About data curation
The TAOCA platform houses ecological data on Amazonian terrestrial fauna. This type of data is quite diverse and full of nuances. To standardize the data and facilitate its subsequent use, TAOCA has an automated data curation mechanism. All data deposited in TAOCA go through the curation mechanism and are only inserted into the database after complete correction and verification of possible inconsistencies.
TAOCA data curation is performed to verify:
Taxonomy and Scientific Names
Our system compares the identification of each individual with the most taxonomically updated species list. Typos, synonymous species, taxonomic updates, and misidentifications (e.g. there is no specific epithet for a certain genus) will be reported to the data owners. In most cases, our system will suggest changes according to the updated list. Ex: in your data there is an individual Coprofaneus ensifer and the system will suggest Coprophanaeus ensifer.
Geographic Validation
Our system checks if the provided coordinate overlaps with the specified municipality. If the coordinates do not overlap with the municipality, the system will inform the distance to the municipality. At the end of the curation, the data contributor can check the distribution map of their sampling points, which helps to confirm the location of the study area.
Other Checks
Verification of spelling, methods used, and types of environments.
