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A generic annotation system for biodiversity data
The project´s main objective is to exemplarily develop a specification for an annotation data repository for networked and highly complex scientific data. It will be implemented using the example of collection and observation data in the botanic domain provided by the GBIF/BioCase system (currently over 50.8 million data sets, including 15 million data sets from natural history collection objects). Analogical to the traditional, written annotation of natural history collection objects, e.g. concerning their taxonomic identity, a procedure is established for data available via the internet. This will allow annotations of single data sets as well as mass annotations for sets of collection objects. Using the example of natural history collection data in the framework of GBIF-Germany the project develops solutions for several cross-domaine and domaine-specific problems and implements them in a pilot system. The issues include:
- categorisation of annotations
- access rights, rights of personality and rights of attribution of annotating scientists
- quality check
- reference and linking of annotations
- conception of a user-friendly system that encourages annotations
- feedback to the distributed data providers
- the potential use of the system in ongoing research projects for filtering of useable data from the overall system
- in general, the integration of data access on annotation data in the overall system of GBIF, BioCASE and GBIF-Germany
The AnnotationSystem project is funded by the DFG. 
