Refining thesaurus relational structure: implications and opportunities.

In this paper the possibility to develop a richer relational structure for thesauri is explored and described. The development of a new environmental thesaurus -EARTh (Environmental Applications Reference Thesaurus)- is serving as a case study for exploring the refinement of thesaurus relational structure by specialising standard relationships into different subtypes. Together with benefits and opportunities, implications and possible challenges that an expanded set of thesaurus relations may cause are evaluated.