Tables in this section contain data about data, but they are not support tables. These tables are broadly applicable to many different kinds of data, and thus do not belong in any other section.
This table lists and explains periods of time during which data (e.g. censuses, interactions, focal sampling) for an indicated group are (or are suspected to be) sparse, lacking, or simply lower than normal, for a known reason. The "known reason" is an important element for these flags; periods of time where data collection happens to dip below the norm for unknown reasons are not included in this table.
Data from these periods are no less "valid" than data from any other times. However, when aggregating and analyzing data, the sparseness of data in a given period may affect the final results. The purpose of this table is to point out such periods and allow users to decide for themselves how to deal with them.
Reasons for flags on a period of time vary widely, so they are recorded in a text column rather than with a support table of possible "flag reasons". This makes querying for reasons unwieldy, but this is by design; the table is intended to be used as a guide for thoughtful consideration[169] of time periods where changes in observation may be affecting analyses.
When discussed in this table, a flagged period does not necessarily indicate a period with a complete absence of data. It may be a period where collected data is sparser than usual. Also, a flagged period does not necessarily indicate that all data types are uniformly sparse. It may be that the flag only applies to a single type of data. Users should pay attention to the Finish_Status and Notes columns for details about which data types are affected.
Do not assume that every flagged time period should be excluded from your analysis. Each flag documents a specific issue or departure from normal data collection procedures, but many such issues affect only particular types of data. Users should consider each flag individually and exclude a flagged period only if the documented issue is relevant to the data and analyses being performed. Excluding all flagged periods indiscriminately may unnecessarily discard valid and valuable data.
Identification of a flagged period is done by a data manager. The system is not involved with this process, and does not handle data from flagged periods differently than data from any other time. Those kinds of judgments are left for the user to make.
A group may have overlapping flagged periods; it's possible for more than one factor to affect observation of a group at the same time.
A flagged period's Finish
must be after its Start, or
NULL. The Finish can only be
NULL if the group's GROUPS.Cease_To_Exist is NULL. This allows for
recording of ongoing, not-yet-completed periods.
A flagged period's Finish
and Finish_Status must both be
NULL or both non-NULL.
A unique integer identifying the BEHAVE_FLAGS row.
This column is automatically maintained by the
database and must not be NULL.
The date on which this period began. This date must be between the group's GROUPS.Start and GROUPS.Cease_To_Exist, inclusive.
This column may not be NULL.
The date on which this period ended. This date must be between the group's GROUPS. Start and GROUPS.Cease_To_Exist, inclusive.
This column may be NULL, as discussed
above.
The FINISH_STATUSES.Finish_Status indicating the reason for, or status of, this period's end.
This column may be NULL, as discussed
above.
Text notes about this period, especially information about the cause of the flag.
This column may not be empty, it must contain characters, and it must contain at least one non-whitespace character.
The timestamp range during which this row's data are considered valid. See The Sys_Period Column for more information.