Description

Technical info

Introduction

Data Review and Archive

Data review and archiving can be a time-consuming process, especially when done manually. This review report aims to help facilitate both activities. It automates the archiving of datasets, including Darwin Core archives, and is a citable backup of a version of the dataset. Additionally, an automatic review of species interaction claims made in the dataset is generated and registered with Global Biotic Interactions (J. H. Poelen, Simons, and Mungall 2014).

This review includes summary statistics about, and observations about, the dataset under review :

Alabama Museum of Natural History Invertebrate Zoology (Arctos) - Version 1.34 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=almnh_inv 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Angelo State Natural History Collections (ASNHC) Bird specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.66 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=asnhc_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Angelo State Natural History Collections (ASNHC) Mammal specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.64 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=asnhc_mamm 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Austin Peay State University Amphibian and Reptile Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.30 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=apsu_herp 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Austin Peay State University Fish Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.30 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=apsu_fish 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Brigham Young University (BYU) Herpetology Collection (Arctos) - Version 3.25 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=byu_herps 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z CHAS Botany Collection (Arctos) - Version 13.99 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=chas_herb 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z CHAS Entomology Collection (Arctos) - Version 13.99 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=chas_ento 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z CHAS Malacology Collection (Arctos) - Version 13.100 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=chas_inv 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z CHAS Mammalogy Collection (Arctos) - Version 13.96 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=chas_mammals 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z CHAS Oology Collection (Arctos) - Version 14.98 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=chas_eggsnest 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z CHAS Ornithology (Arctos) - Version 2.96 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=chas_birds 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z KWP Lepidoptera Collection (Arctos) - Version 1.99 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=kwp_lepidoptera 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MSB Amphibian and Reptile Collection (Arctos) - Version 1.94 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=msb_herp 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MSB Bird Collection (Arctos) - Version 35.98 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=msb_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MSB Fish Collection (Arctos) - Version 1.81 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=msb_fish 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MSB Mammal Collection (Arctos) - Version 35.100 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=msb_mamm 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MSB Parasite Collection (Arctos) - Version 32.98 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=msb_para 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MVZ Bird Collection (Arctos) - Version 43.96 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=mvz_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MVZ Bird Observations (Arctos) - Version 34.104 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=mvzobs_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MVZ Egg and Nest Collection (Arctos) - Version 37.100 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=mvz_egg 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MVZ Herp Collection (Arctos) - Version 36.96 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=mvz_herp 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MVZ Herp Observations (Arctos) - Version 37.100 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=mvzobs_herp 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z MVZ Mammal Collection (Arctos) - Version 35.97 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=mvz_mammal 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Northern Michigan University (NMU) Bird specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.92 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=nmu_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Northern Michigan University (NMU) Mammal Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.95 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=nmu_mamm 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Northern Michigan University (NMU) Parasite specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.21 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=nmu_para 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Ohio Wesleyan University Amphibian Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.42 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=owu_amph 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Ohio Wesleyan University Bird Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.46 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=owu_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Ohio Wesleyan University Fish Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.46 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=owu_fish 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Ohio Wesleyan University Invertebrate Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.46 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=owu_inv 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Ohio Wesleyan University Parasite Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.50 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=owu_para 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Ohio Wesleyan University Reptile Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.45 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=owu_rept 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z TEST_MSB Mammal Collection (Arctos)_TEST - Version 35.107 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=test_ggbn_msbmamm_test 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Trinity College Dublin Geological Museum Paleontology specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.26 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=tcdgm_paleo 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Bird Collection (Arctos) - Version 31.97 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uam_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Earth Sciences Collection (Arctos) - Version 31.102 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uam_es 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Fish Collection (Arctos) - Version 34.99 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uam_fish 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Herbarium (ALA), Algae Collection (Arctos) - Version 8.100 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uam_alg 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Herbarium (ALA), Cryptogam Collection (Arctos) - Version 33.99 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uamb_herb_cryptogam 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Herbarium (ALA), Vascular Plant Collection (Arctos) - Version 38.99 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uam_herb_vascular 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Herpetology Collection (Arctos) - Version 31.100 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uam_herp 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Insect Collection (Arctos) - Version 39.100 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uam_ento 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Insect Observations (Arctos) - Version 36.98 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uamobs_ento 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Mammal Collection (Arctos) - Version 34.96 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uam_mamm 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UAM Mammal Observations (Arctos) - Version 31.100 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uamobs_mamm 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z UCM Parasite Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.10 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=ucm_para 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z University of Montana Zoological Museum (UMZM) Bird Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.28 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=umzm_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z University of Montana Zoological Museum (UMZM) Mammal Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.26 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=umzm_mamm 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Amphibian and Reptile Specimens (Arctos) - Version 10.25 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=unr_herps 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Bird specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.24 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=unr_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Mammal Specimens (Arctos) - Version 4.23 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=unr_mammals 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z University of North Carolina Greensboro Mammal Collection (Arctos) - Version 1.35 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=uncg_mamm 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z Washington State University, Charles R. Conner Museum Bird Specimens (Arctos) - Version 1.20 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=crcm_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z WNMU Bird Collection (Arctos) - Version 31.99 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=wnmu_bird 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z WNMU Mammal Collection (Arctos) - Version 32.99 https://ipt.vertnet.org/archive.do?r=wnmu_mamm 2025-08-16T07:43:51.177Z hash://md5/62dbc1d1d0428aa8141e7ef4c5a90f28

