[Feature Request]: Add Field Notes field to Ecdysis

[genevieve-anderegg]

Symbiota Portal Name

Ecdysis

Is your feature/tool request related to a problem? Please describe.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science Arachnology collection just recently joined Ecdysis from SCAN. SCAN had a "Field Notes" field in Misc. Box in the data entry form, just after Occurrence Remarks. Data that we had stored in that field did not migrate over to Ecdysis, but Katie Pearson helped us get that that data moved into the Occurrence Remarks field so we didn't lose it (thanks Katie!!)
However, we are now wondering if we could get the Field Notes field added to Ecdysis, because it is a useful field for us, and because it is a Darwin Core field: https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/
Our Curator of Invertebrates, Dr. Cushing, has linked pictures of her field notes to many of the specimens records she has collected, and having a Field Notes field to transcribe that data would be appropriate, instead of dumping that data into other fields where it isn't as appropriate.

Describe the solution you'd like.

Add Field Notes field to Ecdysis, as it is in SCAN (or an equivalent solution)

Screencap of where the Field Notes field is situated in the SCAN record entry form:

Who else has expressed a desire for this feature/tool?

DMNS Zoology staff

When and how would this feature be used? What are some use cases?

Would be used to transcribe data from Dr. Cushing's field notes, as well as place detailed collecting data that would be inappropriate for/clog up other fields. For example, Dr. Cushing often has detailed descriptions of her pitfall trap setups for collecting (how many cups, what shape the cups are arrayed in, how many lights are used if trapping is done at night, etc.). This data might be appropriate for Sampling Protocol, but we would like to keep our use of that field more general ("Pitfall Trap", "Baited Pitfall Trap") and include the very specific details in Field Notes. Sampling Protocol is also not an "expandable" field, which would make it hard to read a long detailed string of information. Also, we do not wish to put this kind of data into Notes/ Occurrence Remarks, because we would like to reserve that field for other information.

Another use case would be storing experimental data included with the specimen from a larger project the specimen's collection was a part of. We have several large donations of arachnids collected as a part of ecology studies conducted by the Minnesota DNR. These specimen labels include the names of the plots the specimens were collected in, as well as what experimental treatments were applied to each plot. This data is not appropriate for the Occurrence Remarks field because it is not about the specific collection event of that specimen, but important experimental data about the area the specimen was in. This data is often formatted in a way that would only be readily understood by someone familiar with the experiment, but we want to maintain the data associated with these specimens in the specimen record (vs. a separate spreadsheet, which could become more easily lost or forgotten, and is not as easily accessible by non-DMNS staff).

Additional context

No response

[ljwalker]

Relates to #375