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MIDS Information Elements

DRAFT

MIDS List of Information Elements

Title : MIDS List of Information Elements

Date version issued : yyyy-mm-dd

Date created : yyyy-mm-dd

Part of TDWG Standard : DRAFT

This version : DRAFT

Latest version : DRAFT

Abstract : Minimum Information about a Digital Specimen (MIDS) is a specification defining the information elements expected to be present when publishing digitised specimen information at various levels of digitisation. Digital Specimens are online digital representations of their physical counterparts in natural science collections. The definition of digitisation used here is the process of making physical objects digitally available. Levels of digitisation represent a simple categorisation of the type and depth of digitisation achieved by different approaches.

This document contains a list of attributes of each MIDS Information Element, including a documentation name, a specified URI, a recommended English label for user interfaces, a definition, and some ancillary notes.

Contributors : Elspeth Haston, Cat Chapman + names to be added. Alex Hardisty created the foundation for this work.

Creator : TDWG MIDS Task Group

Bibliographic citation : MIDS Task Group. 2024. MIDS List of Information Elements. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG). DRAFT

1 Introduction

1.1 Status of the content of this document

DRAFT

1.2 RFC 2119 key words

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119.

1.3 Categories of information elements

DRAFT

2 Borrowed Vocabulary

When information element names are an exact match to terms in other vocabularies, MIDS uses the URIs, common abbreviations, and namespace prefixes in use in those vocabularies. The URIs are normative, but abbreviations and namespace prefixes have no impact except as an aid to reading the documentation.

Table 1. Vocabularies from which terms have been borrowed (non-normative)

Note: URIs for terms in most of these namespaces do not dereference to anything. The authoritative documentation can be obtained by clicking on the vocabulary names in the table.

Vocabulary Abbreviation Namespaces and abbreviations
Darwin Core DwC dwc: = http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/
Dublin Core DC dc: = http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/, dcterms: = http://purl.org/dc/terms/
Schema.org Schema schema: = https://schema.org/version/latest/schemaorg-current-https.rdf
Resource Description Framework RDF rdf: = http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#
Access to Biological Collection Data ABCD abcd: = https://abcd.tdwg.org/terms/

3 Namespaces, Prefixes and Term Names

Pending

4 MIDS Levels

Level Label Description Purpose
mids0 MIDS Level 0 - Bare A bare or skeletal record making the association between an identifier of a physical specimen and its digital representation, allowing for unambiguous attachment of all other information. Allows for unambiguous attachment of all other information and to allow a user to discover the location of the physical specimen to access additional information or to request access to the physical specimen.
mids1 MIDS Level 1 - Basic A basic record of specimen information enabling basic discoverability as well as how the user is permitted to use the data. Creates a digital representation of the physical collections. Provides information about the number of specimens present for a taxon as well as some information about the kind of object, enabling curators and other users to find the specimens within the collections. Also enables costing calculations for storage, digitisation and other curation activities. If imaged, also enables similar search and browsing capabilities online as researchers and curators would have at the cabinets of physical specimens.
mids2 MIDS Level 2 - Intermediary An intermediary level of information including data that have been agreed over time as essential for most scientific purposes. Key information fields that have been agreed over time as essential for most scientific purposes.
mids3 MIDS Level 3 - Extended An extended level of information about a specimen including identifiers enabling connections to be made to other data present or known about the specimen. Enables linked open data.

