SuperSites Data Deposit Form
Contents
1. ...................................................................................... INTRODUCTION
2
1.1
Guidelines for Data Deposit Form Completion ..................................................................................................... 2
2.
DATA PACKAGE TITLE .............................................................................................. 3
3.
DATA CREATORS ..................................................................................................... 3
4.
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. 4
5.
CONTACTS FOR QUESTIONS ON THE USE AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA .................... 5
6.
PROJECT INFORMATION AND DATA OWNERS .............................................................. 5
6.1
Project Title ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
6.2
Data Owners (Data Providers) .............................................................................................................................. 5
6.3
Data Provider Contact........................................................................................................................................... 6
6.4
Nominated Representative ................................................................................................................................... 6
7.
FUNDING SOURCES ................................................................................................. 7
8.
ASSOCIATED PARTIES ............................................................................................. 7
9.
KEYWORDS AND SUBJECT CATEGORIES .................................................................... 8
10.
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE ....................................................................................... 9
10.1
Bounding Coordinates ........................................................................................................................................ 9
11.
TEMPORAL COVERAGE ........................................................................................... 9
12.
TAXONOMIC COVERAGE AND CLASSIFICATION ......................................................... 9
13.
METHODS AND SAMPLING INFORMATION ............................................................... 10
13.1
Study Extent Description .................................................................................................................................. 11
13.2
Sampling Description ........................................................................................................................................ 11
14.
INTELLECTUAL RIGHTS ........................................................................................ 11
14.1
15.
TERN Data Provider Deed Special Conditions ................................................................................................... 12
DATA PREPARATION GUIDELINES .......................................................................... 12
FILES ..................................................................................................................... 12
COLUMNS................................................................................................................ 12
15.1
Saving the Data Tables...................................................................................................................................... 13
15.2
Data Table Descriptions .................................................................................................................................... 13
16.
DATA TABLE METADATA ....................................................................................... 14
17.
SUBMITTING THE DATA PACKAGE TO SUPERSITES .................................................. 15
18.
FURTHER ASSISTANCE ......................................................................................... 15
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SuperSites Data Deposit Form
1.
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the Australian SuperSite Network (SuperSites) Data Deposit Form is to capture enough
information about the data so that we can publish good quality metadata and data, which is consistent with
the Ecological Metadata Language (EML)1 specification, to the SuperSites Data Portal.
Each Data Package published to the SuperSites Data Portal will normally consist of the following components:
1. Metadata describing the context of the data (i.e. who, why, what, when, where, how).
2. Metadata describing the column headings in each data table supplied.
3. The data tables.
Examples of published Data Packages can be viewed in the SuperSites Data Portal at http://www.ternsupersites.net.au/knb/
A Data Package and the component data tables will represent a topic or subject area from your research
project. The composition of a data package will usually reflect a type of observation or survey method (e.g.
arboreal marsupial surveys) employed in the research.
The SuperSites Data Portal Team creates metadata records from this Data Deposit Form for publication or
archiving on the SuperSites Data Portal. This ensures that metadata conforms to EML, and is stored in the
Metacat2 repository along with the data. Metacat is part of the Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity
(KNB)3, a network intended to facilitate the discovery, access and interpretation of complex ecological data.
1.1
Guidelines for Data Deposit Form Completion
The aim of this form is to enable the systematic collection of metadata describing the context of the research
as well as the data. This ensures that SuperSites provides quality support to researchers who wish to publish
their data to the SuperSites Data Portal. We welcome constructive suggestions and comments to enable us
to evaluate and improve our processes, services and resources. A simple guide is provided below to help you
navigate this form.
Are you depositing a new data package?
Please complete the entire form (pages 2-19).
Are you reviewing metadata associated with
a recently submitted Data Package?
Please edit directly into text fields using
tracked-changes (pages 2-19).
Are you amending the content of an existing
(published) data package?
Please answer the questions below:
Data package title and reference number?
1
Ecological Metadata Language (EML) is a metadata standard developed for the ecology discipline. Sponsored by
https://knb.ecoinformatics.org/
2
Metacat is the repository where data and metadata are stored.
3
https://knb.ecoinformatics.org/
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SuperSites Data Deposit Form
Data table title and reference number?
Temporal coverage of Data Package?
Location of proposed amendment: in table or
metadata?
What is the proposed amendment?
Reason for proposed amendment?
2.
DATA PACKAGE TITLE
The data package title provides a description of the data package that is long enough to differentiate it
from other similar Data Packages. SuperSites uses the following format:
[Short description of data)] [,] [SuperSite Name)] [,] [Node] [,] [Location] [,] [Year]
3.
DATA CREATORS
Enter the following details for EACH Data Creator. Please add tables as required for additional Data Creators.
The Data Creator is a person, an organisational role or an organisation who collected or produced the
data. Data Creators will appear in the citation for the published data. Please note that this information will
be published to the SuperSites Data Portal. At least one Data Creator is required.
Salutation:
Name:
Position name:
Organisation name:
The following contact details are optional. Do you authorize the inclusion of the following details on the
SuperSites Data Portal (if no, SuperSites Data Portal Team will not publish these details)? Yes
No
Address (w):
Phone (w):
Email (w):
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4.
ABSTRACT
The following rules should guide the process of compiling the Abstract field in the metadata record:

