Organising species list

[htcdude]

Hi all,

I'd like to have a log my total species list for all things living in one Excel document, all on one sheet. Can anyone recommend what the best way to do this is? How to order it?

Thanks,

Nige

[poschiavanus]

If you use AutoFilter and have columns for something like Order Family & Species names then you can just add things in any order as using the filter allows selection of a relevant subsection.

Of course you can also sort the list from time to time either on the above columns or just on Species name.

Excel has no problem with dealing with several thousand rows for this type of thing.

When adding new data it's a good idea to use Insert Row (on right mouse click) because when Auto Filter is set it covers a prescribed range.

Another thing you can do is to create a named range covering your data: you can then do more sophisticated things using Excel functions and Pivot Tables.

HTH,

Posch

[Johnny81]

I do taxon, scientific name, common name, date, location, maybe with an abundance (DAFOR) scale, depends on what I'm listing and what for.

[htcdude]

Is there a set taxon list available to use as a guideline? Like a particular order that people take?

Thanks,

Nige

[Johnny81]

I take mine from an Excel Template which I used from my time with the wildlife trust. In Alphabetical order: Algae, Amphibians and reptiles, Bees and wasps (Hymenoptera), beetles (Coleoperta), Birds, Bugs and frog hoppers (Hemiptera), Butterflies and moths (Lepitotpera), Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata), Fish, Mammals, Molluscs (gastropoda), Mosses and liverworts, other inverts, Spiders (Aracnhida), True flies (Diptera), Vascular plants and stone worts. Phew..

Perhaps you could format an excel sheet like this and add records, or have a separate sheet for each taxon then use the sort format to order your records. Dunno if this makes any sense Nige (hard to explain, easier to show) but this is how I do mine although my sheets are pre-formatted in a template and I can mark which species was present and cut-paste into new sheets.

[htcdude]

Thanks for that Johnny, I'll give it a go Nothing for Fungi?

I found this site earlier which seems very structured!

Catalogue of Life - 2011 Annual Checklist :: Taxonomic tree

Nige

[Davy Crockett]

Originally Posted by htcdude

Thanks for that Johnny, I'll give it a go Nothing for Fungi?

I found this site earlier which seems very structured!

Catalogue of Life - 2011 Annual Checklist :: Taxonomic tree

Nige

I like the idea Nige of a exel sheet or similar but the check list you have pointed to is all in latin,

[Johnny81]

Originally Posted by htcdude

Thanks for that Johnny, I'll give it a go Nothing for Fungi?

I found this site earlier which seems very structured!

Catalogue of Life - 2011 Annual Checklist :: Taxonomic tree

Nige

Fungi isn't included in the template, I don't know why, I need to fix it!

[stevet95]

The Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | Wildlife Recording | Electronic Recording Form

Check out the electronic recording form here, if you like. Obviously you don't have to upload anything since its not for your area. But the form might help. It's what I use for a number of sightings.

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by Davy Crockett

I like the idea Nige of a exel sheet or similar but the check list you have pointed to is all in latin,

Yeah bit too geeky for me

Originally Posted by Johnny81

Fungi isn't included in the template, I don't know why, I need to fix it!

Heh ah well, I've kinda just done a similar format to yours (if you don't mind!), except I've included Fungi and I've split Amphibians and Reptiles. Columns include Taxon, Order, Family, Scientific Name, Common Name, Countries seen. Not sure I need anything else Cheers!





Thanks for the link Steve, that's pretty much what I done, just a bit more simplified

Nige