LIAS - Instructions for Participants

Consult the LIAS Descriptors Form to define the structure of a Subproject Data Entry Form (= "Subproject Form") with all the characters and character states required in the new subproject. The character listing in DELTA format will be available soon.
It is not necessary to use all diagnostic characters of a family from the beginning. Initially it is preferable to focus on a subset of taxa and characters.
In the Descriptors Form, specify the relevant familiy name in the "Taxon name" field, e.g.:

Taxon name:

[Link (via underline) to "template" the number "01" and and a, b, c depending from the subform A, B, C you are using.]
Select level category "species" in the pick list of character 1:

1. Taxonomic level category [mandatory character]
Select the appropriate family name (here: "Lecanoraceae Körb. (1855)") in the pick list of character 13:

13. Family name
Activate the checkboxes of all character states required in the new subproject. In the example below, state numbers 1�2 and 4�6 of character #76 have been selected, whereas states 3 and 7 are not utilized:

76. Thallus surface structure 1. smooth 2. rough 3. byssoid 4. pulverulaceous 5. farinose 6. granulose 7. eroded

In the Subproject Form generated after submission, character state numbers 3 and 7 ("byssoid" and "eroded") will no longer appear:

76. Thallus surface structure 1. smooth 2. rough 4. pulverulaceous 5. farinose 6. granulose
Enter dummy markers (e.g. "xxx") into the desired text fields:

16. References text
xxx
Enter dummy figures (e.g. "0") into the numerical fields wanted (in this example, the data field "Min" is unwanted and will not appear later):

462. Ascospores length (numerical)

Min: Lower range: Mean: Upper range: Max: Unit:

�m long
To submit the completed form, press the button at the end of the Descriptors Form:
Contact the editor if certain characters or character states are desired in the subproject, but are missing in the Descriptors Form.
If additional character states are required after submission of the template data set, the Descriptors Form must be used another time to create a second template (e.g.: "Lecanoraceae template_2"). Only the additional character states need to be selected. As in the original template, however, the inclusion of characters 1 and 13 is mandatory!
Before starting a new subproject, contact the editor, G. Rambold.

Within the space of several days, contributors are informed on the URL of the Subproject Form (hidden from public view and not linked with other web pages), generated according to character state selection in the Descriptors Form during step 1.
Data from each taxon must now be entered separately into the Subproject Form (exemplified by the use of the family Lecanoraceae), by ticking checkboxes and filling the text and numerical fields. The relevant species name has to be entered into the "Taxon name" field at top of the page (above character #1).
For abbreviations of authors of taxon names please look for the recommendations according to Kirk, P.M. & Ansell, A.E. 1992: Authors of Fungal Names, Index of Fungi, Suppl., Kew, or Brummit, R.K. & Powell, C.E. 1992: Authors of Plant Names, Kew 1992 (concerning lichens there are no differences between these publications). Online queries of names and abbreviations are provided at the IPNI web site.
It is suggested that one emploies modifiers and notes for specifying the character states in more detail. In order to add a modifier or a note to a character state, the relevant character state number (here state "1") needs to be selected in the pick list:
(Select a character state: to add this modifier: )

(Select a character state: to add this note/comment: )

and modifier text (here: "occasionally") and notes text (here: "only in Australian specimens") entered in the fields right of the pick list.

Note: In the event that more than one character state need modification and/or adding of a note, it is suggested that one enters additional information, e.g. in the general notes text field (character # 17) and that one adds the remaining modifier specifications in the updated data submission form during a subsequent sessions.
To avoid misuse, authors of data set should always enter their user password (supplied by the editor) or email address in the text field above the send button of the submission forms:
"To send data, please enter your user password or your full email address (required!):"

With a delay of a few days at most, submitted data of each taxon will be provided in separate Taxa Revision Forms (e.g. Lecanora achrooides Vainio), for reexamination and revision by the author(s). They are accessible via a (hidden) index page.

In addition to Subproject Form, Taxa Revision Forms from previous data inputs of the same subproject may also be employed as a template for new taxa. The taxon name at top of the form needs to be altered and the appropriate character state selections modified.

Data set authorship (together with the date of publication) is stored for every taxon under character # 4 by selecting the name in the pick list (date of data entry must be entered in the notes field behind in the format "00-01-25"):

4. Data record authors name [mandatory character] () ()

Suggestions for the citation of individual data sets are given on the Impressum page.

For the purpose of archiving, it is recommended that one prints modified forms before data submission. Some LIAS forms include many characters and therfore are very long. For saving paper, download and install

printer driver on your computer. It allows one to print 2, 4 or 8 LIAS form pages (and other things) on a single sheet of paper which reduces time and cost of printing while maintaining readability.

As a service, database generated text with natural language descriptions in HTML, RTF or PDF format, is provided, e.g. for usage in floristic or monograph projects. . Descriptions will also be published online. As an example, see a subset of Lecanoraceae.
Acrobat� Reader is required for editing PDF files and can be downloaded here:
By permission of the author(s), subproject data are made accessible to the public and become an integrated part of LIAS.

Consult one of the three LIAS Descriptors Subforms A, B, and C (= "Descriptors Form"), enter a template name (e.g. "Lecanoraceae template_02a" in case generate a second template for Lecanoraceae and use subform A; e.g. "Lecanoraceae template_03c" in case generate a third template for Lecanoraceae and use subform C), and select the additional character states needed in the subproject under consideration according to the recommendations under Step 1. In a subsequent online update of the subproject data set, the wanted characters and states will be included in the relevant forms.

All data published in Taxa Revision Forms, are open for revision by members of the lichenological and mycological community. Before making additions and changes however, revisors should contact the editor or the authors of the original data.
To avoid misuse, revisors should enter their user password (being supplied by the editor) or email address in the text field above the send button.
Data set revision authorship is stored for every taxon under character # 6 by selecting the checkbox of the name (date of data entry must be entered via select box with state numbers and the note/comment field behind):
6. Data record revision authors name 1. Aptroot A. 2. Carlin G. 3. Döbbeler P. 4. Döring H. 5. Elix J. A. . . . 36. Tibell L. 37. Timdal E. 38. Triebel D. 39. Verdon D.
(Select a character state: to add this note/comment: ()
Revisory additions and modifications are continuously logged in the LIAS database system.

Min:	Lower range:	Mean:	Upper range:	Max:	Unit:
					�m long