Data Management

The PPBio data repository has undergone a makeover to improve the storage and availability of metadata and data generated by PPBio researchers and partners.
 
Since May 2012 we began to use the Metacat data repository which was developed specifically to create, edit, store, make available and search for ecological metadata and data. This is the same system used by LTER-CNPq - http://peld.inpa.gov.br/repositorio. The software was developed by The Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB - http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/index.jsp), is free and widely used in the scientific community (http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/community.jsp). 
 
We use the Morpho program to create, edit and store the metadata in a sutable format for uploading. Metadata created by researchers using Morpho can be exported and sent to regional data-managers for review and uploading to the repository. The metadata is standardised using EML - Ecological Metadata Language so that it can be used in data analysis and archiving by automated machine processing, "harvesting".
 
This system brings us many advantages, among which we highlight:
 
  •     Better quality in data description: we have more detailed fields to describe each item and many different file types can be uploaded.
  •     Greater flexibility of permissions on data and metadata: we can store the metadata and data on the server, but choose to whom we wish to make it available.
  •     More efficient search system. Previously, to find specific metadata, the user had to enter the page of each collection site and look at a list. Now the subject / place / person / species etc. of interest can be typed into the search bar and the result is presented to the user.
  •     Increased safety: The metadata is shared between different Metacat servers which means there is a backup of each dataset in different physical locations.
  •     Wider dissemination and integration within the international community: our Metacat server is a DataOne node.

More about our Data Repository here.