Export KOS Resources
A collection of exportable Knowledge Organization System resources grouped by type.
Data Standards
Darwin Core
Darwin Core is a glossary of terms (in other contexts these might be called properties, elements, fields, columns, attributes, or concepts) intended to facilitate the sharing of information about biological diversity by providing identifiers, labels, and definitions. Darwin Core is primarily based on taxa, their occurrence in nature as documented by observations, specimens, samples, and related information.
Citation: Darwin Core Maintenance Group. 2021. List of Darwin Core terms. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG). http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/doc/list/
Mineralogical Collections Extension to Darwin Core
The Mineralogy Extension is an enchancement to the Darwin Core standard that extends its current scope to include mineralogical collections.
Citation: Pending
Chronometric Age Extension to Darwin Core
The Chronometric Age extension is a standard vocabulary maintained by the Darwin Core Maintenance Interest Group. It includes a glossary of terms (in other contexts these might be called properties, elements, fields, columns, attributes, or concepts) intended to facilitate the sharing of information about chronometric ages and the techniques used to determine them by providing identifiers, labels, and definitions.
Citation: Brenskelle L, Davis E, Wieczorek J, Lefebvre M, Wallis N, Emery K, Guralnick R (in prep) It’s Time For Better Reporting of Absolute Age In Species Occurrence Databases.
Vocabularies (Value Domains)
Constituent Part Roles
Used to categorize kinds of particles that are the constituents of a compound material. Designed for populating the ConstituentPart/role property in GeoSciML CompoundMaterialDescription elements.
Source: CGI Geoscience Terminology Working Group
http://resource.geosciml.org/classifier/cgi/compoundmaterialconstituentpartrole
Modes of Occurrence
Mode of occurrence of geological units and samples (eg: dyke, bed, phenocryst).
Source: Geoscience Australia
https://vocabs.ga.gov.au/object?uri=https%3A//pid.geoscience.gov.au/def/voc/ga/ModesOfOccurence
Proportion Terms
This vocabulary provides terms that may be used to qualitatively express abundance of composition parts in a geologic unit or earth material description. Quantity that specifies the fraction of the geologic unit composed of the compound material.
Source: CGI Geoscience Terminology Working Group
Statisitical Uncertainty Type
The type of statistical uncertainty for rock property measurements (e.g. 1 sigma, 2 sigma, 99 percent confidence, unknown).
Source: Geoscience Australia
https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/def/voc/ga/StatisticalUncertaintyTypes
Geological Sampling Feature Types
This vocabulary lists types of geological features relevant to the duties of the Geological Survey of Queensland. It is automatically derived from GSQ's Geologic Features Ontology (https://linked.data.gov.au/def/geofeatures)
Source: Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ) Vocabulary System
https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/def/voc/ga/EntityTypeOrFeature
Constituent Part Types
A top-level categorization scheme for expressing the nature of a geologic specimen
Source: Aggregated by the MinExt Task Group
Hazard Types
A top-level categorization scheme for grouping hazards
Source: Aggregated by the MinExt Task Group
Mineralogical Analysis Protocols
Subset of terms relevant to mineralogical analysis derived from the Analytical methods for geochemistry and cosmochemistry vocabulary
Source: Astromaterials Data System
Chronometric Age Dating Techniques
Subset of terms relevant to chronometric age dating analysis derived from the Analytical methods for geochemistry and cosmochemistry vocabulary
Source: Astromaterials Data System
Sample/Specimen Curation Status
The status of a sample or specimen in relation to curation processes (e.g. the recording and organization of items in a collection), both before and after storage/archiving, and with respect to its display or storage location at a specific point in time.
Source: GSWA Vocabularies
Sample/Specimen Condition
List of terms describing the condition, completeness and risk/hazard profile of individual samples/specimens, including any specific requirements needed for the preservation of the object.
Source: GSWA Vocabularies
Geological Event Environments
his scheme specifies concepts used to describe the physical setting within which a GeologicEvent takes place, as defined by the IUGS Commission for Geoscience Information (CGI) Geoscience Terminology Working Group. GeologicEnvironment is construed broadly to include physical settings on the Earth surface specified by climate, tectonics, physiography or geography, and settings in the Earth’s interior specified by pressure, temperature, chemical environment, or tectonics. Environments are places. By extension, this vocabulary includes all concepts in this conceptScheme, as well as concepts in any previous versions of the scheme. Designed for use in the eventEnvironment property in GeoSciML GeologicEvent features.
