National Wetland Inventory Digital Data

http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service produces a series of digital data files on a U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle basis, with metadata conforming to the FGDC metadata format. The data can be access/downloaded from the link above.

ABCD Schema 2.06 - ratified TDWG Standard

http://www.bgbm.org/TDWG/CODATA/Schema/default.htm

The Access to Biological Collections Data (ABCD) Schema is an evolving comprehensive standard for the access to and exchange of data about specimens and observations (a.k.a. primary biodiversity data).ABCD version 2.06 has been recommended by the TDWG meeting in St. Petersburg as the actual standard and has since then been ratified by TDWG members. This version is also used in a second ABCD reference implementation we are currently initiating.

...The ABCD Schema attempts to be comprehensive and highly structured, supporting data from a wide variety of databases. It is compatible with several existing data standards. Parallel structures exist so that either (or both) atomised data and free-text can be accommodated. Versions and 2.06 are currently in use with the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) and BioCASE (Biological Collection Access Service for Europe) networks.
Apart from the GBIF and BioCASE networks, the potential for the application of ABCD extends to internal networks, or in-house legacy data access (e.g. datasets from external sources that shall not be converted and integrated into an institution’s own data, but be kept separately, though easily accessible). By defining relations between terms, ABCD is a step towards an ontology for biological collections.

Kepler System

https://kepler-project.org

The Kepler Project is dedicated to furthering and supporting the capabilities, use, and awareness of the free and open source, scientific workflow application, Kepler. Kepler is designed to help scientists, analysts, and computer programmers create, execute, and share models and analyses across a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines. Kepler can operate on data stored in a variety of formats, locally and over the internet, and is an effective environment for integrating disparate software components, such as merging "R" scripts with compiled "C" code, or facilitating remote, distributed execution of models. Using Kepler's graphical user interface, users simply select and then connect pertinent analytical components and data sources to create a "scientific workflow"-an executable representation of the steps required to generate results. The Kepler software helps users share and reuse data, workflows, and compo nents developed by the scientific community to address common needs.

US National Park Service Natural Resources Database Template

http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/apps/template/

The National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program's Natural Resource Database Template (NRDT) is a set of Microsoft Access relational database tables that parks and networks can use to develop applications for capturing natural resource inventory and monitoring data.

USDA Ecosystem Unit Number

http://www.fws.gov/stand/standards/econum_rev3.txt

One- and/or two-digit numbers that represent the ecosystem unit boundaries of the United States, which are drawn primarily along watershed boundaries. The Service originally chose the U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic Unit Map as the foundation for delineating ecosystem unit boundaries on a national scale. Since that time, boundaries in some of the regions have been moved to the closest county boundaries to simplify management responsibilities. The current unit boundaries reflect this combination.

USDA Ecosystem Unit Name

http://www.fws.gov/stand/standards/econame_rev3.txt

Official names used by the Service to identify the ecosystem unit boundaries of the United States, which are drawn primarily along watershed boundaries. The Service originally chose the U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic Unit Map as the foundation for delineating ecosystem unit boundaries on a national scale. Since that time, boundaries in some of the regions have been moved to the closest county boundaries to simplify management responsibilities. The current unit boundaries reflect this combination.

USFS Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/wetlands-mapping/index_html

The purpose of this standard is to support accurate mapping and classification of wetlands, while ensuring mechanisms for their revisions and update as directed under OMB Circular A-16, Revised. It is designed to direct the current and future digital mapping of wetlands.

The mapping standard will be used for all wetland mapping nationally including Federal Agencies, States, Tribes, especially if that mapping data will be uploaded into NWI/The National Map as a data layer. Specifically, if Federal funding is involved , then use of the proposed Standard is required. For all other efforts, use of the standard is strongly encouraged.

USGS Geographic Names Information System

http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=139:1:447313099015282

The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is the Federal and national standard for geographic nomenclature. The U.S. Geological Survey developed the GNIS in support of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names as the official repository of domestic geographic names data, the official vehicle for geographic names use by all departments of the Federal Government, and the source for applying geographic names to Federal electronic and printed products.

FGDC Soil Geographic Data Standard

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/soils/soil997.PDF

The purpose of this standard is to standardize the names, definitions, ranges of values, and other characteristics of soil survey map attribute data developed by the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS). The NCSS is the body composed of the various federal, state, and local units of government who work cooperatively to develop the soil survey of all lands in the United States.

Darwin Core Biodiversity Information Standards

http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/index.htm

The Darwin Core is body of standards. It includes a glossary of terms (in other contexts these might be called properties, elements, fields, columns, attributes, or concepts) intended to facilitate the sharing of information about biological diversity by providing reference definitions, examples, and commentaries. The Darwin Core is primarily based on taxa, their occurrence in nature as documented by observations, specimens, and samples, and related information. Included are documents describing how these terms are managed, how the set of terms can be extended for new purposes, and how the terms can be used. The Simple Darwin Core [SIMPLEDWC] is a specification for one particular way to use the terms - to share data about taxa and their occurrences in a simply structured way - and is probably what is meant if someone suggests to "format your data according to the Darwin Core".