An Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) Database: Internet Access and Geographic Information System Linking of Collections at the INHS

伊利诺斯州自然历史调查（INHS）是一个国家系统学研究资源中心，维护着北美水生昆虫目蜉蝣目（蜉蝣）、石蝇目（石蝇）和毛蝇目（caddis蝇）的一些最大和最具历史意义的收藏，统称为EPT。这些群体被认为含有一些最敏感的河流健康生物指标。由于拥有大量的EPT类型标本和其他重要的历史材料，因此对标本出借和物种分布信息的需求很大。认识到INHS是系统学家、生物地理学家、生态学家和保护主义者所需的EPT标本和信息的重要存储库，INHS开始努力将标本标签数据计算机化并将其提供给互联网。石蝇标本标签数据（18486）现在可以在互联网上获得。mayfly和caddisfly的计算机化正在进行中。这两个数据库的完成将产生最全面的标本水平EPT数据库。该项目将支持INHS内的大型和具有历史意义的EPT收集的计算机化。该项目的具体目标是：(1)输入剩余蜉蝣和球蝇的采集标签数据；(2) INHS所有EPT记录的地理参考地点数据；(3)将表格数据库提供给互联网；(4)将地理位置参考数据作为高质量的适当比例尺的物种分布图提供给互联网；(5)将现有的平面文件格式重组为扩展的关系型文件格式；(6)更新命名法；以及(7)获得构建数据库所需的计算机设备和软件，并按照本提案的设想将其提供给互联网。将EPT标本记录汇编成一个协调的、与gis连接的、可访问互联网的数据库，将为EPT物种的生态学、生物地理学和系统研究提供一个有价值的工具，也将为评估物种丰富度和河流健康的历史变化提供一个独特的机会。使用先进的搜索引擎，世界各地的研究人员将能够使用分类和地理描述符的组合来搜索数据库，生成地点或流域的物种列表，访问分布图，并根据特定地点的存在或缺失来匹配未成熟和成年标本。这两个数据库的完善将产生最全面的标本水平EPT数据库。该项目将支持INHS内的大型和具有历史意义的EPT收集的计算机化。该项目的具体目标是：(1)输入剩余蜉蝣和球蝇的采集标签数据；(2) INHS所有EPT记录的地理参考地点数据；(3)将表格数据库提供给互联网；(4)将地理位置参考数据作为高质量的适当比例尺的物种分布图提供给互联网；(5)将现有的平面文件格式重组为扩展的关系型文件格式；(6)更新命名法；以及(7)获得构建数据库所需的计算机设备和软件，并按照本提案的设想将其提供给互联网。将EPT标本记录汇编成一个协调的、与gis连接的、可访问互联网的数据库，将为EPT物种的生态学、生物地理学和系统研究提供有价值的工具，也将为评估物种丰富度和河流健康的历史变化提供独特的机会。使用先进的搜索引擎，世界各地的研究人员将能够使用分类和地理描述符的组合来搜索数据库，生成地点或流域的物种列表，访问分布图，并根据特定地点的存在或缺失来匹配未成熟和成年标本。

The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), a National Systematics Research Resource Center, maintains some of the largest and most historically significant North American collections of the aquatic insect orders Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies), collectively referred to as EPT. These groups are recognized as containing some of the most sensitive biotic indicators of stream health.Considerable holdings of EPT type specimens, and other historically important material, results in a heavy demand for loans of specimens and requests for information on species distributions. Recognizing that the INHS is an important repository for EPT specimens and information needed by systematists, biogeographers, ecologists, and conservationists, the INHS initiated efforts to computerize the specimen label data and serve it to the Internet. Stonefly specimen label data (18,486) are now available on the Internet. Computerization of the mayfly and caddisfly holdings is underway. Completion of these two databases would result in the most comprehensive specimen level EPT database available anywhere. This project will support the computerization of the large and historically significant EPT collection housed at the INHS. Specific goals of this project are to: (1) enter the collection label data for the remaining mayflies and caddisflies; (2) georeference locality data for all EPT records at the INHS; (3) serve the tabular database to the Internet; (4) serve the georeference locality data to the Internet as high quality maps of species distributions at appropriate scales; (5) restructure existing flat file format to an expanded relational one; (6) update nomenclature; and (7) obtain the computer equipment and software necessary to construct the databases and serve them to the Internet as envisioned in this proposal. Compilation of EPT specimen records into a coordinated, GIS-linked, Internet-accessible database will provide a valuable tool for ecological, biogeographical, and systematic research on EPT species and will also provide a unique opportunity to assess historical changes in species richness and stream health. Using an advanced search engine, researchers world wide will be able to search the database using combinations of taxonomic and geographic descriptors, generate species lists for localities or drainages, access distribution maps, and match immature and adult specimens based on their presence or absence at specific localities.pletion of these two databases would result in the most comprehensive specimen level EPT database available anywhere. This project will support the computerization of the large and historically significant EPT collection housed at the INHS. Specific goals of this project are to: (1) enter the collection label data for the remaining mayflies and caddisflies; (2) georeference locality data for all EPT records at the INHS; (3) serve the tabular database to the Internet; (4) serve the georeference locality data to the Internet as high quality maps of species distributions at appropriate scales; (5) restructure existing flat file format to an expanded relational one; (6) update nomenclature; and (7) obtain the computer equipment and software necessary to construct the databases and serve them to the Internet as envisioned in this proposal. Compilation of EPT specimen records into a coordinated, GIS-linked, Internet-accessible database provide will a valuable tool for ecological, biogeographical, and systematic research on EPT species and will also provide a unique opportunity to assess historical changes in species richness and stream health. Using an advanced search engine, researchers world wide will be able to search the database using combinations of taxonomic and geographic descriptors, generate species lists for localities or drainages, access distribution maps, and match immature and adult specimens based on their presence or absence at specific localities.