GrapEl – a simple spreadsheet application for managing and disseminating graptolite biozonal range chart data

Biostratigraphical data frequently consist of tables indicating the presence, absence or relative abundance of taxa in a sequence
of rock units or time units such as biozones or various chronostratigraphic units. Spreadsheet programs provide a simple means
for managing this data and can be used for archiving and disseminating it, in addition to manipulating it. A simple spreadsheet
(‘GrapEl’) is used to link the biozonal ranges of graptolite taxa to illustrations of representative or type specimens. Use
of the filtering function enables the rapid selection of species from particular biozones, or species belonging to particular
genera, and is intended to assist workers with a limited working knowledge of the faunas concerned. This approach is briefly
compared to other uses of spreadsheets and databases in the management, analysis and distribution of graptolite biostratigraphical
data.

生物地层学数据通常包括表格，这些表格指示了在岩层序列或时间单元（如生物带或各种地层层序单元）中物种的存在、缺失或相对丰度。电子表格程序为管理此类数据提供了一种简便手段，可用于存档、传播数据，并对其进行操作。简单的电子表格（‘GrapEl’）被用于将笔石类物种的生物带范围与代表性或典型标本的插图相连接。使用筛选功能能够快速选择特定生物带中的物种，或属于特定属的物种，旨在协助对相关生物群了解有限的工作人员。此方法与电子表格和数据库在管理、分析和传播笔石类生物地层学数据中的其他用途进行了简要比较。