1 Topic by DGERC

  • DGERC
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Topic: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

Is there any easy/obvious way to tell if a dataset shared on the Atlas is shared at capture resolution? If there is I'm struggling to find it. Or is this dependent on the data partner explicitly stating this in their metadata? Can a user viewing records see that this data is 'blurry' data? In my opinion this need to be made very obvious to users otherwise how will someone know that more detailed information exists should they need to access it, and that they can approach the data provider for that information?

The romantic open data ideal is all well and good, but for the foreseeable future there will be a lot of data shared on the Atlases which have been blurred by the data provider.

Would be interested to know if there are any plans to clarify this.

MARK

Mark Pollitt
SWSEIC (formerly DGERC)

DGERC's Website

2 Reply by charliebarnes

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Re: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

This also relates to my post yesterday - as Mark says, but specifically for sensitive species (records)?

Charlie Barnes
Information Officer
Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership

charliebarnes's Website

3 Reply by NBN Support

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Re: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

Hi Mark, Charlie

Thanks for your posts.  Currently the dataset provider could indicate within the dataset metadata if they have not supplied the records at capture resolution, and can provide contact details.  However your comment about making this information more obvious is sensible and I shall ensure it is reflected in our feedback spreadsheet and ongoing discussions with the developer.  Our overall approach though is to encourage data providers to supply at capture resolution.

Records that are sensitive are currently flagged as such and are blurred accordingly.  Discussions about the wider handling of sensitive species within the Atlas is currently ongoing within the NBN Atlas Steering Group and we will release more information as soon as we can.

Christine Johnston
NBN Scottish Liaison Officer

4 Reply by charliebarnes

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Re: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

NBN Support wrote:

Records that are sensitive are currently flagged as such and are blurred accordingly.

Thanks Christine - using this an example: http://records.als.scot/occurrences/a36 … 9a58bcc018 is that the Data generalizations and Coordinates generalised fields? Is the former what Mark is after and later me? Or are these two fields the same?

Location in Scotland is already generalised to 0.01 degrees.

This means nothing to me :-) For input into the wider discussions - it would be good to see something like "recorded at 100m but due to sensitive nature of species, resolution blurred to 1km. Contact data provider...". Would be good to highlight that or even at the top of the record "this is a sensitive record and has been blurred". Just so people a) realize that's happening and b) to highlight the sensitive nature of species.

Charlie Barnes
Information Officer
Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership

charliebarnes's Website

5 Reply by NBN Support

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Re: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

Hi Charlie

Thanks for fleshing this out a bit further - your comments are really useful and helpful.  We will take them in to the discussions we will be having about clarifying the presentation of sensitive species information to the user.

Christine

6 Reply by TeresaF

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Re: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

When thinking about this, could you consider whether further attributes are available from the data provider as well - including measurements (counts etc.), sampling protocol information,comments, location detail etc. Although the details will vary so much from record to record I think they will have to remain in the metadata description, it may be useful to have a crude "further detail available from provider" boolean field to differentiate datasets where all the available information about the record has been provided (and so there is no point contacting the data provider if you are doing research) from all the other datasets?

-----------------
Teresa Frost | Wetland Bird Survey National Organiser | BTO
Other hat  | National Forum for Biological Recording Council
(Old hats  | NBN Board, ALERC Board, CBDC, KMBRC)

7 Reply by Mandy Henshall

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Re: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

Thanks Teresa for your comments, we have recorded your comments as part of the user feedback.

Kind regards,
Mandy

NBN Secretariat

8 Reply by cmoines

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Re: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

Hi there,
I was wondering if all records of sensitive species will be blurred automatically by the Atlas, or will there be a way of the Atlas determining if the record is of a breeding/sheltering site etc. (i.e. the reason for sensitivity of the record).  Otherwise this will be restricting the data resolution of records to users unnecessarily.
Many thanks,
Christine

9 Reply by NBN Support

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Re: Datasets shared at capture resolution or not?

Hi Christine

Currently sensitive species records are screened by species rather than for particular types of records, such as breeding records.  This does mean that all records are blurred.  Discussions are still underway about the handling of sensitive species data in the Atlas and more information will be circulated in due course.

Thanks.
Christine

Christine Johnston
NBN Scottish Liaison Officer