Source: CGI Geoscience Terminology Working Group
http://resource.geosciml.org/classifierscheme/cgi/2016.01/eventenvironment
Lusters
The reflection of light from the surface of a mineral, described by its quality and intensity; the appearance of a mineral in reflected light. Terms such as metallic or resinous refer to general appearance; terms such as bright or dull refer to intensity.
Source: Compiled from Neuendorf, K. K. E, Mehl, J. P. & Jackson, J. A. (eds) 2005. Glossary of geology. 5th Edition. Alexandria: American Geological Institute. Online Access.
Type Status
Terms belonging to the type status vocabulary denote a particular kind of specimen or taxon. The vocabulary encompasses both official terms that are maintained in a nomenclature code by an authoritative body (e.g., ICZN) and alternate derivatives.
Source: ICZN and IMA
Habits
Licenses
Common licenses applied to digital products and assets that can be utilized for dcterms:licenseassociated with the dcterms:license (A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource).
Source: System Package Data Exchange (SPDX)
Geological Material Name Types
Categorization scheme for names assigned to geological materials at the Constituent Part level.
Specimen Nomenclature Publication Status
Listing of standard nomenclature types (typus) and publication statuses that may characterize fossil, mineral or meteorite samples/specimens held in the Geological Survey of Western Australia's collections. These terms should only be applied to physical items, and are not applicable to derived results or data. This vocabulary includes terms for type specimens as recognized under several international nomenclature codes (see History Note for details). Taxonomic schemes applied to different classes of objects each have their own set of accepted types, and can define the same term differently, so care should be taken to use the correct nomenclature when referring to type specimens; to minimize confusion, individual terms have been labelled with a suffix indicating the relevant code. Note that multiple statuses can apply to a single specimen (e.g. by definition a type specimen will always be described-and-published).
Source: AGLDWG Catalogue
https://linked.data.gov.au/def/sample-nomenclature-publication-status
Vocabulary Registries*
- CGI Vocabularies Register https://geosciml.org/resource/def/voc/
- Geological Survey of Queensland Vocabularies https://vocabs.gsq.digital/v/vocab
- Geoscience Australia Vocabularies https://vocabs.ga.gov.au/vocab/
- Geoscience Vocabularies for Linked Data https://geosciml.org/resource/
- GSWA Vocabularies https://vocabulary.gswa.kurrawong.ai/
- INSPIRE Registry https://inspire.ec.europa.eu/codelist
- Research Vocabularies Australia https://vocabs.ardc.edu.au/
Note: The publication practices of the registries listed above conform to the set of requirements specified in the VocPub Profile - Specification. For example, all terms in a vocabulary must include a unambiguous definition. The list is by no means the only registries in the geosciences domain that conform to this set of requirements, but all do.
Classification Systems
Dana Classification System
The majority of collections in the United States use a modified version of Dana. The origin of the widespread adoption is mostly traditional. There is little arguement regarding the need to migrate US collections to Nickel-Strunz. The problem is mainly a matter of process and procedure. Neither classification system is formally published as a data product and currently there is not a schematic for mapping dana to nickel-strunz.
Citation: Dana JD, Dana ES, Gaines RV (1997) Dana's new mineralogy: The system of mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana.
Hey's Mineral Index
The Hey's classification system is not widely adopted. However, it remains an important source of information in mineralogy systematics. In contrast to Dana and Nickel-Strunz, Hey's includes detailed descriptions of major varieties and synonyms with mineral species.
Citation: Clark, A.M. (1993) Hey's Mineral Index : Mineral Species, Varieties and Synonyms. Chapman & Hall, London, England, 852 p.
Nickel-Strunz
Europe-based mineralogy collections utilize some form of the Nickel-Strunz classification system. Since neither system was distributed as a digital data product, most institutions do not use an exact copy of the system. Rather it forms the basis for a customized classification schema. The 9th editiion was the last to be published under the Nickel-Strunz name. It is not managed as part of MinDat as the Mindat-Strunz system (although the sequence of editiion versions was maintained).
