Table 1. Tables and Fields of the ETE Database.

 

Locality Table (LOC) 

Locality ID number	integer	(Primary key)
Locality Name	c30	The name of the locality.
Locality Type	c1	The type of fossil organisms found at the locality.
Dating Method	c9	The method used to assign a geologic age-range to the locality.
Maximum Age	float	The maximum age limit of the locality, in Ma.
MaxBFA	c25	The specific basis for a maximum age assignment.
Fraction of Age - MaxFrac	c9	A specified fraction of a non-absolute time unit.
Minimum Age	float	The minimum age limit of the locality, in Ma.
MinBFA	c25	The specific basis for a minimum age assignment.
Fraction of Age - MinFrac	c9	A specified fraction of a non-absolute time unit.
Chronostratigraphic Age	c20	A chronostratigraphic unit, chron, biozone, biostratigraphic unit, etc., to which the locality can be assigned.
Age Comment	c120	A comment field for the age assignment.
Latitude	c14, float	The latitude of the locality (both string and decimal forms).
Longitude	c14, float	The longitude of the locality (both string and decimal forms).
Country	c20	Country where locality is found.
State	c20	State, province, etc., where the locality is found (second order political division).
County	c20	County, parish, etc., where the locality is found (third order political division).
Site Area	c10	The approximate area that the fossil locality covers.
General Locality?	c1	An indicator of whether the locality is a "general" locality - a device to allow users to create a "virtual" locality to assign a general location to important specimens/samples whose exact provenience is not known.
Locality Detail	c255	Details of geographical location.
Group	c30	The stratigraphic group in which the locality is found.
Formation	c30	The stratigraphic formation in which the locality is found.
Member	c30	The stratigraphic member in which the locality is found.
Bed	c30	Name of stratigraphic bed (if applicable).
Datum Plane	c50	The basis for placement of a locality in a measured section.
Top of Sample Unit	float	The distance of the top of the locality sample unit from the datum plane.
Bottom of Sample Unit	float	The distance of the bottom of the locality sample unit from the datum plane.
Rock Type	c15	The general rock type in which the fossils are found.
Short Descriptor	c20	A one- or two-word descriptor of the lithology in the Rock Type field.
Lithology Comments	c120	Comment field for describing lithology.
Sedimentary Environment 1	c13	The general sedimentary environment represented at the locality.
Sedimentary Environment 2	c15	The more specific sedimentary environment represented at the locality.
Event/Circumstance	c15	The kind of sedimentological event or circumstance associated with the formation of the fossil deposit.
Sedimentary Environment Comments	c50	Comments on the sedimentary environment.
Climate Type	c15	The general inferred climatic regime of the locality.
Biome	c15	The inferred biome of the locality.
Vegetation Height	c4	Height of the vegetation.
Vegetation Structure	c9	Overall structure of the vegetation.
Vegetation/Environmental Detail	c80	A field to record miscellaneous observations and inferences about the vegetation or environment.
Agent(s) of Disturbance	c16	Natural agents of vegetation disturbance.
Nutrient Availability	c7	Availability of nutrients to the plants at a locality.
Seasonality	c16	A field that indicates seasonality of water, temperature, and/or light.
Seasonality Intensity	c3	Intensity of seasonality of factors in the Seasonality field.
Primary Productivity Level	c4	The level of annual primary productivity.
Moisture	c3	The level of moisture characteristic of the environment as a whole.
Water Availability	c8	Level of water available to the plants of a plant locality.
Temperature	c4	The temperature regime of the locality's environment.
Assemblage Component Size	c5	The predominant size-category of the organisms found as fossils.
Part Concentration	c14	The concentration of fossil specimens at the locality.
Assemblage Formation	c12	The mode of formation of the fossil assemblage.
Weathering/Trampling	c9	Existence of taphonomic evidence of weathering and trampling.
Abrasion	c9	Degree of abrasion observed on fossil remains.
Transport	c15	Degree and mode of transport affecting the fossil assemblage.
Invertebrate Preservation	c12	The primary mode of preservation of invertebrate fossils.
Plant Preservation	c12	The primary mode of preservation of plant fossils.
Vertebrate Preservation	c12	The predominant state of the vertebrate skeletal remains found at the locality.
Time Represented	c9	Time represented by the fossil deposit.
Approximate Number of Specimens	integer	The approximate number of collected specimens from the locality.
Exact Number of Specimens	integer	The exact total number of specimens collected from the locality.
Number of Quadrats	integer	The total number of quadrats (or other sampling units) upon which quadrat counts are based.
Unbiased Collecting?	c1	Was the collection made essentially without conscious bias?
Species List for this Locality Complete?	c1	Whether the species list entered is complete.
Taphonomy Comments	c120	Comment field for describing taphonomy.
Status	c15	The access status for this record.

