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ezDBDB: an easy-to-use Distributed Biodiversity DataBase for the Semantic Web
Last modified: 2011-09-07
Abstract
In a biodiversity-rich, decentralized country like Indonesia, there is a great need for an easy way for researchers to share biodiversity data while retaining control over data availability and versions. We also believe that the distributed, self-documenting nature of the Semantic Web provides an excellent platform for sharing biodiversity data, but there currently exist major barriers for biologists to encode and distribute their data. As a solution, we have designed a simple workflow for researchers: biodiversity data resources (observations, collections, taxonomy, images, people, etc.) can be managed as a desktop spreadsheet (with validation), and easily converted to a single RDF (resource description framework) file, which can then be uploaded to a domain over which the data supplier has control. The RDF resource is then registered with an ezDBDB node and loaded into an RDF triplestore. The node in turn passes the triplestore data to Semantic Web crawlers, and can be queried directly via a SPARQL interface. The original RDF resource, or the triplestore, can be further queried by unaffiliated clients to present the data in a searchable, attractive fashion, incorporating images and maps. An ontology for the data has been constructed by linking existing ontologies, such as Darwin-SW, OBOE, the Plant Ontology, the Phenotype, Attribute and Trait Ontology, TDWG's TaxonConcept and TaxonName ontologies, and the Comparative Data Analysis Ontology, using a small number of new predicates. Our initial implementation is serving newly acquired data for plants of Indonesia. URL: http://xmalesia.info/ezdbdb/