This output format is the simplest output format available most used in EcoPlots. It The file contains all basic the information about datasets, the sites, visits and ecological observations in a bunch of CSV files. related to features of interest. The data in each CSV is grouped according to the Feature of interest selected with the filters during the search process. No further data filtering, cleaning or processing is necessary . Data is ready to as data in each file can be analysed using any tool or programming language such as R or Python.
Data is organised in different CSV files according to the Feature of interest selected in the filters.
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Content of the page:
Two types of CSV files are included in each dataset package.
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Observations CSV (data)
Every “observations” file contains all the ecological observations based on the filtering done in the EcoPlots before the package generation. The first set of columns are common to every file:
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Column
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Meaning
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Data Packages
TERN data packages can be downloaded to the local machine as compressed zip files. Once uncompressed, the folder structure contains a data folder with the CSV files containing the data dictionary and observations (see below image). The data dictionary file is represented by the naming convention “data_dictionary_packagerID”; observation files are represented by “feature-of-interest-name_observations_packagerID”. Observations related to each feature of interest are stored in individual CSV files.
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Each CSV contains a common set of columns to identify each record. The table below gives brief definitions of each column.
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Observations data specific to a Feature of Interest
The observation CSV files contain all the information related to the observation. The common set of attributes in the CSV files are as follows:
Column | Description |
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datasetTitle | Datasource/Dataset to which this data row belongs to. |
projectTitle | Project to which this data row belongs to. |
siteName | Ecological site where data was collected. |
parentSiteName | Ecological site name, which is the parent of the site where data was collected |
latitude_Degree | Latitude geographic coordinate of ecological site. |
longitude_Degree | Longitude geographic coordinate of ecological site. |
plotWidth_Metre | plot dimension width |
plotLength_Metre | plot dimension length |
topParentSiteName |
The larger site to which this ecological site belongs to. |
siteVisitName |
unique identifier of the |
site visit instance |
siteVisitStartDate |
Start date of the site visit |
siteVisitEndDate |
End date of the site visit |
featureType | The feature of interest type related to the observation (e.g., a plant individual, plant specimen, landform, weather, etc.). |
featureId | Unique identifier of the feature, e.g. stem-1a, tree-1, bird-0123456, specimen-ABC123 |
featureType
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parentFeatureId | Unique identifier of the greater feature to which the current feature is part of, e.g. tree-1 -> stem-1b. |
The sample CSV file is shown below:
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The following columns in the image below are specific ecological observations found in the ecological observations:
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columns to the right of the base data columns. Each row contains the ecological observations recorded during that sampling effort. The specific data included in each file is based on the filtering done during the EcoPlots searching process before the package generation.
Each observation consist of three columns:
Result of the observation. : The column header shows the name of the ecological parameter , aka observable property. ((i.e. g scientificName). Values for this column contain the actual results of the observations made, for instance, the species name of the that feature.
Result time: When the observation was made.
Method: Link This is a link to the vocabulary of the Method/Procedure. Opening the link on any Internet browser will show all the information about the protocol following for collecting the data.
In some very specific cases (when available), some extra columns are may be included in the CSV meaning some attributes . Those columns are the “attributes of the feature of interest interest” (i.e. g plant-individual or soil-sample):
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Attributes are easily identificable identifiable because they consist exclusively of 1 column (there is no result time nor or method). These attributes are not ecological observations , but contains contain important information about the feature, i.e.g. the depth of , the soil sample, or the x,y position inside the side of a specific plant's depth or a plant's relative position within the site.
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Data dictionary
Along with the data (observations) CSVs, a “data_dictionary” is included in the package, showing . It shows all columns available included in the package, their definitions, and where to find additional information.
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| Info |
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Additional information The “Additional information” column contains links to the controlled vocabularies of the specific attributes /parameters, where the user can read the actual definition of the concept. |
E.g.
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or parameters. Below is the definition of field species name in the TERN-controlled vocabulary. |
