Natural Heritage Information Centre
Database Structures
- Elements Table - the master list of species and communities in Ontario
- Element Occurrence Table - occurrences of "tracked" or rare Elements
- Centroids Table - locational information such as County, Map Number, etc. for each unique location
- Observations Table - observations over time which verify existence of an occurrence
- Natural Areas Table - The main table containing natural area information is called AREAS, which contains comprehensive textual information on the biological significance of the areas
Elements Table
| Column Name | Description | Type | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELCODE | Unique TNC element code | Text | 10 |
| GNAME | Global scientific name used by TNC | Text | 100 |
| GRANK | TNC Global rank | Text | 10 |
| GRANKDATE | Date GRANK was assigned/changed | Text | 12 |
| GREVDATE | Date GRANK was last reviewed | Text | 12 |
| STEWAB | Stewardship abstract availability | Text | 2 |
| STATE | State/province responsible for maintaining GRANK | Text | 2 |
| FAMILY | Family Name | Text | 50 |
| SCI_NAME | Scientific Name Binomial (var or spp optional) | Text | 100 |
| AUTHOR | Author of SCI_NAME | Text | 60 |
| COMMON_NAME | Common name | Text | 100 |
| NPROT | National protection status (COSEWIC) | Text | 10 |
| SPROT | Provincial protection status (MNR) | Text | 10 |
| SRANK | NHIC rank | Text | 10 |
| SRANKDATE | Date SRANK was assigned/changed | Text | 12 |
| SREVDATE | Date SRANK was last reviewed | Text | 12 |
| ESTEOS | Estimated number of EOs | Text | 2 |
| PROTEOS | Number of protected EOs | Text | 2 |
| SABUND | Estimate of abundance | Text | 2 |
| REFNAME | Reference(s) | Memo | - |
| SLIDE | Does a good slide exist of this element? | Text | 2 |
| SUPDATE | When record was last updated | Text | 12 |
| NOTES | Notes on this element in Ontario | Text | 255 |
| FAM_NUM | Family number (Gray's) | Text | 5 |
| TRACK | Species tracked by NHIC | Text | 5 |
| CODE | Mnemonic species code used in Ontario | Text | 10 |
| RSMP_Code | MAPCODE used in Rare Species Mapping Project | Text | 10 |
| CC | Coefficient of conservatism | Text | 2 |
| Physiognomy | Physiognomy (plants only) | Text | 20 |
| Introduced | Introduced into Ontario (alien)? | Yes/No | 1 |
Element Occurrence Table
| Column Name | Description | Type | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| EO_ID | Unique system-generated ID for each EO | Number | 6 |
| ELCODE | TNC element code (Foreign Key to ELEMENTS table) | Text | 10 |
| EONUM | Occurrence number of this element | Text | 5 |
| Centroid Coordinate | Textual representation of UTM -- used as link to CENTROIDS | Text | 17 |
| UTM Accur | Accuracy of UTM value (0=1m, 5=>10000m) | Text | 1 |
| UTM Datum | Geodetic Datum (eg. NAD27, NAD83, WGS84) | Text | 10 |
| FirstObs | First Observed Date (text: YYYY-MM-DD) | Text | 10 |
| LastObs | Last Observed Date (text: YYYY-MM-DD) | Text | 10 |
| EOData | Specific information about this occurrence (# individuals, etc.) | Memo | - |
| EORank | Quality of this occurrence | Text | 4 |
| EORankDate | Date EORank was assigned | Date/Time | 8 |
| EORankCom | Comment explaining EORank | Memo | - |
| EOType | Type of EO (eg. Breeding Colony, Hibernaculum) | Text | 50 |
| Directions | Specific directions required to locate EO | Memo | - |
| GenDesc | General description of surrounding habitat | Memo | - |
| Comments | Comments | Memo | - |
| Mgmtcom | Comments about the management of the element at this location | Memo | - |
| Protcom | Comments about level of protection provided or required | Memo | - |
