Diversity Collection
Scope of DiversityCollection within the Diversity Workbench
DiversityCollection is part of the database framework DiversityWorkbench. Within this framework the application DiversityCollection is confined to the management of specimens in scientific collections. In this context it is designed to document any action concerning the collection, storage, exchange and treatment of specimens in a collection and is also appropriate to store observation data. DiversityCollection is distinguished from other collection management systems by its focus on biological relations between organisms collected together as one or more specimens (e.g. host, parasite and hyperparasite, symbionts etc.). Any module within the Diversity Workbench is focused on a specific data domain. DiversityCollection keeps only data connected with the handling of collection specimens and observations. Data of other realms like e.g. taxonomy are handled in separate modules. For an overview of the available modules see the image below. DiversityCollection might also be used as a stand-alone application.
Data managment sectors of the application
Sector | Description |
---|---|
Series | An expedition, monitoring or similar including observations at single spots |
Event | The site of e.g. an observation during e.g. an expedition. |
Localisation | Localisation of an observation or collection site |
Site Property | Properties of e.g. a collection site like the type of the habitat |
Collecting Method | Methods used for the observation or collection of specimen |
Specimen | Observed or collected specimen like those collected during a collection event |
Collector | The observers or collectors of specimen |
Objects | The objects like taxa or minerals observed or collected |
Identification | Identifications of the organisms, minerals etc. |
Analysis | Any analysis applied to characterize the objects |
Analysis methods | The methods that have been used to analyze the objects |
Part | The parts of a collected specimen that are stored e.g. as herbarium sheets in a collection |
Collection | The collection where the collected objects are stored |
Processing | Processing applied to the parts of a specimen |
Processing methods | Methods that have been used for the processing |
Transaction | Actions like sending specimen as a loan to another collection |
Project | The projects that a specimen is a part of |
Images | Can be taken for the EventSeries, the CollectionEvent, the CollectionSpecimen as well as organisms and parts of a specimen. |
References | The references related to a specimen, organism, identification or part of a specimen. |
Usage example
The image below gives an overview of some typical data depicted in DiversityCollection together with the symbols used throughout the program.
- A typical specimen may have been collected at a CollectionEvent during an expedition. . The site of the CollectionEvent may be localized and characterized and methods have been used. The collectors collected twigs of the plant and fungi growing on the plants.
- The organisms on the specimen were identified several times and analysed where methods have been used.
- The collected samples are stored as herbarium sheets and specimens in a collection. .
- The manager sent some of the samples for which he had a request from a requester to another collection.
- The samples were collected as part of a project .
- Certain parts were cultivated and DNA extracted which was processed where methods have been used.
- Images were taken for the EventSeries, the CollectionEvent, the CollectionSpecimen as well as organisms and part of this specimen.
Main sectors
The image below gives you a simplified overview of the main parts of database of DiversityCollection.
For details in various sections see the overviews
DiversityCollection 4.x is based on Microsoft SQL-Server 2016 or later and the .Net Framework, Version 4.8.
For licence and copyright see the licence section.