Asserted Distributions

Information in this section shows ways to document asserted distributions for biological taxa and other objects in TaxonWorks.

Resources

TaxonWorks Asserted Distribution Model

Tasks and Radials used in this work include

New asserted distribution task
Browse Taxon Names
OTU quick forms Radial
Radial OTU to batch add an assertion
Filter Taxon Names
Filter OTUs
Manage Controlled Vocabulary task

Three ways (how-to) assert distributions in TaxonWorks

In these examples, we want to document the information about where given taxa can be found, according to a given source (e.g. a publication, personal expertise). With this data captured, it then becomes possible in TaxonWorks to programmatically connect biological associations information with geospatial distribution data. For example, a given taxa "A" eats taxa "B" in a given region on the planet.

One. New asserted distribution task

This task gives you a way to capture and relate 4 pieces of information.

screenshot showing fielde Source, Object, Shape, Confidence that can be set for each asserted distribution — **New asserted distribtion task**: See Source, Object, Shape, Confidence sections

Source: where you search and then pick or add (new) a given publication

screenshot showing where you search for the source you want to cite for asserted distribution information — **Pick the Source**

Object: Choose which type of TW Object you want.

select the object type
search and then pick, in this particular case, the OTU (the biological taxa for which you are adding distribution information)

screenshot showing where you pick the TaxonWorks Object — **Select the Object**: choose the object of this asserted distribtion

Shape: where you search and then pick a geographic area (e.g. Thailand, Minnesota, etc) or you pick a shape from a custom gazetteer.

screenshot showing where you select the geospatial shape or gazetteer entry for this asserted distribution for this TW Object — **Select the Shape**

Confidence: where you can search for and then pick a confidence level you set.

You may need to create these confidences first using the TaxonWorks Manage Controlled Vocabulary Terms task and there you can make the desired levels you want to use.

screenshot showing where you can pick the confidence level you want to associate with this asserted distribution for this TW Object — **Adding Confidence Status**: Using the `Manage Controlled Vocabulary Task` to create confidence options you can then attach to objects in TW. These are optional and customizable

Clone: at the bottom of the form, you will see your newly created Asserted Distribution

you can delete it if need be (see the trash can)
you can use the Radial annotator to add more information to this distribution record.
options: You can clone parts of this / any Asserted Distribution if combinations of those parts (Source, Object, or Geo Shape) fit the next Asserted Distribution you want to create. See bottom of screenshot next.

screenshot showing that you can clone pieces of any asserted distribtion in case you want to edit only parts of one to apply to another taxa or another object and source in TW — **See and Clone pieces of any Asserted Distribution**

The form auto-saves if the box in the top right of the form is checked.

Two. Browse Taxon Names to Radial OTU to Asserted Distribution

From Browse Taxon Names task, search for the taxa you want to add distribution information to.

screenshot showing how you search for the taxa you want to create an asserted distribution for — **Browse Taxon Names** to find the taxa for the asserted distributions you want to create

In the top menu bar, click the OTU quick forms radial, select Asserted Distributions in the radial. With this radial you can add information to the OTU record without leaving the Taxon Name page.

screenshot showing which radial to use to find the option to create an asserted distribution — **Use Quick OTU Forms radial**: select Asserted Distribution

Search to find and then select the Source

screenshot showing pop up to make a new asserted distribution and the first step is to search and then select the source — **Select Source for New Asserted Distribution**

Select the desired Shape from Geographic Area or Gazetteer options
The Asserted Distribution is saved automatically.

Tips

Note in the above screenshot you can Clone last Citation and also lock a Source in the event you want to use it in your next asserted distribution records.

Three. Bulk Add Asserted Distributions

From Filter Taxon Names, search for the taxa of interest and select self and descendants (in this case).

Screeshot showing search using Filter Taxon Names task to find taxa of interest for your asserted distribution — **Filter Taxon Names to find taxa of interest**

Use the Radial Filter option (on left sidebar) to send the results to Filter OTUs task.

screenshot showing that you can sent the results of your Filter Taxon Name search to the Filter OTUs task — **Send Taxon Name results to Filter OTUs**

Now, you have all the OTUs for the taxa selected.

screenshot showing OTUs — **OTUs now ready for their Asserted Distribution**

On the right side, select all, then use the Radial OTU and choose Add asserted distribution to add distribution information to all of these OTU objects at the same time.

screenshot showing that you can now add an asserted distribution for all of these selected OTUs at one time — **Use the Radial OTU** to create a mass asserted distribution

Edit Asserted Distribution

You can edit any Asserted Distributions from the OTU Quick Forms Radial.