It is advisable to complete the abstract field last, so as to enable collation of the key facts from the rest
of the metadata elements. Use active voice and past tense. Use short complete sentences.

The abstract should be approximately 200-300 words in length

The abstract can be descriptive of the data and the research.

Briefly outline the relevant project or study including the contents of the data package. Include geographic
location, the primary objectives of the study, what data were collected (species or phenomena), the year/
year range the data was collected or compiled in, and collection frequency if applicable.

Describe methods, protocols, techniques or approaches only to the degree necessary for comprehension.
Avoid excessive detail.

If spelled on the first occasion (with acronym or abbreviation in brackets), the abbreviated form may be
used thereafter.

Links to webpages (such as SuperSites Plot Network homepages) are encouraged.

Only citations of published documents are permitted in the abstract. Use of Harvard Citation Reference
List Style is required. Any Data Packages with citations included in their abstracts associated with
unpublished material such as journal papers will be embargoed.
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5.
CONTACTS FOR QUESTIONS ON THE USE AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Enter the following details for EACH person, organisational role or organisation who should be contacted by
the general public with questions about the use of or interpretation of the data package. Please add tables as
required for additional Contacts. If the content is the same as that provided for the Creator in Section 3, please
enter ‘name’ only in this field. Please note that this information will be published to the SuperSites Data Portal.
Salutation:
Name:
Position name:
Organisation name:
Address (w):
Phone (w):
Email (w):
6.
PROJECT INFORMATION AND DATA OWNERS
6.1
Project Title
If the data has been collected as part of a larger umbrella research project, list any projects that need to be
referenced as part of the publication.
6.2
Data Owners (Data Providers)
A Data Owner/ Data Provider can be a person, an organisational role or an organisation who has a statutory
and operational authority over data. The term Data Owner is synonymous with the term “Data Provider” used
in TERN Data Provider Deed (Version 1.5). Specifically, the Data Provider “warrants to the best of its
knowledge and belief that it is the owner of the Data” (as per Clause 2b of the TERN Data Provider Deed). The
Data Owner/ Data Provider has the authority to sign TERN Data Provider Deeds and authority to grant (or
deny) permissions to share and access data. This section should be completed as per the TERN Data Provider
Deed. If the content is the same as that provided for the Creator in Section 3, please enter ‘name’ only in this
field. Please add tables as required for additional Data Owners. Please note that this information will be
published to the SuperSites Data Portal.
If the Data Owner is a person or
an organisational role, please
provide details: (if the Data
Owner is an organisation,
please provide Position and
Organisation Names):
F-5
Salutation:
Name:
Position name:
Organisation name:
SuperSites Data Deposit Form
The following contact details
are optional. Do you authorize
the inclusion of the following
details on the SuperSites Data
Portal (if no, SuperSites Data
Portal Team will not publish
these details)? Yes
No
6.3
Address (w):
Phone (w):
Email (w):
Data Provider Contact
The signatory of the TERN Data Provider Deed (Data Provider/Data Owner) is required to nominate a Data
Provider Contact who assumes overall responsibility for working collaboratively with the Data Portal Team to
aid in the preparation of metadata, assist the team with any queries arising during the publication or archiving
process and provide approval to publish Data Packages. The TERN Data Provider Deed defines the ‘Contact’
as an individual nominated to liaise with the Facility or data users. It is assumed that the Data Provider
Contact is acting on behalf of the Data Owner, and consequently is responsible for granting (or otherwise)
permissions to share and access mediated data. This section should be completed as per the TERN Data
Provider Deed. Please provide the following details for the data Provider Contact. If the content is the same
as that provided for the Creator in Section 3, please enter ‘name’ only in this field. Please add tables as
required for additional Data Provider Contacts:
Salutation:
Name:
Position name:
Organisation name:
The following contact details are optional. Do you authorize the inclusion of the following details on the
SuperSites Data Portal (if no, SuperSites Data Portal Team will not publish these details)? Yes
No
Address (w):
Phone (w):
Email (w):
6.4
Nominated Representative
Although the Data Provider Contact assumes responsibility for working collaboratively with the Data Portal
Team to aid in data-related issues, on occasions the Data Provider Contact may elect a Nominated
Representative to undertake liaison on their behalf. That person assumes responsibility for working
collaboratively with the Data Portal Team to aid in the preparation of metadata and assist in overcoming
issues; however, the Nominated Representative cannot authorise access to published data and cannot
approve the publication of data. The overall responsibility remains with the Data Provider Contact and
consequently, access to mediated data requires the approval from the Data Provider Contact, as does the
process of approving the content and quality of each data package for publication. Please provide the
following details for the data Nominated Representative. Please add tables as required for additional
Nominated Representative:
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SuperSites Data Deposit Form
Salutation:
Name:
Position name:
Organisation name:
Address (w):
Phone (w):
Email (w):
