Facilitating the exchange of vegetation data

世界上有大量关于植物共生的数据。能够组合这种本地或区域数据并在数据集之间交换数据是非常可取的，但大多数地块数据库都有自己的词汇表、字段定义和“特殊结构”。将这类数据合并到大型、集中的数据库中的方法目前发展良好。然而，如果数据能够以最小的努力直接和尽可能无损失地交换，那将是非常可取的。事实上，没有普遍接受的无损失交换的标准格式，导致数据转换的费用非常高。这并不是说没有交换格式，但用于导入Turboveg软件的格式针对特定的目标数据结构和标准化，而不是无损失的交换。出于这个原因，已经有人尝试开发一种新的开放式标准来交换植被小区数据(VEG-X)。科学界采用VEG-X的障碍之一是它的复杂性，这需要适应收集和存储植被地块数据的各种方式。为了确保VEG-X标准达到其目的，拟议的项目旨在促进其使用。其中一个要素是进一步开发R-Package，以便将现有的绘图数据轻松导入和导出为VEG-X格式。这包括开发一个R闪亮的应用程序，允许独立于R-安装使用该软件包的功能。该项目的第二部分包括为Vegapp(一款用于植被记录的Android应用程序)实现VEG-X导出功能。这将允许在现场生产VEG-X数据。对于不熟悉R的用户，R SHINY APP和VEGAPP都将促进VEG-X标准中的数据转换。基于网络的应用程序和具有VEG-X输出的数据收集工具将大大促进植被地块数据的交换、协调和再利用，从而推动植被研究。

There is a huge amount of data on the co-occurrence of plants in the world. The ability to combine such local or regional data and to exchange data between datasets is highly desirable but most of the plot databases have their own vocabularies, definitions of fields and ‘idiosyncratic structures’. The approach of combining such data in large, centralized data-bases is currently developing well. In addition, however, it would be very desirable if data could be exchanged directly and as loss-free as possible with little effort.The fact that there is no generally accepted standard format for loss-free exchange leads to an extremely high expenditure for data conversions. This is not to say that there are no exchange formats but formats such as the one used for import into the Turboveg software are aimed at a specific target data structure and at standardisation rather than a loss-free exchange. For this reason, there has already been an attempt to develop a new open standard to exchange vegetation-plot data (Veg-X). One of the impediments to the adoption of Veg-X by the scientific community has been its complexity, which is required to accommodate the wide variety of ways vegetation plot data are collected and stored. To ensure that the Veg-X standard serves its purpose, the proposed project aims to facilitate its use.The approach is two-fold. One element is the further development of an R-package for the easy import and export of existing plot data into the Veg-X format. This includes the development of an R Shiny app which allows the functions of the package to be used independently of an R-installation. The second part of the project consists of the implementation of a Veg-X export function for Vegapp, an Android app for vegetation records. This will allow to produce Veg-X data in the field. Both, the R shiny app and Vegapp will facilitate the transformation of data in the Veg-X standard for users who are unfamiliar with R. The web-based application and the data collection tool with Veg-X export will contribute substantially to the exchange, harmonization and reuse of vegetation plot data and should thus advance the study of vegetation.