| Owner | Type of ownership | Text | 20 |
| OwnerCom | Comments about owner | Text | 254 |
| MinElev | Minimum elevation | Number | 4 |
| MaxElev | Maximum elevation | Number | 4 |
| DataSens | Is data sensitive (restricted distribution)? | Yes/No | 1 |
| Boundaries | Are boundaries of EO marked on a map? | Yes/No | 1 |
| Photos | Does photo or slide of this EO exist? | Yes/No | 1 |
| Contained | Is EO contained within Natural Area? | Yes/No | 1 |
| Manual_File_Note | Notes on additional information contained in NHIC files | Text | 255 |
| GEO_source | Source of centroid coordinates | Text | 20 |
| EO_source | Original data source for this EO | Text | 25 |
| LOC_QC | Date and person who verified location | Text | 20 |
| NHIC_QC | Date and NHIC staff member who verified this EO | Text | 20 |
| Created | Date record was created | Date/Time | 8 |
| Created_By | User who created this record | Text | 20 |
| Updated | Date record was last updated | Date/Time | 8 |
| Updated_By | User who last updated this record | Text | 30 |
Centroids Table
| Column Name | Description | Type | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZONE | 2-digit UTM zone | Number | 2 |
| EASTING | 6-digit UTM easting | Number | 6 |
| NORTHING | 7-digit UTM northing | Number | 7 |
| DATUM | Geodetic Datum | Text | 10 |
| LOC_NAME | Brief name of this location | Text | 46 |
| AREA_ID | Link to Natural Areas database | Number | 6 |
| LATITUDE | Decimal Latitude | Number | 10.6 |
| LONGITUDE | Decimal Longitude | Number | 10.6 |
| QUADCODE | National Topographic Series 1:50000 map number | Text | 8 |
| MAPSQUARE | 10 km map square | Text | 8 |
| COUNTYCODE | County/District/Reg. Mun. code | Text | 6 |
| LOCALJURIS | Municipal Township | Text | 46 |
| GEO_TWP_CODE | Geographic Township | Text | 7 |
| MUNICIP_CODE | Municipality code | Text | 6 |
| MNR_DIST_CODE | MNR district code | Text | 6 |
| MNR_AREA_CODE | MNR area code | Text | 6 |
| CONS_AUTH | Conservation Authority | Text | 35 |
| SITE_DIST | Physiographic subdivision of a Hill's Site Region | Text | 8 |
| WATERSHED | Watershed code | Text | 10 |
| OBM_MAPNUM | Ontario Base Map number | Text | 20 |
Observations Table
| Column Name | Description | Type | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| EO_ID | Unique Element Occurrence ID | Number | 6 |
| OBS_NUM | Observation identifier within an Element Occurrence | Text | 20 |
| OBS_DATE | Date observation was made (YYYY-MM-DD) | Text | 12 |
| ZONE | 2-digit UTM zone | Number | 2 |
| EASTING | 6-digit UTM easting | Number | 6 |
| NORTHING | 7-digit UTM northing | Number | 7 |
| UTM_ACC | UTM accuracy code (0-5) | Text | 1 |
| UTM_DATUM | Datum | Text | 10 |
| UTM_SOURCE | Source of UTM coordinates (original, derived, etc.) | Text | 15 |
| OBSERVER | Name of person who made observation | Text | 40 |
| LOCATION | Brief location description | Text | 100 |
| DETAILS | Biological details (EODATA) | Text | 254 |
| HABITAT | Brief description of surrounding habitat (GENDESC) | Text | 254 |
| REMARKS | Other pertinent comments | Text | 254 |
| SOURCE | Where observation information was obtained from | Text | 254 |
| ORIG_COORD | Original coordinates quoted in source | Text | 20 |
| MAPPABLE | Map this location as well as main EO centroid? | Yes/No | 1 |
| VERIFIED | NHIC verified? | Yes/No | 1 |
| COMMUNITY | Community description and dominants (for Community EOs only) | Memo | - |
| SIZE | Size of observation in hectares | Number | 8.2 |
| NHIC_NOTES | Notes appended by NHIC staff | Text | 255 |
| ELCODE | TNC Element code | Text | 10 |