 

Locality Update Table (LAU) 

Locality Update ID number	integer	(Primary key)
Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign key)
Data Coordinator	c25	The researcher who prepared the data for entry into the Database.
Data Authorizer	c25	The Authorizer of the data.
Date	date	Date of the update.
Comment	c255	A comment concerning the change(s) to the locality record.

 

Species Update Table (SAU) 

Species Update ID number	integer	(Primary key)
Species ID number	integer	(Foreign key)
Data Coordinator	c25	The researcher who prepared the data for entry into the Database.
Data Authorizer	c25	The Authorizer of the data.
Date	date	Date of the update.
Comment	c255	A comment concerning the change(s) to the species record.

 

Arthropod Species Table (ASP) 

Species ID number	integer	(Primary key)
Class	c30	The Linnean class to which the species belongs.
Order	c30	The Linnean order to which the species belongs.
Family	c30	The Linnean family to which the species belongs.
Genus	c30	The generic name of the species.
Species	c30	The species epithet of the species.
Unique	c30	Makes the species entry unique.
Fossil Type	c8	Body parts that constitute the fossil.
Fossil Parts	c9	How the fossil is assembled/disassembled.
Life Stage	c8	Major life stage of the fossil.
Diet Type	c8	General food type category.
Feeding Group	c8	Mode by which food is consumed.
Mouthpart Class	c9	Categorizes mouthpart and adjacent structures.
Selectivity	c7	Descriptor of the taxonomic specificity to which host tissue is consumed.
Hunt/Forage	c8	Strategy by which food is obtained.
Food Form	c8	Macroscopic food form type.
Feeding Habitat	c8	General habitat where the species feeds.
Population Structure	c8	Indicates solitary, social or gregarious species.
Activity	c8	Descriptor of activity period for the species.
Locomotion	c8	Mode of movement for the species.
Anti-Predator Devices	c8	Anti-predator devices inferred for the species.
Vagility	c8	Spatial mobility of an individual.
Physiognomy	c8	Measure of shape and appendicularity.
Development	c8	Type of ametamorphic/metamorphic development.
Body Length	integer	Average adult body length for the species.
Reproduction	c8	Descriptor of reproduction by a gravid female.
Eggs	c8	Mode of egg deposition for the species.
Status	c15	The access status for this record.

 

Plant Species Table (PSP) 

