How to report data?

The BMDC strongly recommends the laboratories to report their data using the common layout format defined by the BMDC. Laboratories that have their own, comprehensive and well-documented, database are, of course, free to transfer it as a whole to the BMDC or to make a relevant export. In specific cases e.g. when the common layout format is inappropriate, the results can be reported in a free format. Anyway, the meta-information like campaigns, stations, samples, etc. should be reported in the common layout format.

The common layout format varies with the data type to be reported. The format is available as an Excel template with different worksheets (campaigns, stations, samples and results, analytical methods). In the format, some fields are mandatory while others are there to complete the dataset. At least the mandatory fields should be filled in by the laboratory.

• Biodiversity (For number of specimens, density and biomass of species)
• Biota (For parameters measured or observed on specimens like metals in cod liver or % of oil coverage on beached birds)
• Data series (For data files containing data cycles with a high sampling rate like discrete profiles, time series & trajectories - see example)
• Sediment (For parameters measured in sediment samples like contaminants in sediment fractions & granulometry - see example)
• Water (For parameters measured in seawater, filtered seawater and in the suspended fraction of seawater)
• Air (For parameters measured in air, aerosols and rainwater)
• Other data : free format

If you have doubts about how to report your data, do not hesitate to contact the BMDC team (bmdc@mumm.ac.be).