Formalization of experimental setups for integration of heterogeneous data

Abstract

<p>The undoubted challenge for science is the extraction of knowledge from fast growing heterogeneous datasets. Particularly, details of experimental setups are insufficiently formalized and can not be easily inserted into databases to be taken into account in the process of data integration and meta analyses.</p><p>For this purpose, we developed a scheme of formalization for object descriptions with its origination, protocols for field and laboratory measurements (including instruments and experimental conditions). It allows the integration of larger amounts of data accounting for its specifics of acquisition, for example, by applying adjustments, assigning weights to data sources (based on its reliability, method precision and experimental uncertainty) or directly accounting for experimental conditions in models.</p><p>This formalization is currently used to develop an electronic laboratory journal for soil research, intended for detailed description of a conducted or planned experiment.</p><p>The study aims to: 1) increase the reproducibility of scientific research results, 2) allow automatic data processing and error detection, and most importantly, 3) effective soil data mining for decision support systems.</p>