Citation: Strunz H, Nickel EH (2001) Strunz Mineralogical Tables, 9th Edition. Berlin and Stuttgart 870 pp.
Strunz-mindat
Strunz-mindat is a mineral classification system based on the Nickel-Strunz 9th Edition (2001), expanded on by Jim Ferraiolo and others, and now extended and maintained by mindat.org. Currently, Strunz-mindat is the only actively maintained, authoritative, and hierarchical mineral classification system.
Citation: Pending
Geologic Timescales
Land Mammal Ages
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African Land Mammal AgesTemporal Coverage: 65.5 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io) -
Australian Land Mammal AgesTemporal Coverage: 35 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io) -
Cretaceous North American Land-Mammal AgesTemporal Coverage: 83.6 - 66 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
European Land Mammal AgesTemporal Coverage: 66.5 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io) -
Mammal Paleogene ZonesTemporal Coverage: 59.24 - 23 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Neogene Mammal Ages of ChinaTemporal Coverage: 23.04 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
North American Land Mammal AgesTemporal Coverage: 66 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
North American Mammal Subages/ZonesTemporal Coverage: 66 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Paleogene Mammal Ages of AsiaTemporal Coverage: 59.24 - 23 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
South American Land Mammal AgesTemporal Coverage: 66 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org)
Regional Timescales
-
Australia Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 511.5 - 0.99 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Baltoscania Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 485.37 - 419.2 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Boreal Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 163.06 - 137.27 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Britain Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 163.06 - 137.27 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
California Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 62.07 - 0 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Cambrian of AustraliaTemporal Coverage: 511.2 - 486 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cambrian of BritainTemporal Coverage: 538.8 - 486 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cambrian of ChinaTemporal Coverage: 538.8 - 486 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cambrian of KazakhstanTemporal Coverage: 525.5 - 477 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cambrian of North AmericaTemporal Coverage: 538.8 - 486 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cambrian of SiberiaTemporal Coverage: 538.8 - 485 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cambrian of West AvaloniaTemporal Coverage: 538.8 - 495 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Carbo-Permian of the Russian PlatformTemporal Coverage: 358.86 - 251 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Carboniferous of ChinaTemporal Coverage: 358.86 - 300 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Carboniferous of North AmericaTemporal Coverage: 358.86 - 293 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Carboniferous of Western EuropeTemporal Coverage: 358.86 - 297 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cenozoic Subepochs of Southern EuropeTemporal Coverage: 0.774 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cretaceous-Cenozoic of New ZealandTemporal Coverage: 143.1 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Devonian of CzechoslovakiaTemporal Coverage: 419.62 - 382 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Devonian of Eastern North AmericaTemporal Coverage: 419.62 - 358 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Devonian of FranceTemporal Coverage: 419.62 - 358 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Devonian of GermanyTemporal Coverage: 419.62 - 358 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
East Avalonian Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 525.5 - 478.6 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
European Faunal UnitsTemporal Coverage: 23.04 - 1 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Iberian-Morocco Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 536.6 - 485.37 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Japan Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 145.01 - 0.77 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Kazakhstan Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 525.5 - 482.19 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
N-E Siberia Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 358.94 - 295.5 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
New Zealand Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 541 - 0 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
North America Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 541 - 66.04 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
North American RegionalTemporal Coverage: 850 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
