<descriptor thcode="2"><thesaurus thcode="2" name="USGS Thesaurus" scope="Topics and methods of scientific study carried out by USGS, with product types, scientific disciplines, geologic time, and types of institutional structure and activities.  Broad and shallow, used to help people find scientific information." creator="U.S. Geological Survey" rights="Public domain" edition="2.0" date="2020-01-09" codetype="number" prefix="topic" uri="https://www2.usgs.gov/science/USGSThesaurus" tblname="term" nonpref="nonpref" relterm="relterm" root_code="1" contact="pschweitzer"><category><term thcode="25" code="29" name="distinct labels" parent="26" scope="Preferred labels (descriptor texts) are distinct within the thesaurus. A concept can be specified either by its unique identifier (code) or by the text of its descriptor."/><term thcode="25" code="16" name="hierarchical" parent="11" scope="Substantive broader-narrower relationships exist among the terms."/><term thcode="25" code="13" name="transitive" parent="12" scope="Narrower terms have an &quot;is a&quot; relationship with their broader terms, and generally can be described as part-of, type-of, or instance-of the broader term."/><term thcode="25" code="21" name="disciplines" parent="2" scope="Broad categories of human inquiry or activity, such as scientific disciplines."/><term thcode="25" code="20" name="methods" parent="2" scope="Actions taken to obtain or analyze information"/><term thcode="25" code="19" name="organizational functions" parent="2" scope="Things that organizations do, typically including various types of programs, projects, and services."/><term thcode="25" code="7" name="temporal" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate periods of time, such as chronostratigraphic units, named historical periods or intervals surrounding known historical events, or seasons."/><term thcode="25" code="5" name="theme" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate domains of human concern, such as scientific discipline, societal problems, or characteristics of earth, space, oceans, and living things."/><term thcode="25" code="29" name="distinct labels" parent="26" scope="Preferred labels (descriptor texts) are distinct within the thesaurus. A concept can be specified either by its unique identifier (code) or by the text of its descriptor."/><term thcode="25" code="16" name="hierarchical" parent="11" scope="Substantive broader-narrower relationships exist among the terms."/><term thcode="25" code="13" name="transitive" parent="12" scope="Narrower terms have an &quot;is a&quot; relationship with their broader terms, and generally can be described as part-of, type-of, or instance-of the broader term."/><term thcode="25" code="21" name="disciplines" parent="2" scope="Broad categories of human inquiry or activity, such as scientific disciplines."/><term thcode="25" code="20" name="methods" parent="2" scope="Actions taken to obtain or analyze information"/><term thcode="25" code="19" name="organizational functions" parent="2" scope="Things that organizations do, typically including various types of programs, projects, and services."/><term thcode="25" code="7" name="temporal" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate periods of time, such as chronostratigraphic units, named historical periods or intervals surrounding known historical events, or seasons."/><term thcode="25" code="5" name="theme" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate domains of human concern, such as scientific discipline, societal problems, or characteristics of earth, space, oceans, and living things."/></category><altlabel><altlabel>USGSThesaurus</altlabel><altlabel>USGSThesaurus</altlabel></altlabel></thesaurus><term thcode="2" code="1268" name="vertebrate zoology" parent="1339" scope="Branch of zoology that deals with animals that have spinal columns."/><bt><term thcode="2" code="1339" name="zoology" parent="650" scope="Branch of biology that deals with the reproduction, development and growth, anatomy, physiology, and behavior of animals."/><term thcode="2" code="650" name="life sciences" parent="1019" scope="Branches of science that study living and fossil organisms."/><term thcode="2" code="1019" name="sciences" parent="1" scope="Major educational fields, fields of study, and professional groupings within USGS."/><term thcode="2" code="1" name="Categories" scope="Thematic terms for categorizing information resources.  This thesaurus is intended to support finding and understanding scientific information."/></bt><nt><term thcode="2" code="539" name="herpetology" parent="1268" scope="Branch of zoology concerned with the study of reptiles and amphibians."/><term thcode="2" code="570" name="ichthyology" parent="1268" scope="Branch of zoology concerned with the study of fish."/><term thcode="2" code="685" name="mammalogy" parent="1268" scope="Branch of zoology concerned with the study of mammals."/><term thcode="2" code="845" name="ornithology" parent="1268" scope="Branch of biology concerned with the study of birds."/></nt><rt><term thcode="2" code="423" name="game species" parent="841" scope="Species of wild animals that are hunted for food or sport."/><term thcode="2" code="1269" name="vertebrates" parent="45" scope="Animals possessing a vertebral column or backbone including birds, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals."/></rt></descriptor>