Improving access to Earth science collections data via GeoCASe and the European Open Science Cloud (GeoDARA)
Laura Tilley · Rocks, Minerals, and Metadata: Integrating Earth Sciences into the TDWG Community
The short versionLinking specimen-rich GeoCASe records to dataset-level DCAT descriptions could let deep-time collection data feed modern environmental observation infrastructures.
What this was about
Laura Tilley described GeoDARA, a six-month (May-November) EOSC Gravity small project by the CETAF Earth Science Group and partners exploring how earth science collection data can be made more FAIR through GeoCASe and connected to the EOSC thematic node DataTERRA. Three case-study datasets (Quaternary pollen records from Estonia, 7,500-year tree-ring isotope records from the University of Helsinki, and HMS Challenger foraminifera from NHM London) are being used to assess metadata such as object type, taxonomy, origin, age, depositional environment and provenance. A key finding is the mismatch between specimen-level standards (ABCD-EFG, Darwin Core) and DataTERRA's dataset-level DCAT, so the project is mapping between them and will deliver a demonstrator, guidance and an online training workshop on 28-29 October.
Why it matters. Earth science collections hold deep-time environmental records that are largely invisible outside the collections community; connecting them to EOSC could support climate and environmental research.
In the room
- Earth science collections allow interdisciplinary, deep-time research but have low visibility, inadequate metadata and limited access.
- GeoDARA is funded as a six-month small project under EOSC Gravity and aims to connect GeoCASe to DataTERRA, an EOSC thematic node for environmental and observation data.
- Case studies: Estonian pollen records, Finno-Scandinavian tree-ring records (University of Helsinki) with oxygen/carbon isotopes, and HMS Challenger foraminifera (NHM London).
- Collections use ABCD-EFG or Darwin Core at specimen level, whereas DataTERRA uses DCAT at dataset level, which cannot carry individual specimen information.
- Next steps: complete the metadata assessment, improve datasets and possibly the GeoCASe data model, publish via GeoCASe, map to DCAT and produce a demonstrator plus guidance.
- An online training/demonstrator workshop is planned for 28-29 October.
Notable moments
Transcript
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