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MIxS Checklist · ERC000030

ENA Tara Oceans

Minimum information about a Tara Oceans sample. A checklist for reporting metadata of oceanic plankton samples associated with genomics data from the Tara Oceans Expedition.

33 fields16 requiredmixsv1.0.0
SeqDesk offers this GSC MIxS environment checklist when you define studies and samples, so contributors enter exactly the metadata the standard expects. The catalog is kept in sync with the upstream GSC MIxS / ENA checklist definitions (registry v2), last updated 2026-06-03, and is published through our registry API. Source: https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/browser/view/ERC000030.

Marine Event

event labelOptional
event_label

An Event corresponds to the deployment of a sampling device. It is bound in space and time. The Event Label is a unique identifier composed of the project prefix "TARA", sampling date/time "yyyymmddThh:mm:ssZ", station number "000" and a short label to indicate the sampling device used, e.g. "EVENT_CAST", "EVENT_NET", "EVENT_PUMP". Example: TARA_20110416T1508Z_100_EVENT_CAST.

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Event Date/Time StartOptional
event_datetime_start

Date and time in UTC when the sampling event started, e.g. each CTD cast, net tow, or bucket collection is a distinct event. Format: yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ssZ. Example: 2011-04-16T15:05:30Z.

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Event Date/Time EndOptional
event_datetime_end

Date and time in UTC when the sampling event ended, e.g. each CTD cast, net tow, or bucket collection is a distinct event. Format: yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ssZ. Example: 2011-04-16T15:38:00Z.

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Latitude StartRequired
latitude_start

Latitude of the location where the sampling event started, e.g. each CTD cast, net tow, or bucket collection is a distinct event. Format: ##.####, Decimal degrees; North= +, South= -; Use WGS 84 for GPS data. Example: -24.6666.

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Longitude StartRequired
longitude_start

Longitude of the location where the sampling event started, e.g. each CTD cast, net tow, or bucket collection is a distinct event. Format: ###.####, Decimal degrees; East= +, West= -; Use WGS 84 for GPS data. Example: -096.1012.

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Latitude EndOptional
latitude_end

Latitude of the location where the sampling event ended, e.g. each CTD cast, net tow, or bucket collection is a distinct event. Format: ##.####, Decimal degrees; North= +, South= -; Use WGS 84 for GPS data. Example: -24.6643.

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Longitude EndOptional
longitude_end

Longitude of the location where the sampling event ended, e.g. each CTD cast, net tow, or bucket collection is a distinct event. Format: ###.####, Decimal degrees; East= +, West= -; Use WGS 84 for GPS data. Example: -096.1171.

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Marine Sample

Protocol LabelRequired
protocol_label

Identifies the protocol used to produce the sample, e.g. filtration and preservation. Example: BACT_NUC_W0.22-1.6.

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Sample StatusOptional
sample_status

Refers to the completness of sample metadata validation. Example: preliminary but can be used to provide data discovery services.

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Last Update DateOptional
last_update_date

Date of the last update of this sample in the SAMPLES REGISTRY. Example: 2014-03-01Z.

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sample collection: methods, storage and transport

sample collection deviceOptional
sample_collection_device

The device used to collect an environmental sample. It is recommended to use terms listed under environmental sampling device (http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO) and/or terms listed under specimen collection device (http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GENEPIO_0002094).

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sample storage deviceOptional
sample_storage_device

The container used to store the sample. This field accepts terms listed under container (http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NCIT_C43186). If the proper descriptor is not listed please use text to describe the storage device.

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size-fraction lower thresholdOptional
sizefraction_lower_threshold

Refers to the mesh/pore size used to retain the sample. Materials smaller than the size threshold are excluded from the sample

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size-fraction upper thresholdOptional
sizefraction_upper_threshold

Refers to the mesh/pore size used to pre-filter/pre-sort the sample. Materials larger than the size threshold are excluded from the sample

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non-sample terms: study or project

project nameRequired
project_name

Name of the project within which the sequencing was organized

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Collection event information

environmental packageRequired
environmental_package

MIGS/MIMS/MIMARKS extension for reporting of measurements and observations obtained from one or more of the environments where the sample was obtained. All environmental packages listed here are further defined in separate subtables. By giving the name of the environmental package, a selection of fields can be made from the subtables and can be reported

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collection dateRequired
collection_date

The date the sample was collected with the intention of sequencing, either as an instance (single point in time) or interval. In case no exact time is available, the date/time can be right truncated i.e. all of these are valid ISO8601 compliant times: 2008-01-23T19:23:10+00:00; 2008-01-23T19:23:10; 2008-01-23; 2008-01; 2008.