5 Information Elements

5.1 Index By Information Element

mids0
mids1
mids2
mids3

5.2 Information Elements Schema

Element Name Organization
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#Organization
Label Organization
Level MIDS Level 0 - Bare
Definition A term to indicate in which institution the specimen is held. This may include an institution code and an institution identifier.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to include a human readable term and a globally unique persistent and resolvable identifier from GrSciColl, GRID, ROR, etc.
Purpose To allow a user to discover the location of the physical specimen to access additional information or to request access to the physical specimen.
Scope All
Examples
  • dwc:ownerInstitutionCode : RBGE, dwc:institutionID : https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/0237598a-853a-492c-af74-a723fe251799; dwc:ownerInstitutionCode : MNHN, dwc:institutionID : https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/fe534fe7-dccd-4d79-8313-c11b2ea854ab; dwc:ownerInstitutionCode : BZ, dwc:institutionID : https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/6a6ac6c5-1b8a-48db-91a2-f8661274ff80
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:SourceInstitutionID skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Unit-Owner-OrganisationGUID skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:DataSet abcd:DataSet-Owner-OrganisationGUID skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dwc:ownerInstitutionCode skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:institutionID skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:institutionCode skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name PhysicalSpecimenID
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#PhysicalSpecimenID
Label Physical Specimen ID
Level MIDS Level 0 - Bare
Definition A unique identity for the specimen within the curating institution. Whatever the institution uses to uniquely identify the item. For example: DOI, stable identifier, catalogue number, barcode, etc.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to use a globally unique persistent identifier, preferably resolvable, e.g. CETAF Stable Identifiers or DOIs. It is strongly recommended to map these to the DwC term materialSampleID.
Purpose To allow the curator/researcher to identify the physical specimen to which the data refer. To allow citation of the specimen. To enable the attachment of additional information to the specimen record.
Scope All
Examples
  • http://herbarium.bgbm.org/object/B100277113; (O-F-2201154, 30eff5c2-97b4-4eeb-bb46-8c12a1cf0f37, 12254)
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:UnitID skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:UnitGUID skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dwc:materialSampleID skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:catalogNumber skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:otherCatalogNumbers skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:occurrenceID skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:materialEntityID skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name License
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#License
Label License
Level MIDS Level 1 - Basic
Definition License under which the specimen data are published
Recommendations Use Creative Commons license framework. Use as unrestricted license as possible.
Purpose To enable all users to determine how they can use the specimen data
Scope All
Examples
  • CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:Unit-License-Text skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Unit-License-URI skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:DataSet abcd:DataSet-License-Text skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:DataSet abcd:DataSet-License-URI skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dc:license skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name Modified
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#Modified
Label Modified
Level MIDS Level 1 - Basic
Definition UTC date/time of date/time of first creation or subsequent modification, if any
Recommendations Use ISO 8601. UTC date/time, extended format (for human readability)
Purpose To enable users (humans/machines) to determine if there have been any changes to the record since it was last viewed.
Scope All
Examples
  • 2021-01-20 10:54:18
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:DataSet abcd:DataSet-DateModified skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Unit-DateLastEdited skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dc:modified skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name Name
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#Name
Label Name
Level MIDS Level 1 - Basic
Definition A name given to the object. Any string of characters and/or numbers by which the object is referenced within a collection. For example, the name the specimen is stored under, its scientific or taxonomic name if known, how it is labelled, etc. This name is not necessarily its name according to an accepted scientific classification, identification, or taxonomic determination (i.e., scientific name) but it often can be the same as that.
Recommendations It is recommended to follow standard nomenclators, e.g. the International Plant Names Index (IPNI), MycoBank, AlgaeBase, Mindat, etc
Purpose Information to aid the discoverability of specimens by users and the ability to retrieve them within a collection.
Scope All
Examples
  • Colias croceus (Geoffroy, 1785), Ophthalmosaurus, Australian Baobab, Scottish rock, etc.
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:TaxonIdentified-FullScientificNameString skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:TaxonIdentified-InformalNameString skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:TaxonIdentified-NamedIndividual skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dwc:scientificName skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:vernacularName skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:scientificNameID skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:organismName skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name ObjectType
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#ObjectType
Label Object Type
Level MIDS Level 1 - Basic
Definition General term to describe the kind of specimen. In combination with SpecimenType - hierarchical; a more specific classification than described by SpecimenType.
Recommendations It is recommended to use the ontology being developed for the DwC term Preparations.
Purpose To enable curators to determine equipment/method/cost of imaging the specimen, to enable researchers to determine equipment/method required for viewing/analysing the specimen, to enable curators/researchers to know in which collection/location within the institution the specimen is held.
Scope All
Examples
  • Microscope slide, pinned insect, herbarium sheet.
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:KindOfUnit skos:exactMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dwc:preparations skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name ScientificNameID