For additional metadata related to this dataset, please visit https://github.com/globalbioticinteractions/vertnet and inspect associated metadata files including, but not limited to, README.md, eml.xml, and/or globi.json.

Methods

The review is performed through programmatic scripts that leverage tools like Preston (Elliott et al. 2025), Elton (Kuhn, Poelen, and Leinweber 2025), Nomer (Salim and Poelen 2025), globinizer (J. Poelen, Seltmann, and Mietchen 2024) combined with third-party tools like grep, mlr, tail and head.

The review process can be described in the form of the script below ¹.

# get versioned copy of the dataset (size approx. 2.58GiB) under review 
elton pull globalbioticinteractions/vertnet

# generate review notes
elton review globalbioticinteractions/vertnet\
 > review.tsv

# export indexed interaction records
elton interactions globalbioticinteractions/vertnet\
 > interactions.tsv

# export names and align them with the Catalogue of Life using Nomer 
elton names globalbioticinteractions/vertnet\
 | nomer append col\
 > name-alignment.tsv

or visually, in a process diagram.

You can find a copy of the full review script at check-data.sh. See also GitHub and Codeberg.

Results

In the following sections, the results of the review are summarized ². Then, links to the detailed review reports are provided.

Files

The following files are produced in this review:

Archived Dataset

Note that data.zip file in this archive contains the complete, unmodified archived dataset under review.

Biotic Interactions

In this review, biotic interactions (or biotic associations) are modeled as a primary (aka subject, source) organism interacting with an associate (aka object, target) organism. The dataset under review classified the primary/associate organisms with specific taxa. The primary and associate organisms The kind of interaction is documented as an interaction type.

The dataset under review, named globalbioticinteractions/vertnet, has fingerprint hash://md5/62dbc1d1d0428aa8141e7ef4c5a90f28, is 2.58GiB in size and contains 220,722 interactions with 10 unique types of associations (e.g., parasiteOf) between 8,199 primary taxa (e.g., Arthropoda) and 30,858 associated taxa (e.g., Acari).

An exhaustive list of indexed interaction claims can be found in gzipped csv, tsv and parquet archives. To facilitate discovery, a preview of claims available in the gzipped html page at indexed-interactions.html.gz are shown below.

The exhaustive list was used to create the following data summaries below.

Interaction Networks

The figures below provide a graph view on the dataset under review. The first shows a summary network on the kingdom level, and the second shows how interactions on the family level. It is important to note that both network graphs were first aligned taxonomically using the Catalogue of Life. Please refer to the original (or verbatim) taxonomic names for a more original view on the interaction data.

