Ontology

Our ontology follows a modified version of the Earth Microbiome Project's Ontology (EMPO)) with four levels:

• Realm: Mineral
  • Environment: Crude oil
  • Environment: Microbial mat
    • Environment_sub: stomatolite
  • Environment: Sand
  • Environment: Sediment
    • Environment_sub: Brackwater
    • Environment_sub: Freshater
    • Environment_sub: Glacier
    • Environment_sub: Hot spring
    • Environment_sub: Lake
    • Environment_sub: Mudflat
    • Environment_sub: River
    • Environment_sub: River delta
    • Environment_sub: Salt lake
    • Environment_sub: Salt water
    • Environment_sub: Stream
    • Environment_sub: Sweepings
    • Environment_sub: Volcanic
  • Environment: Soil
    • Environment_sub: Agricultural
    • Environment_sub: Desert
    • Environment_sub: Embankment
    • Environment_sub: Floodplain
    • Environment_sub: Forest
    • Environment_sub: Grassland
    • Environment_sub: Mountain
    • Environment_sub: Peatland
    • Environment_sub: Stream shore
    • Environment_sub: Tundra
    • Environment_sub: Urban
    • Environment_sub: Wetland
  • Environment: Rock
    • Environment_sub: Lava
    • Environment_sub: Mofette
• Realm: Organism
  • Note: host associated microbiomes follow the taxonomic hierarchy of the host. Rhizosphere samples are categorized as plant-associated.
• Realm: Water
  • Environment: Freshwater
    • Environment_sub: Borehole
    • Environment_sub: Delta
    • Environment_sub: Ground water
    • Environment_sub: Hot spring
    • Environment_sub: Ice
    • Environment_sub: Lake
    • Environment_sub: Rain
    • Environment_sub: River
    • Environment_sub: Sewage
    • Environment_sub: Stream
    • Environment_sub: Tap water
    • Environment_sub: Waste water
  • Environment: Saltwater
    • Environment_sub: Seawater
    • Environment_sub: Sediment
• Realm: Other
  • Environment: Air
  • Environment: Biofilm
    • Environment_sub: Epilithon
    • Environment_sub: Microbial mat
    • Environment_sub: Rock
  • Environment: Carcass
  • Environment: Compost
  • Environment: Evaporite
  • Environment: Fermented food
    • Environment_sub: Daqu
    • Environment_sub: Doubanjiang
    • Environment_sub: Must
    • Environment_sub: Wine
  • Environment: Microbial cultures
    • Environment_sub: Frac fluid
    • Environment_sub: Winogradsky column
  • Environment: Microbial fuel cells
  • Environment: Reactor
    • Environment_sub: Anaerobic digester sludge
    • Environment_sub: Grass anaerobic digester
    • Environment_sub: Industrial anaerobic digester
    • Environment_sub: Rumen fluid
    • Environment_sub: Sludge
    • Environment_sub: Wastewater treatment plant