Fully compatible (for attribute datum = Sea level or Water surface)
Temperature	SiteMeasurementsOrFacts/MeasurementOrFact/MeasurementOrFactAtomised/LowerValue + constant	Fully compatible (with constant Parameter set to Temperature)	Compatible (for parameter = Temperature)
SampleSize	SiteMeasurementsOrFacts/MeasurementOrFact/MeasurementOrFactAtomised/LowerValue + constant	Fully compatible (with constant Parameter set to SampleSize)	Compatible (for parameter = SampleSize)
ObservedIndividualCount	SiteMeasurementsOrFacts/MeasurementOrFact/MeasurementOrFactAtomised/LowerValue + constant	Fully compatible (with constant Parameter set to ObservedIndividualCount)	Compatible (for parameter = ObservedIndividualCount)
ObservedWeight	SiteMeasurementsOrFacts/MeasurementOrFact/MeasurementOrFactAtomised/LowerValue + constant	Fully compatible (with constant Parameter set to ObservedWeight)	Compatible (for parameter = ObservedWeight)
GMLFeature ("OBIS experimental field")	GML	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
	Datasets/Dataset/Units/Unit/
RelationshipType	Associations/UnitAssociation/AssociationType	Fully compatible	Fully compatible
RelatedCatalogItem	Associations/UnitAssociation/AssociatedUnitSourceInstitutionCode + Associations/UnitAssociation/AssociatedUnitSourceName + Associations/UnitAssociation/AssociatedUnitID	Compatible (the three Identifiers separated by spaces must be parsed)	Compatible (the three Identifiers must be concatenated separated by spaces)

Please send comments to w.berendsohn@bgbm.org

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This page last edited on 09.06.2007