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broad-scale environmental contextRequired
broadscale_environmental_context

Report the major environmental system the sample or specimen came from. The system(s) identified should have a coarse spatial grain, to provide the general environmental context of where the sampling was done (e.g. in the desert or a rainforest). We recommend using subclasses of EnvO’s biome class: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_00000428. EnvO documentation about how to use the field: https://github.com/EnvironmentOntology/envo/wiki/Using-ENVO-with-MIxS.

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local environmental contextRequired
local_environmental_context

Report the entity or entities which are in the sample or specimen’s local vicinity and which you believe have significant causal influences on your sample or specimen. We recommend using EnvO terms which are of smaller spatial grain than your entry for "broad-scale environmental context". Terms, such as anatomical sites, from other OBO Library ontologies which interoperate with EnvO (e.g. UBERON) are accepted in this field. EnvO documentation about how to use the field: https://github.com/EnvironmentOntology/envo/wiki/Using-ENVO-with-MIxS.

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environmental mediumRequired
environmental_medium

Report the environmental material(s) immediately surrounding the sample or specimen at the time of sampling. We recommend using subclasses of 'environmental material' (http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_00010483). EnvO documentation about how to use the field: https://github.com/EnvironmentOntology/envo/wiki/Using-ENVO-with-MIxS . Terms from other OBO ontologies are permissible as long as they reference mass/volume nouns (e.g. air, water, blood) and not discrete, countable entities (e.g. a tree, a leaf, a table top).

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Marine Sampling

Sampling CampaignRequired
sampling_campaign

Refers to a finite or indefinite activity aiming at collecting data/samples, e.g. a cruise, a time series, a mesocosm experiment. Example: TARA_20110401Z.

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Sampling StationRequired
sampling_station

Refers to the site/station where data/sample collection is performed. Example: TARA_100.

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Sampling PlatformRequired
sampling_platform

Refers to the unique stage from which the sampling device has been deployed. Includes Platform category from SDN:L06, http://seadatanet.maris2.nl/v_bodc_vocab_v2/search.asp?lib=L06, and Platform name. Example: Research Vessel Tara.

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Marine Environment

Marine RegionRequired
marine_region

The geographical origin of the sample as defined by the marine region name chosen from the Marine Regions vocabulary at http://www.marineregions.org/. Example: Aegean Sea.

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Salinity SensorRequired
salinity_sensor

Salinity of water at the time of taking the sample. Format: ##.####, SDN:P02:75:PSAL, SDN:P06:46:UGKG for PSU. Example: 39.2268.

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Oxygen SensorOptional
oxygen_sensor

Oxygen concentration parameters in the water column measured in volts and converted to micromoles per kilogrammes. Format: ###.####, SDN:P02:75:DOXY, SDN:P06:46:KGUM for µmol/kg. Example: 217.7895.

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Nitrate SensorOptional
nitrate_sensor

Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column measured in volts and converted to micromoles per litres. Format: ##.####, SDN:P02:75:NTRA, SDN:P06:46:UPOX for µmol/L. Example: 0.2259.

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water temperatureRequired
water_temperature

Temperature of water at the time of taking the sample. Format: ##.####, SDN:P02:75:TEMP, SDN:P06:46:UPAA for °C. Example: 17.7122.

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Chlorophyll SensorOptional
chlorophyll_sensor

Fluorescence of the water measured in volts and converted to milligrammes of chlorophyll per cubic metre. Format: ##.####, SDN:P02:75:CPWC, SDN:P06:46:UMMC for mg Chl/m3. Example: 0.066.

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Organism characteristics

geographic location (country and/or sea)Required
geographic_location_country_andor_sea

The geographical origin of where the sample was collected from, with the intention of sequencing, as defined by the country or sea name. Country or sea names should be chosen from the INSDC country list (http://insdc.org/country.html).

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Reference

CitationOptional
citation

Citation of the Sample Registry (HTML version) at the PANGAEA. Example: doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.76752.

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Further DetailsOptional
further_details

Reference details related to a sample in form of an URI.

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Environmental information

depthOptional
depth

The vertical distance below local surface, e.g. for sediment or soil samples depth is measured from sediment or soil surface, respectively. Depth can be reported as an interval for subsurface samples.

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