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#ScientificNameID
Label Scientific Name ID
Level MIDS Level 1 - Basic
Definition An identifier for the nomenclatural (not taxonomic) details of a scientific name.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to use identifiers from the recognised nomenclators for the appropriate taxonomic group (e.g. the International Plant Names Index (IPNI), MycoBank, AlgaeBase, Mindat, etc).
Purpose To uniquly identify the taxon name of a specimen in a machine readable format.
Scope Biology and Geology
Examples
  • urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:184409-1; mindat:1:1:1375:4 ; https://mindat.org/4ca61d6f-4208-8fb2-3b0eecbcs8f0
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
dwc:Occurrence gbif:taxonKey skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:scientificNameID skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence gbif:taxonKey skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name SpecimenType
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#SpecimenType
Label Specimen Type
Level MIDS Level 1 - Basic
Definition High-level term to delimit and define specimens. For example: preserved specimen, fossil specimen, as opposed to observation.
Recommendations It is recommended to use the ontology being developed for the DwC term MaterialEntity.
Purpose To delimit the specimens to which the MIDS specification refers.
Scope All
Examples
  • PreservedSpecimen, FossilSpecimen
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:RecordBasis skos:exactMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dwc:basisOfRecord skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name CollectingAgent
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#CollectingAgent
Label Collecting Agent
Level MIDS Level 2 - Intermediary
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of names of people, groups, or organizations responsible for recording the original Occurrence.
Recommendations It is recommended to include a verbatim version of the name as it appears on the label. The primary collector or observer, especially one who applies a collecting identifier (recordNumber), should be listed first. It is also strongly recommended to also include people identifiers such as ORCID, Wikidata (See mids:CollectorID).
Purpose For many biological collections the collector in combination with collectingNumber has been used as an identifier for the specimen in literature. It also helps in the identification and validation of the collecting location.
Scope Biology
Examples
  • Carl Linnaeus (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1043),
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-AgentText skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:GatheringAgent-FullName skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:GatheringAgent-InheritedName skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:GatheringAgentsText skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dwc:recordedBy skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:recordedByID skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name QualitativeLocation
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#QualitativeLocation
Label Qualitative Location
Level MIDS Level 2 - Intermediary
Definition A term to describe the where the specimen was collected. In combination with quantitativeLocation; should capture textual geographic information.
Recommendations The most precise locality should be captured, given information available with the specimen. It is recommended to include additional higher level geography, mapped to the appropriate terms, to reduce ambiguity of place names.
Purpose A human readable location. Can also be used to help identify the quantitativeLocation.
Scope All
Examples
  • Flinders Ranges, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, on rough track north of Arkaroola Village by Radium Creek, 120 meters past the turn-off for the Ridgetop Track, off rough graded track in dry sandy gravely creek bed.
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-LocalityText skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-Country skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Biotope skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-NamedArea-AreaName skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-NearNamedPlace skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-AreaDetail skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dwc:locality skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:county skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:municipality skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:verbatimLocality skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:island skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:verbatimCoordinates skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:verbatimLongitude owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:verbatimLatitude owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:continent skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:country skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:countryCode skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:islandGroup skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:stateProvince skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:waterBody skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:higherGeography skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name QuantitativeLocation
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#QuantitativeLocation
Label Quantitative Location
Level MIDS Level 2 - Intermediary
Definition A term to describe where the specimen was collected. A quantitative measure that would include coordinate or shape data, an identifier, or data that can be easily converted into a quantitative measure. In combination with the qualitative term, qualitativeLocality.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to follow the best practice in the Georeferencing Quick Reference Guide (Zermoglio PF, Chapman AD, Wieczorek JR, Luna MC & Bloom DA, 2020 https://doi.org/10.35035/e09p-h128). It is recommended to use an identifier for the most precise spatial region or named place, given information available with the specimen. If an identifier is not being used then the data should correspond to a recognised geographic standard (eg, OGC webservices, WFS, ISO 3166, Geonames, GADM)
Purpose To enable a person or machine to identify and/or map the geographical location in which the collection was made.
Scope All
Examples
  • -30.23713, 139.33683, WGS84; https://www.geonames.org/7839420/flinders-ranges.html; https://gadm.org/maps/AUS/southaustralia/flindersranges.html
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-LatitudeDecimal owl:intersectionOf http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-LongitudeDecimal owl:intersectionOf http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-GML skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-WFS skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-WMSURL skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
