多道检索表的研究进展

在没有利用计算机技术之前,多道检索表停留在“穿孔卡”检索表形式,目前,在计算机辅助下的多道检索表已很快发展出多种检索系统,如DELTA、Lucid和NaviKey等。本文主要比较了在国内外影响较大的6种多道检索系统在体系结构、用户界面、数据库和检索策略等方面的异同,并从性状选取自由、容错度、模糊表达、数值型性状、最佳检索性状、保留性状未知的分类群以及检索特征等7个方面对检索策略进行了深入分析。鉴于多道检索表存在多种异名,不便于研究交流,我们建议使用“Multi access keys”作为正式名称。最后本文就多道检索表的发展趋势提出了展望。     

检索表的矛盾分析及其实践意义(综述)

通过对生物检索表结构的分析,认为检索表的根本矛盾是标本具有的个性性状与检索表使用的共性性状的矛盾。单道检索表的主要矛盾是检索表对性状的有条件使用与单个标本性状有限性之间的矛盾,因而单道检索表未能很好地解决其基本矛盾,使得其应用范围和使用效果受到诸多影响。多道检索表的主要矛盾是性状数据库内性状的有限性与物种具有的个性性状的无限性之间的矛盾,不存在个性与共性的矛盾,即解决了根本矛盾问题,便于检索应用。     

形象检索法与形象检索表

形象检索法是采用典型的外部形态特征,辅以图片检索,对种及种以下单元进行分类的方法。该方法仅使用典型的外部形态特征对不同分类等级的多歧对应或非对应性状编制检索表,对鉴定所涉及的特征或名词术语辅以简练准确的文字以及典型特征的照片或图片予以说明。主要为非专业人员快速检索而设计。对野生动物的执法、管理、保护教育及知识普及具有理论和实践指导意义。     

交互式检索表提升分类学研究与应用效率:以兰科植物为例

与传统的连续检索表相比,基于计算机等数字终端的多通道交互式检索表具有很多优势,如易于携带、实时更新、界面直观、使用方便、用户广泛、产生新数据集且便于研究以及能够推动分类学知识的普及等。本文以兰科植物为例介绍了交互式检索表的特点、程序建立和应用。兰科植物是生物多样性保育的旗舰类群,具有很强的观赏和药用价值,但中国兰科植物种类繁多,分类困难。我们在自主研发交互式检索表软件MagIden的基础上,以《中国植物志》和Flora of China的描述为依据,制作了中国兰科植物交互式电子检索表,为分类学研究者和爱好者提供了一个新的、鉴定中国兰科植物的中英文双语工具;同时,交互式检索表生成的MVSP和Bayes形态特征数据集可用于聚类分析和分支分类学研究。交互式检索表在数据积累、更新和分析利用等方面具有独特的优势,是提高传统植物分类学研究与应用效率的重要工具。     

Lucid Phoenix: 交互式多媒体网络检索表工具

Lucid Phoenix是一个编写和演示二叉检索表的计算机工具,本文详细介绍了它的组件、功能和特色。其生成的Phoenix检索表整合文本、超文本、图片等多媒体信息,采用最新的跨平台技术可直接嵌入浏览器网上传播和交互使用。它对于促进检索表资源的网络共享与利用十分有意义。     

腐霉属分类性状评价及其中国的种

本文对腐霉属Pythium Pringsheim的研究历史作了简单的回顾,对该属的分类性状和系统进行了论述和评价,最后对中国已发现的55种腐霉,以检索表的方式进行了分类、检索。     

自编检索表在动物分类实验教学中的应用

检索表在生物分类有着广泛的应用。在动物分类实验教学中 ,除了根据实验指导提供的分目检索表鉴定动物外 ,对学生自采、自制的一些标本 ,可让学生学会自编简单的分科检索表或由教师编制一些分种检索表进行分类鉴定。这样 ,有利于提高学生的观察分析能力 ,全面的辨认动物。自编检索表能结合当地实际进行教学 ,应用简单 ,灵活 ,效果好。1　学生自编分科检索表在昆虫分类上的应用在昆虫分类实验中 ,课前要求学生到野外或校园内采集 10个目 (不同种类 )以上的昆虫进行分类检索。对观赏园艺专业开设的“园林植物病虫害 (虫害部分 )防治”的昆虫分…     

闽江沿岸橄榄品种资源调查

本文介绍闽江沿岸橄榄栽培分布和品种资源,记述该区域三个品种类型十五个品种品系的性状特征,并依据各品种果实形状,大小,颜色,肉色,果基放射状条纹等性状特征制订了橄榄品种检索表。     

闽江沿岸橄榄品种资源调查

本文介绍闽江沿岸橄榄栽培分布和品种资源，记述该区域三个品种类型十五个品种品系的性状特征，并依据各品种果实形状、大小、颜色、肉色、果基放射状条纹等性状特征制订了橄揽品种检索表。     

