Help with column naming for zooplankton and tick datasets

[Simone-Moras]

Hello,

I am working on two different datasets:

Zooplankton biodiversity and abundance in lake water.

Tick abundance on several species of rodents.

The aim is to publish these datasets in a data repository, and I would like to use Darwin Core column names where possible. I have no prior experience with these standards, so I’m asking for guidance from the community for best common practices.

My questions regards the column naming of my datasets:

1. Zooplankton dataset
   For a column containing values such as Chydorus, Keratella cochlearis, Asplanchna, Copepoda (i.e., taxa at different levels), would scientificName be the most appropriate term for this column? I believe so but I got different and contradicting opinions from colleagues.

2. Tick dataset
   I have several columns representing the number of ticks found in a specific host species. Each column should indicate the tick species name and its life stage.

Example format I’m considering: CT_I.trianguliceps_N and CT_I.trianguliceps_AM

CT = count of ticks found

I.trianguliceps = tick species

N = nymph

AM = adult male

Is this kind of concatenated column name acceptable, or is there a recommended Darwin Core approach for representing species + life stage + counts?

Thanks!

[CecSve]

Zooplankton dataset
For a column containing values such as Chydorus, Keratella cochlearis, Asplanchna, Copepoda (i.e., taxa at different levels), would scientificName be the most appropriate term for this column? I believe so, but I got different and contradicting opinions from colleagues.

Yes, you would supply these names in the scientificName field, and then you can add the taxon rank in the taxonRank field.

Is this kind of concatenated column name acceptable, or is there a recommended Darwin Core approach for representing species + life stage + counts?

There are dedicated fields for sharing this information in a structured way.

• You can either use individualCount or organismQuantity + organismQuantityType to report the count of ticks
• The tick species should probably be its own occurrence record (while you also have an occurrence record for the host species). Here, you would put the name in scientificName as well. You can link the occurrences by providing the host record in associatedOccurrence and associatedTaxa, and provide information about the relationship in occurrenceRemarks (there are more complicated ways to share the information with terms from ResourceRelationship, if you want to explore this).
• Nymph should be shared in lifeStage - I don't know if your example is from the same record, but nymph and adult should be shared as separate records, since they are separate individuals.
• Male should be sharedwith the sex term

Happy mapping!