Taxon Pre E Science 10 May 2004

10 May 2004, Edinburgh, Scotland

• See also: TaxonWGMeetingsInEdinburghAgenda

Present:

• David Stockwell
• Paula Huddleston
• Bob Peet
• Robert Kukla
• Trevor Patterson
• Susan Guach
• Allen Cannon
• Jessie Kennedy
• Nico Franz
• Robert Gales
• Dave Vieglais
• Aimee Stewart

Taxonomic Concept schema

Robert and Jessie's idea

4 Types of concepts - difference in quality

1. Original -
2. Revised - has same or diff name, diff author and date
3. Reference - if convert system db, don't have access to original, ideally in "final" db, won't have any of these.
4. Vernacular

Do we need these distinctions?

Only original gets GUID, others are reference concepts with internal SEEK ID

Name is tied to rank - different rules for names at different ranks

Bob

• keep concept very simple, name and reference, name can change

Jessie

• keep concept full, simplify for different applications - can simplify but not make more complex

Entities vs concepts

Nico

1. add characteristics to a concept - don't change specimens - new publication so new concept
2. add specimens, don't change characteristics,

Bob

1. separate "opinion" (authority, concept, relationships, reference, notes)
2. from "fact" (name, reference, characteristics, specimens)

ignore character circumscription, vernacular for the time being

Vernacular names - We have vernacular concepts, don't deal with language because you then have to deal with region, time, etc.

Taxon circumscription (children):
may have all, some, or none. Parent child relationships are within trees, so that is why this is here in the concept and other relationships are not. Other relationships are across trees. An open question still - how do 2 data hierarchies use the same concept if they different children/grandchildren. Since the children are a part of the concept in this schema, you could never get to the 2nd hierarchy's children.

Specimen circumscription (vouchers) - vouchers will all have GUIDs

Character circumscription - Jessie and Trevor have a schema for this

How do we deal with revisions in ITIS - deal with this in the insert process