巴布亚新几内亚原木上截获锥象的鉴定

江苏口岸从巴布亚新几内亚原木上共截获了9属11种锥象,本文给出了这9属的检索表和11个种的区别特征及原色图。其中的Cyphagogus能取食材小蠹和长小蠹;而Cerobates、Trachelizus、Baryrrhynchus等为害习性与长小蠹相似。也对锥象的检疫方法也作了探讨。     

新版DELTA系统在植物分类学中的应用——以羊茅属研究为例

DELTA系统是针对分类学研究开发的综合性多功能软件包。新版DELTA系统在运行环境、程序、指令、界面、操作方式及中文字符处理等重要功能上比旧版本均有较大改进。作为国际分类学数据库数据交换标准,应用该系统可以规范分类学描述,对研究中所有常用性状进行识别和处理,自动生成各个研究对象分类学特征描述并对其进行详尽的相似性和差异性比较,对性状特征和分类单元进行注释和图像示例,将数据转换为数量分类学或分支分类学所需格式以生成树状图,自动生成检索表,建成基于本地和网络的交互式专家辅助鉴定系统等。DELTA系统作为植物分类学研究的常用手段和工具是非常适合及大有帮助的。     

Identification keys on mobile devices: The Dryades experience

Abstract

This article describes the experience of project Dryades, coordinated by the University of Trieste, in developing interactive identification keys in the form of applications for mobile devices (iPhone/iPad/iPodtouch). All of our keys were previously generated from a database of morpho-anatomical characters using software FRIDA. The applications for mobile devices, which were tested Europe-wide during the project KeyToNature, have proved to be useful in education, in the promotion of nature-aware tourism and in projects of citizen science. The first-generation apps were stand-alone packages which consisted into a sequence of stand-alone HTML pages, while those of the second generation do incorporate the digital key as a true database into the mobile device. All of the hitherto published applications are basically in the form of illustrated dichotomous keys. Future developments will also include a multi-entry query interface, and will be extended to devices which use the Android system.     

The diagnostic value of qualitative and quantitative characters in computer identification keys

A new method for estimating the diagnostic value of characters for computer keys to biological objects is proposed. The algorithm described can be used for correct comparison of qualitative and quantitative characters. A brief review of the history of biological diagnostics is given.     

JellyWeb: an interactive information system on Scyphozoa,Cubozoa and Staurozoa

Identification of organisms is traditionally based on the use of “classic” identification keys, normally printed on paper. These keys have several drawbacks: they are mainly based on the systematics, requiring identification of orders, families and genera at first; they are written by experts for other experts, in a specific scientific jargon; they have a “frozen” structure (sequence of theses/antitheses); once published, they cannot be changed or updated without printing a new edition. Due to the use of computers, it is now possible to build new digital identification tools, which: 1) can be produced automatically, if the characters are stored in a database; 2) can be freed from the traditional systematics, giving priority to easy-to-observe characters, incl. those usually uncommon to the classical keys, such as ecology and distribution; 3) can be updated in real time once published on-line; 4) can be available on different media, and on mobile devices. An important feature of these new digital tools is their “collaborative” nature. They can be enriched by the contribution of several researchers, which can cooperate while maintaining rights and property of the resources and data they contribute to the system. JellyWeb, the information system on Scyphozoa, Cubozoa and Staurozoa has been developed in Trieste since 2010. The system was created with the aim of – potentially – becoming a starting point for a wide collaborative effort in developing a user-friendly worldwide digital identification system for jellyfishes.     

Some ideas for activities involving the construction of computer-based identification keys

Conserving global biodiversity depends on public awareness, hence the vital role of education and the recent thinking that biodiversity conservation should form part of a new and general scientific literacy taught in schools. A crucial aspect of biodiversity conservation is species identification. Taxonomy in general, and identification keys in particular, are often seen as boring and outdated. Indeed, curricula focused on contemporary areas of biology tend to give a low priority to taxonomy or ignore it completely. However, concern for diminishing global biodiversity has provoked a renewed interest in both traditional and more innovative identification methods, including computer-aided taxonomy.

Some ideas for applying information and communication technology (ICT) to constructing identification keysare discussed. The use of linked web pages is proposed as the most easily used and readily accessible method for Year 8 pupils (ages 12 – 13). It is suggested that there is more educational value in pupils then testing and evaluating each other's keys rather than simply using them and that to facilitate this, web-based keys can easily be exchanged via a network.

It is concluded that this approach promotes a wide range of transferable ICT skills, but applies them in the context of a current problem facing real biologists, so illustrating how computer technology is assisting biodiversity research.     

Biotechnology and molecular computing

Carbon-based molecular machines are in sight for the next-generation electronics industry. In that nature has been producing and maintaining molecular machines for millions of years, the biological sciences may hold the keys to tomorrow's computer science disciplines. This article reviews some contributions that natural systems may make, and some general concerns that have yet to be resolved in realizing molecule-based devices.