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Approximate counts and individualCount #117

Open ansell opened 6 years ago

ansell commented 6 years ago

A number of data providers give me estimates of individual counts (e.g 50+), sometimes mixed with exact counts for other records in the same dataset. I have been mapping these to individualCount in the past but that is an issue when users read the definition tightly and then attempt to do numeric analysis on the field directly without taking into account the approximate (partially numeric) values. Given the definition is fairly clear that exact non-negative values are expected, would it be useful to add a new approximate field with a more forgiving definition.

tucotuco commented 6 years ago

See also https://github.com/gbif/portal-feedback/issues/767#issuecomment-387413937.

tucotuco commented 6 years ago

In the related commentary on GBIF, it was recommended to use organismQuantity and organismQuantityType. I do not see that this provides a viable solution. I would propose that this information be captured in dynamicProperties as, for example, { "organism quantity range":"1-10" } If there were to be sufficient outcry, perhaps an organismQuantityRange term could be created, but since indexing such a field would not make the data any more readily usable, I do not see a good reason to do so.