7.
FUNDING SOURCES
List the project names and all significant funding sources under which the data has been collected for the
entire lifespan of the project.
TERN-funded projects will be published with the following caveat:
Since 2012 this project has been part of the Australian SuperSites Network (SuperSites). SuperSites is a Facility
within the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). TERN is supported by the Australian Government
through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.
8.
ASSOCIATED PARTIES
Enter the following details for EACH Associated Party. An Associated Party is a person, an organisational role
or an organisation who has had an important role in the creation or maintenance of the data. These may
include parties who grant access to survey sites as landholder or land manager, or may have provided funding
for the surveys. Associated Parties do not appear in the citation displayed on the SuperSites Data Portal webpages. As such, parties who have had a significant role in the creation of the data may be more appropriately
listed as Data Creators, but preferably not both.
Decision rules regarding whether a party is a Data Creator (and therefore part of the citation) or an Associated
Party are similar to the principles used to decide if a person is an author of a peer-reviewed journal paper or
if they will receive an acknowledgement in the paper. Please add tables as required for additional Associated
Parties. Please note that this information will be published to the SuperSites Data Portal.
If the Associated Party is a
person, an organisational role,
or an organisation, please
provide details:
Salutation:
Name:
Position name:
Person or organisation’s role in creation or maintenance of the data:
Address (w):
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SuperSites Data Deposit Form
The following contact details
are optional. Do you authorize
the inclusion of the following
details on the SuperSites Data
Portal (if no, SuperSites Data
Portal Team will not publish
these details)? Yes
No
9.
Phone (w):
Email (w):
KEYWORDS AND SUBJECT CATEGORIES
ANZSRC-FOR Codes: Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification – (See Australian Bureau
of Statistics for more details at http://www.arc.gov.au/pdf/ANZSRC_FOR_codes.pdf). At least ONE four digit
code is required. Select as many as applicable.
0501 Ecological Applications
0604 Genetics
0502 Environmental Science and Management
0605 Microbiology
0503 Soil Sciences
0606 Physiology
0599 Other Environmental Sciences
0607 Plant Biology
0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
0608 Zoology
0602 Ecology
0699 Other Biological Sciences
0603 Evolutionary Biology
0705 Forestry Sciences
Other
If an applicable code is not in the table above, please enter the appropriate one at ‘Other’. You can also check
the
codes
at:
http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4AE1B46AE2048A28CA25741800044242?open
document
Keywords List: Enter any keywords that best describe the subject of your data package. A minimum set of
Keywords is indicated in brackets. You can use the Olsen, L.M. et al. (2007) NASA/Global change Master
Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Found at:
http://gcmdservices.gsfc.nasa.gov/static/kms/sciencekeywords/sciencekeywords.csv
[SuperSite name], [SuperSite node if applicable], [vegetation/soil/fauna],
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10.
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
Please provide a general description of the geographic area in which the data were collected. This can be a
simple place name (e.g. Great Western Woodlands, Western Australia) or a fuller description (e.g. Great
Western Woodlands, Credo Station, 110 km NNW of Kalgoorlie, WA)
10.1
Bounding Coordinates
In accordance with the TERN Data Provider Deed, the Data Provider warrants to the best of its knowledge and
belief that the data does not contain any restrictions such as confidentiality, privacy/personal information,
sensitive data issues or other restrictions which affect the use of the data. For the purpose of referencing the
geographic coverage of each research site for use on the SuperSites Data Portal, the SuperSites Data Portal
Team will apply a bounding box to the co-ordinates in the form of a 500 metre buffer. The SuperSites Data
Portal Team will transform UTM coordinates (both Australian Map Grid (AMGs) and Map Grid of Australia
(MGAs)) into decimal degrees (GDA94). Please always include the datum and the zone, if applicable.
North
South
East
West
Datum
11.
TEMPORAL COVERAGE
Please indicate the dates that events were observed on. Wherever possible, Data Packages should be
published as annual or seasonal tranches (i.e. 2012, 2013 or Summer 2012/2013). Please select a single point
in time or a date range.
Single point in time
Year only (YYYY)
Year, month day (YYYY-MM-DD)
Date range
Start date (YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD)
End date (as for start date)
12.
TAXONOMIC COVERAGE AND CLASSIFICATION
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SuperSites Data Deposit Form
The SuperSites Data Portal Team will extract a species list from your data. Please specify which variable
contains species information.
Classification System: Although the use of current taxonomies is not necessary, we do, however, require that
the correct nomenclature is adhered to and that spelling errors are amended in both the data tables and the
metadata for taxonomic coverage. Ideally, species should resolve to a current taxonomic classification but in
circumstances where alternative or older taxonomies are adopted, the classification system should be noted
below.
13.
METHODS AND SAMPLING INFORMATION
Describe EACH method step you followed in the field to implement the specific measurement protocols and
set up the design of the study. Repeat the details for each Method Step as often as necessary to describe the
study design and your field activities.