You can download the indexed dataset under review at indexed-interactions.csv.gz. A tab-separated file can be found at indexed-interactions.tsv.gz

Learn more about the structure of this download at GloBI website, by opening a GitHub issue, or by sending an email.

Another way to discover the dataset under review is by searching for it on the GloBI website.

Taxonomic Alignment

As part of the review, all names are aligned against various name catalogs (e.g., col, ncbi, discoverlife, gbif, itis, wfo, mdd, tpt, pbdb, and worms). These alignments can help review name usage or aid in selecting of a suitable taxonomic name resource.

Additional Reviews

Elton, Nomer, and other tools may have difficulties interpreting existing species interaction datasets. Or, they may misbehave, or otherwise show unexpected behavior. As part of the review process, detailed review notes are kept that document possibly misbehaving, or confused, review bots. An sample of review notes associated with this review can be found below.

In addition, you can find the most frequently occurring notes in the table below.

For additional information on review notes, please have a look at the first 500 Review Notes in html format or the download full gzipped csv or tsv archives.

GloBI Review Badge

As part of the review, a review badge is generated. This review badge can be included in webpages to indicate the review status of the dataset under review.

Note that if the badge is green, no review notes were generated. If the badge is yellow, the review bots may need some help with interpreting the species interaction data.

GloBI Index Badge

If the dataset under review has been registered with GloBI, and has been succesfully indexed by GloBI, the GloBI Index Status Badge will turn green. This means that the dataset under review was indexed by GloBI and is available through GloBI services and derived data products.

If you'd like to keep track of reviews or index status of the dataset under review, please visit GloBI's dataset index ⁵ for badge examples.

Discussion

This review and archive provides a means of creating citable versions of datasets that change frequently. This may be useful for dataset managers, including natural history collection data managers, as a backup archive of a shared Darwin Core archive. It also serves as a means of creating a trackable citation for the dataset in an automated way, while also including some information about the contents of the dataset.

This review aims to provide a perspective on the dataset to aid in understanding of species interaction claims discovered. However, it is important to note that this review does not assess the quality of the dataset. Instead, it serves as an indication of the open-ness⁶ and FAIRness (Wilkinson et al. 2016; Trekels et al. 2023) of the dataset: to perform this review, the data was likely openly available, Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. The current Open-FAIR assessment is qualitative, and a more quantitative approach can be implemented with specified measurement units.

This report also showcases the reuse of machine-actionable (meta)data, something highly recommended by the FAIR Data Principles (Wilkinson et al. 2016). Making (meta)data machine-actionable enables more precise procesing by computers, enabling even naive review bots like Nomer and Elton to interpret the data effectively. This capability is crucial for not just automating the generation of reports, but also for facilitating seamless data exchanges, promoting interoperability.

Acknowledgements

We thank the many humans that created us and those who created and maintained the data, software and other intellectual resources that were used for producing this review. In addition, we are grateful for the natural resources providing the basis for these human and bot activities. Also, thanks to https://github.com/zygoballus for helping improve the layout of the review tables.

Author contributions

Nomer was responsible for name alignments. Elton carried out dataset extraction, and generated the review notes. Preston tracked, versioned, and packaged, the dataset under review.

References

1. Note that you have to first get the data (e.g., via elton pull globalbioticinteractions/vertnet) before being able to generate reviews (e.g., elton review globalbioticinteractions/vertnet), extract interaction claims (e.g., elton interactions globalbioticinteractions/vertnet), or list taxonomic names (e.g., elton names globalbioticinteractions/vertnet)↩︎

2. Disclaimer: The results in this review should be considered friendly, yet naive, notes from an unsophisticated robot. Please keep that in mind when considering the review results.↩︎

3. Up-to-date status of the GloBI Review Badge can be retrieved from the GloBI Review Depot↩︎

4. Up-to-date status of the GloBI Index Badge can be retrieved from GloBI's API↩︎

5. At time of writing (2025-08-16) the version of the GloBI dataset index was available at https://globalbioticinteractions.org/datasets↩︎

6. According to http://opendefinition.org/: "Open data is data that can be freely used, re-used and redistributed by anyone - subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and sharealike."↩︎