Species ID number	integer	(Primary key)
Division	c30	The Linnean division to which the species belongs.
Class	c30	The Linnean class to which the species belongs.
Order	c30	The Linnean order to which the species belongs.
Family	c30	The Linnean family to which the species belongs.
Genus	c30	The generic name of the species.
Species	c30	The species epithet of the species.
Unique	c30	Makes the species entry unique.
Life Form	c20	Inferred life form of the species.
Canopy Height	float	The inferred canopy height for the species.
Main Axis Diameter	float	Mean diameter of the main axis.
Leaf Dissection	c15	Leaf dissection.
Leaf Margin	c8	Leaf margin morphology.
Leaf Size	c10	Class of leaf size for the species.
Evapotranspiration	c18	Adaptation to regimes of evapotranspiration.
Seed Length Seed Width Seed Height	float float float	3 fields: Mean seed size for the species, expressed in as many as three fields - length, width, and "height" as a third dimension.
Seed Size Class	integer	Size class of the seeds of the species.
Seeds/Diaspore	integer	The average number of seeds per diaspore.
Vulnerability	float	The vulnerability value for fossil wood.
Conductivity	float	The conductivity value for fossil wood.
Phenology	c9	Inferred phenology.
Clonal Growth	c1	The presence or not of clonal growth.
Lifespan	c21	Inferred lifespan of the species.
Sporophyte Cost	c7	A measure of the cost of sporophyte production.
Growth Rate	c9	Inferred growth rate.
Predation	c1	Existence of evidence of predation.
Anti-Predation Devices	c4	Existence and nature of observed anti-predation devices.
Pollen Vector	c6	Inferred pollen vector.
Pollen Size	float	Pollen size in micrometers.
Pollen Aggregation	c20	Pollen aggregation.
Pollen Surface	c20	Surface of a pollen grain.
Seed Dispersal	c11	Seed dispersal mechanism.
Distribution	c9	The characteristic distribution of the species in fossil deposits.
Status	c15	The access status for this record.

 

Vertebrate Species Table (VSP) 

Species ID number	integer	(Primary key)
Class	c1	The Linnean class to which the species belongs.
Order	c30	The Linnean order to which the species belongs.
Family	c30	The Linnean family to which the species belongs.
Genus	c30	The generic name of the species.
Species	c30	The species epithet of the species.
Unique	c30	Makes the species entry unique.
Diet 1	c1	Most general food-type category.
Diet 2	c9	General food-type category.
Diet 3	c10	Detailed food-type category.
Relative Fiber Content	c1	Relative content of plant fiber.
Selectivity	c1	The degree to which the animal is selective within its dietary class.
Food Processing Mode	c1	Mode of mechanical processing of food.
Digestion	c2	For herbivores, type of digestion.
Feeding Habitat 1	c2	General habitat where the species feeds.
Feeding Habitat 2	c8	Detailed terrestrial feeding habitat.
Hunt/Forage	c8	Hunting mode for carnivores.
Shelter Habitat 1	c2	General habitat where the species shelters.
Shelter Habitat 2	c8	Detailed terrestrial shelter habitat.
Activity	c1	Activity period inferred for the species.
Population Structure	c3	Indicates whether there is evidence of sociality.
Locomotion 1	c2	The most general substrate of locomotion.
Locomotion 2	c15	Specific substrate of terrestrial locomotion, or type of flight.
Locomotion 3	c15	The predominant mode of locomotor activity.
Limb Posture	c2	Limb posture.
Body Mass	float	Average adult body mass for the species.
Brain Mass	float	Average adult brain mass for the species.
Snout-Vent Length	c7	Assignment to a broad body length category.
Tooth Height	c3	A measure of tooth crown height (hypsodonty).
Tooth shape - unicuspid	c3	A description of tooth crown morphology for single-cuspid teeth.
Tooth shape - multicuspid	c3	A description of tooth crown morphology, for multicuspid teeth.
Molar Crown Type	c6	Crown type in classification of Jernvall, et al. 1996.
Microwear	c7	Description of microwear on tooth wear surfaces.
Occlusion	c1	Whether upper and lower teeth occlude.
Symphyseal Mobility	c1	Whether the symphysis is mobile.
Beak	c1	A description of the edentulous beak, if present.
Sexual Dimorphism - Display	c1	The existence of sexual dimorphism in display structures.
Sexual Dimorphism - Size	c1	The existence of sexual dimorphism in overall size.
Status	c15	The access status for this record.