Please be specific to the data tables supplied rather than providing a high level description of the overall
study.

In circumstances where a formal sampling design was employed, please provide details.

Please add tables as required for additional steps..
Method Step 1
Method Step Title:
e.g. plot set-up
Method Step Description:
Instrumentation Details:
Method Step 2
Method Step Title:
e.g. data collection
Method Step Description:
Instrumentation Details:
Method Step 3
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Method Step Title:
e.g. documentation
Method Step Description:
Instrumentation Details:
13.1
Study Extent Description
This information supplements the coverage information you may have provided at the Geographic,
Taxonomic and Temporal Coverage fields above. Include any other information that may be required to
understand the Data Package, such as specific sampling area and the sampling frequency (temporal
boundaries, frequency of occurrence).
13.2
Sampling Description

Describe how the primary field sites were selected and how the areas within those sites were chosen to
implement the measurement protocols.

Where a formal sampling design was used please also describe this.

Where appropriate also provide information about how any study treatments were allocated (e.g. logging
practice, grazing intensity).
14.
INTELLECTUAL RIGHTS
Usage rights define who is able to access your data package. Please note that TERN-funded data are expected
to be made freely available subject only to unavoidable considerations of ethics, privacy, data sensitivities
and any other justifiable or necessary legal requirement. Usage rights are entered in accordance with the
licensing options selected in the TERN Data Provider Deed.
A signed TERN Data Provider Deed must be completed and on file which covers the data package content
before the LTERN Data Portal Team can publish it to the SuperSites Data Portal. The SuperSites Data Portal
Team will liaise directly with Data Owners/ Data Providers to complete this step. Please refer to the TERN
Data Licensing Policy for more information about data licensing principles and options. This section should be
completed as per the TERN Data Provider Deed.
TERN funded SuperSite milestone deliverables will, by default, be allocated the TERN Attribution-Share Alike
v1.0 licence.
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SuperSites Data Deposit Form
Data Provider Terms
Select one licence
TERN Attribution- Share Alike v1.0 (You allow others to distribute derivative works
only under a licence identical to the licence that governs your work (includes
Attribution)).
Special licence agreement – select other combinations of special licence terms
(consistent with the open access goals of TERN) – details to be provided below:
14.1
TERN Data Provider Deed Special Conditions
Where applicable, special conditions are entered in accordance with those identified in the TERN Data
Provider Deed.
This data is currently being used for research into ABC. We anticipate that the data will
be released by x/y/20zz. In the meantime, we can release this data for purposes that
do not overlap with our current research. Please request access here.
The data will be released when Quality Control/Quality Assurance procedures have been
completed, this will be achieved by INSERT DATE. Please request future access here.
Creative Commons Australia licences see http://creativecommons.org.au/learnmore/licences
Other (please specify):
15.
DATA PREPARATION GUIDELINES
Standardised data spread sheet formats for a range of monitoring data has been distributed to SuperSites. If
you require a copy please email the SuperSites Coordinator. These spread sheet formats are continually
under review so all comments and suggestions are appreciated. Please note that although the SuperSites
Data Portal Team is not currently resourced to process or extract data files for you, they are happy to assist