dwc:Occurrence dwc:locationID skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:decimalLatitude owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:decimalLongitude owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:footprintWKT skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name TypeStatus
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#TypeStatus
Label Type Status
Level MIDS Level 2 - Intermediary
Definition An indication of the nomenclatural type status of the specimen, where a null value is taken to mean "Assumed not to be a type".
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to follow the list of terms included in the relevant codes of nomenclature.
Purpose The nomenclatural type specimens are some of the most important specimens in a collection, particularly for taxonomic research. They anchor the taxon name to a physical object.
Scope Biology
Examples
  • Holotype, Isotype, Syntype, Cotype, Epitype, Neotype, Lectotype
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:SpecimenUnit-NomenclaturalTypeDesignation-TypeStatus skos:exactMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
Element Name AssociatedMediaID
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#AssociatedMediaID
Label Associated Media ID
Level MIDS Level 3 - Extended
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of identifiers of media associated with the Specimen.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to follow Audiovisual Core standards; identifier(s) for IIIF manifest and/or image
Purpose To allow a user (human or machine) to locate mediafiles of the specimen
Scope All
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-SiteImage-FileURI skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
abcd:Unit abcd:Gathering-SiteImage-FileID skos:narrowMatch http://www.tdwg.org/schemas/abcd/2.06
gbif:Multimedia dc:identifier skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
ac:Multimedia dc:identifier skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name CollectorID
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#CollectorID
Label Collector ID
Level MIDS Level 3 - Extended
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of the identifier(s) for the person, people, groups, or expeditions responsible for collecting the specimen.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to use resolvable ORCiD identifiers for people, or Wikidata identifiers for people or expeditions. It is also recommended to list the primary collectorID, especially one who applies a field/collecting number, first.
Purpose To uniquely identify the collector of a specimen in a machine readable format.
Scope All
Examples
  • https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1568-xxxx | https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?title=Q94522
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
dwc:Occurrence dwc:recordedByID skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name GeographicalLocalityID
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#GeographicalLocalityID
Label Geographical Locality ID
Level MIDS Level 3 - Extended
Definition An identifier for the geographical locality where the specimen was collected.
Purpose To provide an identifier for the geographical locality which ensures that there is no ambiguity, particular for geographical locality names which are not unique. Also has the potential to create a link between the geographical locality name and a shape file.
Scope All
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
dwc:Occurrence dwc:geodeticDatum owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:coordinateUncertaintyInMeters owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:coordinatePrecision owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:footprintSRS owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:locationID skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:decimalLatitude owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:decimalLongitude owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:footprintWKT owl:intersectionOf http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name IdentifiedByID
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#IdentifiedByID
Label Identified By ID
Level MIDS Level 3 - Extended
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of the identifier(s) for the person, people, groups, or organizations responsible for assigning the scientific name to the subject.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to use resolvable ORCiD identifiers for people, or Wikidata identifiers for people or expeditions.
Purpose To provide provenance for the identification of the specimen.
Scope All
Examples
  • https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q94522; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7698-3945 | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q276405
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
dwc:Occurrence dwc:identifiedByID skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Identification dwc:identifiedByID skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name InstitutionID
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#InstitutionID
Label Institution ID
Level MIDS Level 3 - Extended
Definition An identifier for the institution having custody of the object(s)
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to use a globally unique persistent and resolvable identifier such as GrSciColl, ROR.
Purpose To allow a user (human or machine) to locate the physical location of the specimen.
Scope All
Examples
  • https://ror.org/01xtthb56, https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/collection/772f9e37-4643-452b-82b4-a06550283096, https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/e3d4dcc4-81e2-444c-8a5c-41d1044b5381
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
dwc:Occurrence dwc:institutionID skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name ScientificNameID
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#ScientificNameID
Label Scientific Name ID
Level MIDS Level 3 - Extended
Definition An identifier for the nomenclatural (not taxonomic) details of a scientific name.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to use identifiers from the recognised nomenclators for the appropriate taxonomic group (e.g. the International Plant Names Index (IPNI), MycoBank, AlgaeBase, Mindat, etc).
Purpose To uniquly identify the taxon name of a specimen in a machine readable format.
Scope Biology and Geology
Examples
  • urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:184409-1; mindat:1:1:1375:4 ; https://mindat.org/4ca61d6f-4208-8fb2-3b0eecbcs8f0
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
dwc:Occurrence gbif:taxonKey skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:scientificNameID skos:exactMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence gbif:taxonKey skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name CollectingNumber
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#CollectingNumber
Label Collecting Number
Level nan
Definition An identifier given to the specimen at the time it was recorded. Often serves as a link between field notes and a specimen record.
Recommendations It is recommended to use "s.n." (sine numero - without number) or equivalent if not present