 

Mollusc and Other Invertebrate Species Table (MSP) 

Species ID number	integer	(Primary key)
Phylum	c1	The Linnean phylum to which the species belongs.
Class	c30	The Linnean class to which the species belongs.
Order	c30	The Linnean order to which the species belongs.
Family	c30	The Linnean family to which the species belongs.
Genus	c30	The generic name of the species.
Species	c30	The species epithet of the species.
Unique	c30	Makes the species entry unique.
Status	c15	The access status for this record.

 

Reference Table (REF) 

Reference ID number	integer	(Primary key)
First Author	c20	The last name of the first author of a reference.
First Initials	c8	Initials of the first author of a reference.
Second Author	c20	The last name of the second author of a reference.
Second Initials	c8	Initials of the second author of a reference.
Other Authors	c150	A list of authors beyond the second author, if any, for a reference.
Date of Publication	c4	The year of publication of a reference (or, if a citation to nonpublished source, year in which such source originated).
Title	c300	The title of a reference.
Citation	c300	The source of a literature reference.

 

Sedimentary Structures & Taphonomy Table (SS) 

Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Sedimentary Structures and Taphonomic Details	c20	Name of sedimentary structure, bone modification, taphonomic characteristic, plant part present, other organic remains present, artifacts, etc.

 

Locality Synonym Table (SYN_LOC) 

Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Synonym	c30	Synonym for locality name.

 

Museum Table (MUS) 

Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Museum	c10	Acronym of museum where significant material from the locality is housed.

 

Collecting Methods Table (COLL_METH) 

Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Collecting Methods	c10	Method by which fossils were collected from the locality.

 

Plant Organs Table (PORG) 

Species ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Plant Organ	c16	The organ to which a fossil plant's Linnean name refers.

 

Count Abundance Table (NIS) 

Species ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
NIS	integer	The number of identified specimens of a species at a locality.

 

"Minimum Number of Individuals" (MNI) 

Species ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
MNI	integer	The "minimum number of individuals" (MNI) of a species at a locality.

 

Quadrat Count Table (QUAD) 

Species ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Quad	integer	The number of quadrats (etc.) containing the species at a locality.

 

Percent Abundance Table (PCT) 

Species ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
PCT	float	Percentage abundance of a species at a locality.

 

Qualitative Abundance Table (QUA) 

Species ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Locality ID number	integer	(Foreign Key)
Abundance	c1	Qualitative abundance at a locality (abundant, common, rare, very_rare).

 

Correlation Tables (LS, LR, SR, PLR, PSR)

Figure 4. Detailed relationships of the data tables of the ETE Database. See Table 1 for the complete contents of each table and more information about primary and foreign keys. Major independent tables are shown with double outlines. Each of these tables has a single-valued primary key that is a unique ID number for each record (except in TIME_UNIT, which uses the name of a geologic time unit as its primary key). Arrows indicate the presence of the primary key of the originating table as a foreign key in the destination table. For example, the locality table (LOC) is connected to LAU, LS, and the locality attribute lists by having its primary key (lid, the unique locality identification number) appear in those tables as a foreign key. Likewise, the unique species identifier (sid) of the four species tables (ASP, MSP, PSP, VSP) appears in LS, as well as in SAU. One can, for example, list all the updates for a given locality (which is stored as a single row in LOC with a unique lid) by asking for all rows in LAU, the update table, that contain the lid of the locality of interest. Most of the minor tables (single outline) are simply lists of one kind of attribute, tied to a major table through a foreign key. Each row (foreign key and attribute columns taken together as a pair) constitutes the a unique entry and is the (composite, two-valued) primary key for these tables. The two values for each record in LS (lid, sid), taken together, form a unique combination that represents the occurrence of a particular species at a particular locality. This constitutes a composite (two-valued) primary key for the LS table, and appears as a composite foreign key in those tables recording abundance values of a species at a locality (NIS, MNI, QUAD, PCT, and QUA). The tables LS, LR, SR, PLR, and PSR are what is known as correlation tables, since their only entries are two primary keys of other tables (lid, sid, in the case of LS). This is necessary to create a many-to-many relationship between the elements of two tables.



 

Overview of Field Listings