A taxonomic information model for botanical databases: the IOPI Model

Abstract

SummaryBerendsohn, W. G.: A taxonomic information model for botanical databases: the IOPI Model – Taxon 46: 283‐309. 1997. – ISSN 0040‐0262.A comprehensive information model for the recording of taxonomic data from literature and other sources is presented, which was devised for the Global Plant Checklist database project of the International Organisation of Plant Information (IOPI). The model is based on an approach using hierarchical decomposition of data areas into atomic data elements and – in parallel – abstraction into an entity relationship model. It encompasses taxa of all ranks, nothotaxa and hybrid formulae, “unnamed taxa”, cultivars, full synonymy, misapplied names, basionyms, nomenclatural data, and differing taxonomic concepts (potential taxa) as well as alternative taxonomies to any extent desired. The model was developed together with related models using a CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering) tool. It can help designers of biological information systems to avoid the widely made error of over‐simplification of taxonomic data and the resulting loss in data accuracy and quality.