Sample Identifiers and Metadata Reporting Format for Environmental Systems Science

The ESS-DIVE sample identifiers and metadata reporting format primarily follows the System for Earth Sample Registration (SESAR) Global Sample Number (IGSN) guide and template, with modifications to address Environmental Systems Science (ESS) sample needs and practicalities (IGSN-ESS). IGSNs are associated with standardized metadata to characterize a variety of different sample types (e.g. object type, material) and describe sample collection details (e.g. latitude, longitude, environmental context, date, collection method). Globally unique sample identifiers, particularly IGSNs, facilitate sample discovery, tracking, and reuse; they are especially useful when sample data is shared with collaborators, sent to different laboratories or user facilities for analyses, or distributed in different data files, datasets, and/or publications. To develop recommendations for multidisciplinary ecosystem and environmental sciences, we first conducted research on related sample standards and templates. We provide a comparison of existing sample reporting conventions, which includes mapping metadata elements across existing standards and Environment Ontology (ENVO) terms for sample object types and environmental materials. We worked with eight U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded projects, including those from Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Subsurface Biogeochemical Research Scientific Focus Areas. Project scientists tested the process of registering samples for IGSNs and associated metadata in workflows for multidisciplinary ecosystem sciences. We provide modified IGSN metadata guidelines to account for needs of a variety of related biological and environmental samples. While generally following the IGSN core descriptive metadata schema, we provide recommendations for extending sample type terms, and connecting to related templates geared towards biodiversity (Darwin Core) and genomic (Minimum Information about any Sequence, MIxS) samples and specimens. ESS-DIVE recommends registering samples for IGSNs through SESAR, and we include instructions for registration using the IGSN-ESS guidelines. Our resulting sample reporting guidelines, template (IGSN-ESS), and identifier approach can be used by any researcher with sample data for ecosystem sciences.

ESS-DIVE样本标识符与元数据报告格式主要遵循地球样本注册系统（System for Earth Sample Registration, SESAR）全球样本编号（IGSN）指南与模板，并针对环境系统科学（Environmental Systems Science, ESS）的样本需求与实际应用场景进行适配修改，形成IGSN-ESS格式。

IGSN关联标准化元数据，可用于表征多种不同类型的样本（如对象类型、材料属性），并详细描述样本采集相关信息，包括纬度、经度、环境背景、采集时间与采集方法等。

全球唯一的样本标识符（尤其是IGSN）可有效助力样本的发现、追踪与复用；在科研人员与合作者共享样本数据、将样本送至不同实验室或用户设施开展分析，或是将样本分发至不同数据文件、数据集和/或学术出版物时，这类标识符的作用尤为突出。

为制定多学科生态与环境科学领域的相关规范建议，研究团队首先开展了针对现有样本标准与模板的调研工作。我们对比了多套现行样本报告规范，内容涵盖现有标准间的元数据元素映射，以及用于样本对象类型和环境材料的环境本体（Environment Ontology, ENVO）术语。

研究团队与8项由美国能源部（U.S. Department of Energy, DOE）资助的项目展开合作，其中包含陆地生态系统科学与地下生物地球化学研究科学重点领域（Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Subsurface Biogeochemical Research Scientific Focus Areas）的相关项目。项目科研人员针对多学科生态科学的工作流，测试了IGSN样本注册及关联元数据的完整流程。

我们针对各类相关生物与环境样本的实际需求，提供了修改后的IGSN元数据指南。尽管整体沿用了IGSN核心描述性元数据模式，我们仍提出了扩展样本类型术语的相关建议，并对接了面向生物多样性（达尔文核心，Darwin Core）与基因组学（任何序列相关最低信息，Minimum Information about any Sequence, MIxS）样本及标本的专属模板。

ESS-DIVE建议科研人员通过SESAR平台完成IGSN样本注册，并附带了遵循IGSN-ESS指南的注册操作说明。本研究形成的样本报告指南、IGSN-ESS模板及标识符方案，可供所有开展生态科学样本数据研究的科研人员使用。