FAIR Data Principles
The foundation of CO-FAIR is built upon the internationally recognized FAIR principles — ensuring that research data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.
Findable
Data and metadata should be easy to find for both humans and computers.
F1. Persistent Identifiers
Every dataset in CO-FAIR receives a globally unique, persistent identifier (DOI) through the University of Idaho's DataCite subscription.
F2. Rich Metadata
Datasets are described with rich, machine-readable metadata compliant with Dublin Core and Ecological Metadata Language (EML) standards.
F3. Metadata References Identifier
Metadata records clearly include the identifier of the data they describe, maintaining unambiguous linkage.
F4. Indexed in a Searchable Resource
All metadata is indexed in our OpenSearch-powered central catalog, enabling rapid, faceted discovery across the entire ecotron network.
Accessible
Once found, data needs to be retrievable through standardized mechanisms.
A1. Standardized Protocol
Data is retrievable via RESTful APIs following the OpenAPI specification, using open, free, and universally implementable protocols (HTTPS).
A1.1. Open & Free
All APIs and documentation are publicly accessible. No proprietary tools are required to access data or metadata.
A1.2. Authentication When Needed
Security is managed through OAuth 2.0, providing robust authentication while maintaining clearly defined access policies.
A2. Metadata Persistence
Metadata remains accessible even when the underlying data is no longer available, ensuring long-term discoverability.
Interoperable
Data must work with other data, applications, and workflows.
I1. Formal Knowledge Representation
Data is serialized in widely adopted formats — JSON-LD, CSV, and NetCDF — using a formal, accessible language for knowledge representation.
I2. FAIR Vocabularies
CO-FAIR uses semantic web technologies (RDF, OWL) and extends the ENVO ontology to create a common vocabulary for ecotron data.
I3. Qualified References
Metadata includes qualified references to other related datasets, publications, and resources, enabling a connected data ecosystem.
Reusable
Data should be well-described so it can be replicated and combined.
R1. Rich Description
Datasets are released with detailed, human- and machine-readable documentation covering metadata standards, ontologies, APIs, and data structures.
R1.1. Clear Licensing
All data carries clearly specified, community-recognized licenses to facilitate appropriate reuse and attribution.
R1.2. Provenance
Provenance is tracked via metadata attributes, with tagging scripts linked directly to SCADA outputs for comprehensive data lineage.
R1.3. Community Standards
All metadata and data follow domain-relevant community standards including Dublin Core, EML, and the CO-FAIR common ontology.
Standards & Technologies
CO-FAIR leverages established standards and open-source technologies to ensure maximum interoperability.
Dublin Core
A widely used metadata standard providing a simple yet effective set of elements for describing digital resources.
EML (Ecological Metadata Language)
A metadata specification developed for the ecology discipline, providing detailed descriptions of ecological datasets.
ENVO Ontology
The Environment Ontology, extended by CO-FAIR to encapsulate soil chemistry, microbial ecology, and environmental controls.
RDF & OWL
Semantic web technologies for representing the common ecotron ontology, ensuring broad compatibility with existing frameworks.
JSON-LD / NetCDF / CSV
Data serialization in widely adopted formats ensuring accessibility for both programmatic and manual analysis.
OAuth 2.0
Industry-standard authentication protocol providing robust data integrity, provenance tracking, and controlled access.
Open Source, Always
All CO-FAIR software components are developed as open-source projects under MIT or Apache 2.0 licenses, hosted publicly on GitHub, and supported by continuous integration and deployment pipelines.
Comprehensive documentation, API usage guides, data standards manuals, and training materials will be publicly accessible through the CO-FAIR portal.