Provenance
Provenance metadata records where data came from, who contributed it, and how it was reviewed. Without it, none of the transparency, trust, or reproducibility the Atlas aims for would be verifiable.
Fields
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
data_source | Institution or dataset source | MAATE |
data_contributor | Person or organization providing data | EcoCiencia |
data_validator | Entity validating the data | Atlas team |
data_year | Year of last update | 2024 |
data_notes | Caveats or limitations | Boundary approximate |
These fields are system-managed: they are populated through the contribution and validation workflow rather than edited directly, and they travel with the data in dataset downloads.
Why It Matters
Transparency
Anyone using a record can see where it originated and how it was produced, rather than having to take it on trust.
Trust and validation
Provenance is also the backbone of quality control, because it documents who contributed the data, who reviewed or validated it, and whether it has been verified at all.
Reproducibility
That matters most for annual data snapshots, indicator calculations, and anything cited in research or reporting — all cases where a result has to be traceable back to its inputs.
Context
Finally, data_notes is where contributors can be honest about uncertainty, data gaps, and methodological limitations. Recording a caveat alongside the data is far more useful than leaving the reader to discover it later.
In Practice
Provenance metadata is required for all contributed data, updated during validation, and preserved across dataset releases.