Trends and Developments in Biodiversity Informatics
Flora brasiliensis Revisited
A new concept using frontier developments
Dora Ann Lange Canhos, CRIA
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Traditionally, checklists are published when each and every known
species has been identified and classified. This normally involves a
group of collaborators that work and interact at a relative proximity or
at least that belong to a common group of interest. With recent
developments in information and communication technologies it is
possible to envision "floras" being dynamically developed using a
distributed architecture.
A new concept using frontier developments must be drawn. When thinking
of a distributed architecture, where many different specialists play an
active role, it is important to determine what features must be present
to guarantee quality information or information with "known quality".
Specialists must agree upon basic common data fields and procedures to
validate and/or update information. Data fields with data quality
descriptors and authorship or custodianship must be included. This way,
incomplete or partial data or even not validated data may be included
into the system as long as these limitations are expressed and known.
CRIA is studying the architecture of two important initiatives: the
Flora brasiliensis on-line and the Flora of the Phanerogamic Plants
(Angiosperms and Gymnosperms) of the State of São Paulo. Both systems
are being designed to allow different outputs for different user groups.
More important then the actual software that is or will be used is the
fact that the taxonomic classification and scientific names are being
structured in separate datafields (in the case of relational databases)
or XML tags (in textual information). This will permit the conversion of
CRIA's standard into an internationally accepted standard and is the
first step to guarantee interoperability of different systems and data
integration.
Technological issues must be faced such as data storage and recuperation
within a long period of time, considering ever developing technology and
continuous increase of data. But the scientific community must also
answer essential questions such as what information is essential or
recommended and what should the updating procedure be.
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