Semantics for interoperability of distributed data and models: Foundations for better-connected information

Abstract

Correct and reliable linkage of independently produced information is a requirement to enable sophisticated applications and processing workflows. These can ultimately help address the challenges posed by complex systems (such as socio-ecological systems), whose many components can only be described through independently developed data and model products. We discuss the first outcomes of an investigation in the conceptual and methodological aspects of semantic annotation of data and models, aimed to enable a high standard of interoperability of information. The results, operationalized in the context of a long-term, active, large-scale project on ecosystem services assessment, include:A definition of interoperability based on semantics and scale; A conceptual foundation for the phenomenology underlying scientific observations, aimed to guide the practice of semantic annotation in domain communities; A dedicated language and software infrastructure that operationalizes the findings and allows practitioners to reap the benefits of data and model interoperability.The work presented is the first detailed description of almost a decade of work with communities active in socio-ecological system modeling. After defining the boundaries of possible interoperability based on the understanding of scale, we discuss examples of the practical use of the findings to obtain consistent, interoperable and machine-ready semantic specifications that can integrate semantics across diverse domains and disciplines.

Conceptual advancement of socio-ecological modelling of ecosystem services for re-evaluating Brownfield land

“…agents and their attributes, processes and events, relationships, etc.) (Villa et al, 2017); (b) the ability to understand and represent indirect and nonlinear structural and functional connections; (c) the ability to investigate possible futures and alternative scenarios (e.g. policy testing), while capturing the associated uncertainties, and to explore their consequences using models as virtual laboratories (Kwakkel and Pruyt, 2013).…”

“…Rather than full code integration of different model components into agent-based models, recent developments point towards soft-coupling allowing the flexibility to develop individual model components independently (Marohn et al, 2013, Villa et al, 2017. Notwithstanding the challenge of generalizing agent-based models beyond case studies, there is a vibrant research community that has experimented with model up-scaling or coupling with different modelling paradigms to encompass multiscale feedbacks among different dynamic systems (Mojtahed et al, 2016, Dobbie et al, 2018.…”

Eight grand challenges in socio-environmental systems modeling

“…Once vocabularies are built, the level of accuracy of integration of quantitative and qualitative data has to be determined, which in most cases will depend upon the scientific research question. Scale is also an important aspect of semantic mediation, as Villa et al (2017) pointed out: "scale is key to establishing meaning", as scale shifts determine semantic compatibility. For instance, a particular phenomenon, for example rainfall, can be seen as an event by a meteorologist and as a process by a hydrologist.…”

Environmental timeseries lifecycle in the Internet of Things era : Lowering e-science barriers

“…We were not the first who utilized a declarative approach, but we followed a different path compared to others. The declarative semantic approaches which were investigated in the context of integrated environmental modelling (Villa et al, 2009(Villa et al, , 2017 was the inspiration for our approach in Chapter 5. Our approach is differentiated though, as it does not rely upon universal semantics, but enables resources to be annotated with semantics from local vocabularies/ontologies, in a bottom-up approach.…”

“…In such a diverse ecosystem, lowering the e-science barriers is getting more important than ever (Swain et al, 2016). The declarative semantic approaches which were investigated in the context of integrated environmental modelling (Villa et al, 2009(Villa et al, , 2017 offer a significant potential solution to lower this particular barrier.…”