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CABI Thesaurus update and reindexing of CABI abstract records

The CABI Thesaurus is regularly updated to reflect current scientific naming conventions and best practices.

From May 2026, CABI will begin a Thesaurus update alongside the reindexing of affected CABI abstract records.

We estimate that roughly 3.5 million records (around 21% of the CABI Database) will be affected by changes to their indexing information. The entire process is expected to take around 3 months to complete.

Changes to indexing

During this period, you may notice several types of changes to abstract records:

New terms will replace outdated terminology

  • The Organism Descriptor “man” will be replaced by “humans”. This change affects approximately 3.4 million records.

  • Where the new term “humans” replaces “man”, the superseded term “man” will be added to the Identifier (ID) field. This ensures that saved searches can continue to function.

  • The Identifier field is used for concepts or organisms that are not part of the current preferred terminology, either because they are outdated or newly emerging.

  • In addition to “man”, there will be similar replacements for 21 other indexing terms that have become outdated.

Identifier terms moving into the main Controlled Vocabulary

  • A total of 157 indexing terms previously categorised as Identifiers will be incorporated into CABI’s main Controlled Vocabulary and be reclassified as one of the following: Descriptor (DE), Organism Descriptor (OD) or Geographic Locator (GL).

  • Where appropriate, corresponding Broad Terms (UP) may be added to affected records to ensure retrievability. Searching using a Broader Term automatically retrieves records indexed with narrower terms beneath it. For example, “up:(Pacific Islands)” will retrieve records indexed with “gl:Kiribati”.

List of updated terms

  • If you are a CABI databases subscriber, you can view the full list of indexing terms being updated here: CABI Thesaurus Update

Recommendations for users during reindexing

Use the combined Indexing Term field

Search using the Indexing Term field (indexingterm:), which searches across all indexing information simultaneously, including Identifiers (ID), Organism Descriptor (OD), Descriptor (DE), Geographic Location (GL) and Broad Term (UP) fields.

Update saved searches for “od:man” or for any of the other out-of-date terms to “indexingterm:”

If you have saved searches using the Organism Descriptor “man” (for example “od:man”) or any of the other terms being replaced, we recommend updating them to use the combined Indexing Term field instead, e.g. “indexingterm:man”, etc. This will ensure continuity of results.

Update saved Identifier searches to “indexingterm:”

If you have saved searches using the Identifier field (id:) for any of the 157 terms being recategorised, we recommend updating them to use the Indexing Term field instead (indexingterm:).

Note: Access to saved searches requires an account and an active login. Review your saved searches at this link: https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/search/saved

Use the CABI Thesaurus Search Builder to look up indexing terms and to create searches using indexing terms

  • Search queries built in Search Builder can be run in CABI Digital Library and automatically use the Indexing Term field.

  • Once run on CABI Digital Library, it is possible to then incorporate Search Builder searches in your overall search strategies using CABI Digital Library Recent Searches feature.

  • You can access the CABI Thesaurus Search Builder here: https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/cabi-thesaurus/app

FAQs

Q1: How do I ensure my saved searches continue to work?

A: If you have saved searches using the Organism Descriptor “man” (for example “od:man”) or any of the other terms being replaced, we recommend updating them to use the combined Indexing Term field instead, e.g. “indexingterm:man”, etc. This will ensure continuity of results. If you have saved searches using the Identifier field (id:) for any of the 157 terms being recategorised, we recommend updating them to use the Indexing Term field instead (indexingterm:).

Q2: Will all platforms that host CABI’s Databases reflect these changes?

A: Yes. The changes will be made on CABI Digital Library first, and CABI is working closely with other platform vendors, including EBSCO, Ovid, Web of Science, and Clarivate ProQuest, to ensure a smooth update of the CABI Thesaurus and affected abstract records. Specifically:

  • Each vendor will communicate timelines for updates on their platforms directly with customers

  • Updates will be reflected automatically as vendors implement the new indexing. They will communicate directly with customers about any recommendations for users.

Q3: How will the reindexing and Thesaurus updates be rolled out?

A: The reindexing of CABI Database records begins in May 2026. From that point:

  • New records will immediately reflect updated Thesaurus terms.

  • Older records will be reindexed progressively over the next 3 months.

Note: Platform vendors may implement the updates on slightly different timelines depending on their integration schedules.

Q4: What happens to the Smart Searches that include the affected indexing terms?

A: Smart Searches are pre-built, commonly researched queries that you can use immediately. No action is required on your part because they have already been updated to reflect the latest indexing terms.

Q5: What is the Thesaurus Search Builder and how does it work?

A: Use the CABI Thesaurus Search Builder to find the right keywords, synonyms, and subject terms to enhance the precision and depth of your literature searches. This powerful tool helps you create precise, targeted queries for CABI databases—so you can discover relevant research faster and with greater accuracy.

  • Use the Thesaurus Search Builder to select updated terms and build a targeted search query.

  • You will be directed to the search results page of CABI Digital Library.

  • Should you need it, you can edit your search directly in the Thesaurus Search Builder and combine the terms using Boolean operators.

Have a try here.

Any queries?

If you have any questions, please contact support@cabi.org.

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