Sites Module

Locality Tab

Enter all available information from the specimen label into the appropriate field. If you cannot deduce the geographical hierarchy from a label (i.e. if county not provided, handwritten, etc.), place that information into the Precise Location field. Please also remember to include elevation if provided by the collector.

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Example of a completed Locality tab of a Sites record.

Lat/Long Tab

Coordinates provided on label:

If coordinates are provided in decimal degrees (-22.00, -42.05) or degrees minutes seconds (22° 00' S, 42° 03' W), input in Latitude/Longitude Details in the designated area. EMu automatically converts between the two formats, so either is acceptable. If coordinates are provided in Township Range Section format (Public Land Survey System), please enter in the “Locality Details (cont.)” section in the Locality Tab, right hand side; this information can be translated into decimal degrees using a coordinate converter calculator at a later time, if need be. If UTM coordinates are provided, please note in Precise Location notes; this can also be later translated using a UTM coordinate converter tool. This information can be additionally noted in the Mapping Tab, but it is more important to note in the Precise Location field for georeferencing purposes.

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Example of a completed sites record when coordinates are provided on a specimen label.

Georeferenced information:

For the following fields, please do your best to use one of the items listed in the drop-down list for each field rather than writing in a new term. If you are unsure, please contact ekiernan@nybg.org.

Determination Source: Source of the coordinates, or tools used by the georeferencer to locate the collection site. This includes Google Maps, Google Earth, GeoLocate, MaNIS Georeferencing Calculator, paper maps, gazetteer, etc. (“A list (concatenated and separated) of maps, gazetteers, or other resources used to georeference the Location, described specifically enough to allow anyone in the future to use the same resources” – Georeferencing Quick Reference Guide). This is where you should note coordinates came from specimen label (“Label”) if that was the case.

Determination Method: Protocols to determine coordinates.List the georeferencing protocols followed; this is normally a reference guide (Georeferencing Quick Reference Guide, Biogeomancer Guide to Best Practices for Georeferencing) or an online coordinate conversion tool if coordinates were provided on the label in a format other than decimal degree or degrees minutes seconds. “Other collections” can also be used, which signifies that another collector had collected from the same (or very similar) locality and provided coordinates for that collection. “GPS” can also be noted here. (“A description or reference to the methods used to determine the spatial footprint, coordinates, and uncertainties. If following the protocol in this guide, use “Georeferencing Quick Reference Guide Version… 2012”)

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Example of a completed georeferenced sites record.

If unable to georeference (unable to find locality or cultivated specimen): Include georeferencer’s name, date, determination method (if applicable), and in the notes field include a short description including why the location is unable to be determined.

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