Purpose For many biological collections the collector in combination with collectingNumber has been used as an identifier for the specimen in literature. It also helps in the identification and validation of the collecting location.
Scope Biology
Examples
  • BPL-1001, 154/23, 254, s.n
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
Element Name DateCollected
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#DateCollected
Label Date Collected
Level nan
Definition The date/time at which a gathering event occurred. For specimen gathering, this is the date/time when the event was recorded.
Recommendations It is strongly recommended to use ISO 8601 standard with extended format for human readability.'s.d.' (sine diem - without date) or equivalent if not present or not known.
Purpose To provide accurate information about when the specimen was collected.
Scope Biology
Examples
  • 2023-12-08; s.d.
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
Element Name GeologicalAge
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#GeologicalAge
Label Geological Age
Level nan
Definition Refers to the geological age of a Earth Science specimen (i.e. Fossil, Rock, Mineral or Meteorite) and can be any kind of stratigraphic age, isotopically determined age or structural age.
Recommendations If relevant, it is recommended follow the International Commission on Stratigraphy chart, and that litho- and biostratigraphy, where available, should also be provided.
Purpose To provide information about the age of the geological, mineralogical, fossil or meteorite specimen
Scope Geology and Palaeontology
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
Element Name Mass
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#Mass
Label Mass
Level nan
Definition The quantity of matter in a specimen, particularly for minerals, phases and meteorites
Scope Geology
Required True
Repeatable False
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
Element Name Media
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#Media
Label Media
Level nan
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of media associated with the specimen.
Recommendations It is strong recommendation to follow Audiovisual Core standards; identifier for IIIF manifest and/or image
Purpose To allow a user to locate mediafiles of the specimen
Scope Biology
Examples
  • https://www.unimus.no/felles/bilder/web_hent_bilde.php?id=14501286&type=jpeg
Required True
Repeatable True
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
dwc:Occurrence gbif:mediaType skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
dwc:Occurrence dwc:associatedMedia skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
gbif:Multimedia dc:identifier skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
gbif:Multimedia dc:references skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
ac:Multimedia ac:accessURI skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
ac:Multimedia dc:identifier skos:narrowMatch http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms
Element Name mids0
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#mids0
Label MIDS Level 0 - Bare
Level nan
Definition A bare or skeletal record making the association between an identifier of a physical specimen and its digital representation, allowing for unambiguous attachment of all other information.
Usage Note Usually established prior to any formal digitisation and hence considered a pre-level. MIDS-0 is a bare level of information that exists to make an association between a physical specimen with its identifier (eg, barcode) and an entry in a catalogue or database as well as the institution in which the specimen is held. One early action in a digitisation process is the creation of a database record that acknowledges or coincides with the existence or accession of a physical specimen into a collection, but not necessarily with any other information digitised at that stage. Note, however, that image(s) can be generated and referenced at this early stage.
Purpose Allows for unambiguous attachment of all other information and to allow a user to discover the location of the physical specimen to access additional information or to request access to the physical specimen.
Required nan
Repeatable nan
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
Element Name mids1
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#mids1
Label MIDS Level 1 - Basic
Level nan
Definition A basic record of specimen information enabling basic discoverability as well as how the user is permitted to use the data.
Usage Note In addition to the creation of a basic digital record with an identifier (MIDS-0) enabling all other information (including images and/or other media types) to be associated with a single physical specimen, MIDS-1 includes the information often captured in the first stages of mass digitisation, defining the scope of the physical specimen and providing some information about the kind of object as well as a name attached to the specimen. Provides information about when the record was last updated as well as how the user is permitted to use the information.
Purpose Creates a digital representation of the physical collections. Provides information about the number of specimens present for a taxon as well as some information about the kind of object, enabling curators and other users to find the specimens within the collections. Also enables costing calculations for storage, digitisation and other curation activities. If imaged, also enables similar search and browsing capabilities online as researchers and curators would have at the cabinets of physical specimens.
Required nan
Repeatable nan
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
Element Name mids2
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#mids2
Label MIDS Level 2 - Intermediary
Level nan
Definition An intermediary level of information including data that have been agreed over time as essential for most scientific purposes.
Usage Note Intermediary records include the latitude/longitude data which are critical for many research applications including machine-readable formats. For botanical specimens the inclusion of collector name, number and date are a priority, given their historical use in acting as the identifier for the specimen in literature. These terms are routinely used to identify the specimen in requests to curation staff. For geological and palaeontological specimens the inclusion of geological age is a priority.
Purpose Key information fields that have been agreed over time as essential for most scientific purposes.
Required nan
Repeatable nan
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version
Element Name mids3
Element URI https://ltc.tdwg.org/information-elements/index.html#mids3
Label MIDS Level 3 - Extended
Level nan
Definition An extended level of information about a specimen including identifiers enabling connections to be made to other data present or known about the specimen.
Usage Note An extended level of information about a specimen including identifiers enabling connections to be made to other data present or known about the specimen.
Purpose Enables linked open data.
Required nan
Repeatable nan
SSSOM Mappings
Object Category Object ID Predicate Source Version