| DIRECTIONS | Directions to observation | Memo | |
| SEARCH_TYPE | Type of search (intentional, incidental) | Text | 50 |
| SEARCH_RESULT | Positive or negative search result | Text | 10 |
| SEARCH_EFFORT | Comments about the degree of search effort for the species | Memo | |
| SPECIMEN_TAKEN | Was a speciment collected? | Yes/No | |
| ID_PROB | Identification Problems? | Yes/No | |
| ID_PROB_EXP | Id problems explanation | Memo | |
| COLL_NO | Personal Collection Number | Text | 50 |
| REPOSITORY | Where is speciment located? | Text | 50 |
| ACC_NO | Accession number | Text | 50 |
| PHOTO | Photo taken? | Yes/No | |
| LANDUSE | Current land uses | Memo | |
| THREATS | Possible threats | Memo | |
| MGMTCOM | Management comments | Memo | |
| ADDMAT | Additional material sent to NHIC by mail | Yes/No | |
| DATA_SENSITIVE_IND | Data Sensitivity Indicator | Yes/No | |
| DATA_SENSITIVE_COMMENT | Explanation of the sensitivity if "yes" | Memo | |
| OWNER_COMMENTS | Owner of the land | Memo | |
| MAPNUM | NTS Map Number | Text | 13 |
Natural Areas Table
| Column Name | Description | Type | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIS_ID | Link to GIS polygon | Text | 20 |
| BCD_CODE | SITECODE or MACODE for records imported from BCD | Text | 15 |
| UPDATED | Date record was last updated | Date/Time | 8 |
| UPDATED_BY | Person who last updated the record | Text | 20 |
| AREA_ID | System-generated unique ID | Number (Long) | 4 |
| PARENT_ID | Larger area which this area is part of | Number (Long) | 4 |
| AREA_NAME | Official name of the area | Text | 60 |
| SIG_LEVEL | Significance level | Text | 10 |
| AREA_TYPE | Type of natural area | Text | 10 |
| ECO_REGION | Federal Eco-region code | Text | 20 |
| SIZE | Size of the area in hectares | Number (Double) | 8 |
| IUCN_CAT | IUCN category code | Text | 10 |
| DESCRIPT | General description of the area | Memo | - |
| VEGETATION | Vegetation types | Memo | - |
| LANDFORM | Landform characteristics | Memo | - |
| LANDUSECOM | Current land uses | Memo | - |
| LANDUSEHIS | Past land uses | Memo | - |
| OFFSITE | Comments about surrounding area | Memo | - |
| THREATSCOM | Human or natural threats to the integrity of the area | Memo | - |
| BIODIVCOM | Biodiversity comments | Memo | - |
| ECO_VALUES | Ecological values | Memo | - |
| OTHERVALUE | Other values the area is known for | Memo | - |
| REPRESENT | Representativeness | Memo | - |
| RATINGCOM | Why is this an important natural area? | Memo | - |
| OWNERSHIP | Ownership comments | Memo | - |
| MGMTCOM | Management comments | Memo | - |
| MAN_AGENCY | Managing agency | Text | 35 |
| PROTCOM | Comments about protection afforded the area | Memo | - |
| DIRECTIONS | Travel directions to the area | Memo | - |
| ACCESSCOM | Accessability comments | Memo | - |
| SITECOM | Other comments | Memo | - |
| KEYWORDS | Keywords for data retrieval | Memo | - |
| IMAGERYCOM | Aerial photos, satellite imagery available | Memo | - |
| WATERSHED | Watershed code | Text | 20 |
| ZONE | 2-digit UTM zone of centroid | Number (Integer) | 2 |
| EASTING | 6-digit UTM easting | Number (Long) | 4 |
| NORTHING | 7-digit UTM northing | Number (Long) | 4 |
| LAT | Lat in DDMMSS | Text | 7 |
| LONG | Long in DDMMSS | Text | 8 |
| LATITUDE | Decimal latitiude | Number (Double) | 8 |
| LONGITUDE | Decimal longitude | Number (Double) | 8 |
| MIN_ELEV | Minimum elevation | Number (Double) | 8 |
| MAX_ELEV | Maximum elevation | Number (Double) | 8 |
| FLOR_QUAL | Floristic quality index | Number (Double) | 8 |
| SELECTED | Flag for database queries | Yes/No | 1 |