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.

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.

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".