you in the process.
FILES
1. Data should be in a raw format and provided at the level at which it was collected. Summaries, including
aggregated data should not be provided in the data package.
2. As much of the data as possible should be provided in the form of a standalone data table (i.e. a single
worksheet).
3. If you have multiple tables, each table should include a column that allows those tables to be linked
unambiguously.
COLUMNS
1. Columns should contain a single variable rather than include observations from a mix of variables (e.g.
don’t incorporate values of both season and year in the one column).
2. Use consistent format within a column (i.e. all numeric or character string).
3. Where specific nominal data is replicated across multiple tables (e.g. Location ID), please ensure that the
column headers are consistent in each of the data tables within your Data Packages.
4. Check for and repair data inconsistencies (i.e. species name and common name used interchangeably).
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5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
2.
Check for and repair duplicate variable names, (especially those due to software induced truncation).
Use descriptive variable names.
Missing values must be clearly identified using a consistent value (NA).
Reasons for missing values should be noted (i.e. not observed, removed, censored).ROWS
Check for typographical errors, missing values and for duplicate entries.
Check for and repair unusual characters in data values. These can be a result of software (such as MS
Word) which encode characters like apostrophes with symbols.
3. Data in SI units is preferred.
15.1
Saving the Data Tables
Please save each data table in plain text comma separated format (*.csv) using the following naming
convention.
asn_[supersite code]_[node]_[data type]_[optional genera]_[optional species]_[optional
location]_[YYYY or YYYY-YYYY or YYYYMMDD]


Use lowercase with underscore.
Location is optional
Example: asn_fnqr_robson_weather_2013.csv
15.2



Data Table Descriptions
Please complete a separate Table Description for EACH data table supplied as part of the data package.
Please include descriptions of all columns in your data tables (e.g. don’t omit the site ID column or
locational coordinates if these are included in a table).
The column descriptions should relate to the measurement protocols described in the Contextual
Metadata.
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16.
DATA TABLE METADATA
Data Package Reference Number and Names
Data Table Reference Number and Names
Data-table Content. This is an example only. Please submit table description files.
Variable
Variable Description
Measurement Standard Unit of
Scales. Select
Measurement or Value
one: Nominal, Labels
Ordinal,
Interval, Ratio
Date-Time
Examples
Table
ltern_example_YYYY.csv
Year
SiteName
MeanMaxWind
Reproductive
phase
Year
Name of site
Mean maximum wind
Bud, flowering, fruiting
Date-Time
Nominal
Interval
Nominal
Captures
Total captures over 3 nights
of trapping
Continuous
(ratio)
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SuperSites Data Deposit Form
YYYY
N/A
km/hour
a=bud
b=flower
c=fruiting
Capture units
Issue Description/
Reference and Suggested
Amendments
Depositor Response
17.
SUBMITTING THE DATA PACKAGE TO SUPERSITES
The simplest way to send your data tables and metadata to the SuperSites Data Portal Team is to email them
to shiela.lloyd@jcu.edu.au
Ensure all files are saved as plain text comma separated value format (.csv) as described above, and zipped
together per Data Package. Also include this reviewed and completed word document in the zip file.
18.
FURTHER ASSISTANCE
For further information and assistance email the SuperSites Data Portal Team at info@tern-supersites.net.au.
Any feedback about this form or the information provided would be appreciated.
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