North China Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 541 - 486.23 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Obsolete Carboniferous Ages of ChinaTemporal Coverage: 305.8 - 298 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Ordovician of AustraliaTemporal Coverage: 486.85 - 443 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Ordovician of BritainTemporal Coverage: 486.4 - 443 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Ordovician of ChinaTemporal Coverage: 486.85 - 443 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Ordovician of Ibero-BohemiaTemporal Coverage: 486.85 - 443 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Ordovician of North AmericaTemporal Coverage: 488.9 - 443 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Ordovician of the BalticTemporal Coverage: 486.85 - 443 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permian of ChinaTemporal Coverage: 300.1 - 251 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permian of North AmericaTemporal Coverage: 298.9 - 259 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permian of the PamirsTemporal Coverage: 298.9 - 251 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permian of the Russian PlatformTemporal Coverage: 298.9 - 256 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permian of the Salt RangeTemporal Coverage: 271.8 - 251 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permian of Western EuropeTemporal Coverage: 298.9 - 254 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permian Subages of GermanyTemporal Coverage: 266.9 - 251 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permian-Jurassic of New ZealandTemporal Coverage: 288.5 - 143 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Permo-Triassic Subages of Eastern EuropeTemporal Coverage: 274.4 - 246 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Precambrian of RussiaTemporal Coverage: 1400 - 538 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Russia Platform Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 541 - 137.39 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Russian EpochsTemporal Coverage: 600 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Russian Platform Regional StagesTemporal Coverage: 360 - 251 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Russian Precambrian EonsTemporal Coverage: 4000 - 600 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Russian Precambrian ErasTemporal Coverage: 3200 - 600 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Russian StagesTemporal Coverage: 538 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Siberian RegionalTemporal Coverage: 600 - 297 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Silurian Ages of EuropeTemporal Coverage: 430.6 - 426 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Silurian of EnglandTemporal Coverage: 443.1 - 419 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Silurian of North AmericaTemporal Coverage: 443.1 - 419 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Silurian of the BalticTemporal Coverage: 443.1 - 419 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
South China Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 541 - 145.01 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Tethyan Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 303.4 - 248.54 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
West Europe Regional TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 541 - 66.04 Ma
Publisher: https://github.com/xgmachina/DeepTimeKB -
Western Europe RegionalTemporal Coverage: 362 - 274 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org)
Magnetostratigraphic Units
-
Ammonite Chrons of North AmericaTemporal Coverage: 201.4 - 168 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Ammonite Chrons of Northwest EuropeTemporal Coverage: 201.4 - 168 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Geomagnetic Polarity ChronsTemporal Coverage: 171.6 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Geomagnetic Polarity Timescale From Marine Magnetic AnomaliesTemporal Coverage: 157.53 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Christian Heine, PaleoEarthLabs.org
Biostratigraphic Units
-
Ammonite Zonation - BorealTemporal Coverage: 252 - 97 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Ammonite Zonation - Western InteriorTemporal Coverage: 100 - 68 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Calcareous Nannoplankton ZonesTemporal Coverage: 201.25 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Conodont ZonationTemporal Coverage: 485 - 201 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Cretaceous Planktic foraminifer zonationsTemporal Coverage: 141 - 65 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
European Faunal ZonesTemporal Coverage: 23.04 - 1 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Low Latitude Radiolarian ZonationTemporal Coverage: 60 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Neogene North Pacific Diatom BiochronologyTemporal Coverage: 24 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Planktic foraminiferal datumsTemporal Coverage: 59 - 56 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org) -
Planktic Foraminiferal ZonesTemporal Coverage: 134.9 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Trilobite Zonation - LaurentiaTemporal Coverage: 524 - 484 Ma
Publisher: Macrostrat (https://macrostrat.org)
Global Timescales
-
Cambrian EpochsTemporal Coverage: 538.8 - 486 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Carboniferous SubepochsTemporal Coverage: 358.86 - 298 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cenozoic SubepochsTemporal Coverage: 66 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Cretaceous SubepochsTemporal Coverage: 143.1 - 66 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Devonian SubagesTemporal Coverage: 419.62 - 358 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Geologic Time Scale 2020Temporal Coverage: 4567 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io) -
International Chronostratigraphic TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 4567 - 0 Ma
Publisher: International Commission on Stratigraphy -
International Stages With HoloceneTemporal Coverage: 538.8 - 0 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org) -
Mesozoic SubagesTemporal Coverage: 251.902 - 66 Ma
Publisher: Paleobiology Database (https://paleobiodb.org)
Planetary Timescales
-
Lunar Geologic TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 4360 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io) -
Martian Geologic TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 4600 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io) -
Martian Mineralogical TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 4568 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io) -
Mercurial Geologic TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 4568 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io) -
Venusian Geologic TimescaleTemporal Coverage: 4560 - 0 Ma
Publisher: GeoSpecimens.org (https://geoapis.io)