Die Kuste, 81 (2014), 29-43 
39 
networks for integrated thematic information systems. It consists of eight elements: da 
taset title, dataset reference date, dataset responsible party, geographic location of die 
dataset (by four coordinates or by geographic identifiers), dataset topic category, abstract 
describing the dataset, metadata language, metadata point of contact. 
3.1.1 The German coastal zone metadata profile 
Details on the selection of metadata elements for the coastal zone metadata profile have 
been published by LehfeldT and Heidmann (2003). With applications such as gazetteer 
and tools for planning, sediment classification, and EU reporting in mind, there are more 
elements of the ISO 19115 Metadata Standard declared mandatory than in die ISO Core 
or Recommended Core element sets. In order to support automated discovery services, it 
is essential to have detailed information on the temporal and geographical extents associ 
ated with die resources to be documented. Descriptive keywords preferably taken from 
controlled vocabularies maintained by user communities or from diesauri are also needed 
in order to optimize functionalities of discovery services built witii tiiese metadata. Au 
tomated workflows can be controlled by the status description of a dataset and limitations 
placed upon the access or use of die data. In such applications the context for data must 
be provided by specifications of die scope of data and the scope to which die metadata 
applies. 
As die ISO 19115 standard provides for metadata extensions adapted to die specific 
needs of user communities, the coastal zone metadata profile incorporates elements of 
elsewhere existing profiles. Our common metadata model tiius contains a “shore line” 
profile for surveying in intertidal domains, which adopts metadata elements first pub 
lished by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (2001). Information about tidal 
and marine weatiier conditions at die time of surveying are recorded so that details for 
the correct interpretation of data are available. Viewed, in particular, from a synoptic 
point of view of planning or modelling, the additional metadata elements serve as quality 
assurance parameters to be used in harmonization procedures of complementary datasets. 
The European Directory of Marine Environmental Research Projects EDMERP as 
described by SCHAAP (2000) defines metadata elements which are applied in the coastal 
zone metadata profile for projects. Theses are mapped on the IS019115 Metadata Stand 
ard and contain the temporal and geographical limits as well as die related publications 
with links to online resources when available. All projects of the German Coastal Engi 
neering Research Council (KFKI) are documented witii this metadata profile and regis 
tered at ivww.kfki.de/de/projekte. 
Anotiier important source of information, which needs structured documentation re 
sults from scenarios investigated with computational models. A Content Standard for 
Computational Models has been published by Hill et al. (2001), which introduces a 
number of metadata elements to document important features of applied models and 
input data used in die study of scenarios. The NOKIS group is working on mapping 
these elements on die IS019115 Metadata Standard for a coastal zone metadata profile 
for models.