Taxon Concept Schema (TCS)

The TCS schema was conceived to allow the representation of taxon concepts as defined in published taxonomic classifications, revisions and databases. As such, it specifies the structure for XML documents to be used for the transfer of defined concepts. Valid transfer documents may either explicitly detail the defining components of taxon concepts, transfer GUIDs referring to defined taxon concepts (if and when these are available) or a mixture of the two.

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Header section

Title
Taxon Concept Schema (TCS)
Permanent IRI (for citations and links)
http://www.tdwg.org/standards/117
Publisher
Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG)
Ratified
2005-09-16
Status
Current (2005) standard
Category
Technical specification
Abstract
The TCS schema was conceived to allow the representation of taxonomic concepts as defined in published taxonomic classifications, revisions and databases. As such, it specifies the structure for XML documents to be used for the transfer of defined concepts. Valid transfer documents may either explicitly detail the defining components of taxon concepts, transfer GUIDs referring to defined taxon concepts (if and when these are available) or a mixture of the two.
Citation
Taxonomic Names and Concepts Interest Group. 2005. Taxonomic Concept Transfer Schema (TCS). Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) http://www.tdwg.org/standards/117

Maintenance group

TCS is maintained by the Taxon Concept Schema Maintenance Group, which has sponsored a Task Group to update TCS to make it compliant with the Standards Documentation Specification and to move it into the Current Standard category.

Parts of the standard

This standard is comprised of 2 documents.

Taxon Concept Schema User Guide

Permanent IRI
http://rs.tdwg.org/tcs/doc/guide/
Created
2006-09-21
Last modified
2006-09-21
Contributors
Roger Hyam (author) - TDWG Infrastructure Project
Jessie Kennedy (editor) - Napier University
Publisher
Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG)
Abstract
This guide is meant to act as a readable introduction to the Taxon Concept Schema (TCS). It is aimed at both decision makers and implementers of systems and so the content varies from being of a general nature, assuming little prior knowledge of taxonomy or XML technologies, to being quite detailed concerning the technicalities of biological nomenclature and XML schemas. Generally it becomes more specific as it goes on. This document is not a step by step manual for mapping a data source to a TCS document. Each data source is likely to be different in structure and so this is not a feasible exercise. What it attempts to do is provided the information needed for an implementer to make intelligent decisions as to how their data source should be mapped to the schema so that they can publish and/or receive data from other systems with as little confusion as possible.
Citation
Taxonomic Names Subgroup. 2006. Taxon Concept Schema User Guide. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG). http://rs.tdwg.org/tcs/doc/guide/

Taxon Concept Schema XML Schema

Permanent IRI
http://rs.tdwg.org/tcs/doc/xmlschema/
Created
2006-09-21
Last modified
2006-09-21
Contributors
Jessie Kennedy (author) - Napier University
Roger Hyam (author) - TDWG Infrastructure Project
Publisher
Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG)
Abstract
This document is the validation schema for Taxon Concept Schema XML documents.
Citation
Taxonomic Names Subgroup. 2006. Taxon Concept Schema XML Schema. Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG). http://rs.tdwg.org/tcs/doc/xmlschema/