EcoGenesis · Encyclopedia
Organisms, anatomy, processes and learning journeys. Read the explanations and follow their links to data and sources.
Guides
A classification branch tells you where a source places a taxon. A phylogenetic tree represents a hypothesis about relationships among the lineages studied. These views are related, but drawing them with similar lines does not make them the same data. First check whether the view shows classification, a species phylogeny or a gene-family tree.
Editorial material · review pending
Guides
Begin with identity. Open *Picea abies* and *Picea glauca* and check scientific names, source and rank. If another catalogue accepts a different name, preserve its treatment separately with a citation. A similar common name or a shared genus does not make records interchangeable.
Editorial material · review pending
Guides
A molecular story can be represented by several records. A gene is described on a genomic sequence; a transcript represents an RNA product; a protein record describes an amino-acid sequence. RefSeq holds genomic, transcript and protein sequences as distinct connected objects. Begin by identifying which object you have opened.
Editorial material · review pending
Guides
Classification helps you understand which group an organism belongs to and which groups are contained within it. Species, genus and family are ranks. *Arabidopsis thaliana*, *Arabidopsis* and Brassicaceae are examples of named groups, or taxa. A rank tells you the level in a classification; a name identifies the group being discussed. Begin a record by checking its scientific…
Editorial material · review pending
Guides
A name search helps locate a record, but does not establish an evolutionary relationship. Homology means shared ancestry. Orthologues diverged through speciation; paralogues through gene duplication. Orthology can be one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-many. Simply finding genes in different species is therefore insufficient to identify their relationship.
Editorial material · review pending
Guides
Before rotating a model, identify what it represents. An experimental structure is based on measurements; a computed model predicts atomic positions. For the former, check the experimental method and its relevant quality measures. For the latter, check the modelling method and confidence estimates. RCSB presents these categories separately. An attractive three-dimensional view…
Editorial material · review pending
Guides
A GBIF occurrence map displays published records of organisms, such as specimens and field observations. A point tells you that a source reported an organism at a place and time; it does not count every individual there. First check which taxon, place, dates and record types the query includes.
Editorial material · review pending
Guides
*Arabidopsis thaliana* connects observable plant development with genes and their activity. A model organism's value also comes from accumulated data and the ability to compare studies. The genome publication in 2000 provided a major foundation for investigating gene functions. Its numbers describe that historical assembly and annotation, not automatically the latest…
Editorial material · review pending