Curation and Data Capture for Reptilian and Amphibian Biodiversity at American Museum of Natural History

美国自然历史博物馆爬行动物和两栖动物生物多样性的管理和数据采集

• 批准号: 0138530
• 负责人: Christopher Raxworthy
• 金额: $ 30.74万
• 依托单位: American Museum Natural History
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-05-01 至 2006-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0138530&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Curation; Data; Capture; Reptilian; Amphibian

The Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) conserves one of the world's largest, globally diverse and most broadly utilized scientific collections of amphibian and reptile specimens. The records are computerized, but servicing users is hampered by two major problems:(1) about half of the specimens may become dissociated from their data owing to past use of metal tags that are corroding; and (2) gaps in data captured occur in the electronic records. NSF support would allow metal tag replacement and completing of data capture concurrently, improving the database in preparation for going onto the internet, and continuing current activities in serving the international user community. (1) Metal Tags: From 1912-1965 metal tags with unique catalog numbers were tied to 180,126 specimens stored in alcohol. The metal tags are corroding, some have become completely illegible, and some have fallen off their specimen. Consequently, specimens are at risk of becoming completely dissociated from their data, which would be a tragic loss to science. (2) Data Capture: The electronic database was compiled from the original hand-written catalog ledgers. We have recently discovered, however, that in past decades data in the ledgers were often abbreviated from other sources (e.g., jar labels, 3 X 5" card file). Thus, data from these other sources need electronic capture before they become dissociated from the specimens. The herpetological collection has accumulated for more than 130 years, obtained by AMNH expeditions around the world, purchase of historically valuable collections, and donations of private or orphaned collections from other institutions. The collection contains 315,784 individually cataloged specimens. In addition, 20,000 specimens await cataloging. The collection includes 100% of the world's families of amphibians and reptiles, 80% of the genera, and about 6,800 species (over 55%). There are more than 650 primary types (specimens used for original descriptions of the species). The collection is global in scope, with special strengths in the Western Hemisphere, Africa, Pakistan, China, New Guinea, Australia, and Pacific islands. The collections are used daily by students and professional scientists for global biodiversity research. For example, we provide loans involving 2100-4100 specimens per year and 169 loans are now open to scholars in 14 countries. In addition, last year 39 researchers studied specimens on-site in the Department for 261 days. Publications based on the collections are part of the primary technical literature in the natural sciences concerning: (1) discovery of new species; (2) faunal surveys (resource inventories, economic development, siting of nature preserves, conservation); (3) follow-up surveys decades later; and (4) monographs, or other research on specific groups of organisms, including ones of potential medical (pharmaceutical development) or other importance. The collections are also used extensively in education, by supporting the research conducted by undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students at diverse universities around the world.

美国自然历史博物馆（AMNH）的爬虫学部门保存着世界上最大的，全球多样性和最广泛使用的两栖动物和爬行动物标本的科学收藏之一。这些记录是计算机化的，但服务用户受到两个主要问题的阻碍：（1）由于过去使用的金属标签正在腐蚀，大约一半的标本可能与其数据分离;（2）电子记录中捕获的数据存在空白。NSF的支持将允许金属标签更换和完成数据采集，同时改善数据库，为进入互联网做准备，并继续为国际用户社区服务。 (1)金属标签：从1912年到1965年，带有唯一目录号的金属标签与180，126个储存在酒精中的标本联系在一起。金属标签正在腐蚀，有些已经变得完全难以辨认，有些已经从标本上脱落。因此，标本有可能与它们的数据完全分离，这将是科学的悲剧性损失。(2)数据采集：电子数据库是根据原始手写目录分类账编制的。然而，我们最近发现，在过去的几十年里，分类账中的数据往往是从其他来源缩写而来的（例如，罐标签，3 X 5”卡片文件）。因此，来自这些其他来源的数据需要在它们与样本分离之前进行电子捕获。爬行动物收藏已经积累了130多年，通过AMNH在世界各地的探险，购买历史上有价值的收藏品，以及其他机构捐赠的私人或孤儿收藏品获得。该系列包含315，784个单独编目的标本。此外，还有20 000件标本等待编目。该系列包括世界上100%的两栖动物和爬行动物，80%的属，约6，800种（超过55%）。有超过650个主要类型（用于物种原始描述的标本）。 该系列是全球范围内，在西半球，非洲，巴基斯坦，中国，新几内亚，澳大利亚和太平洋岛屿的特殊优势。学生和专业科学家每天都在使用这些收藏品进行全球生物多样性研究。例如，我们每年提供涉及2100-4100个标本的贷款，现在有169个贷款向14个国家的学者开放。 此外，去年39名研究人员在该部门现场研究了261天的标本。基于这些收藏的出版物是自然科学领域主要技术文献的一部分，涉及：（1）新物种的发现;（2）动物区系调查（3）几十年后的跟踪调查;以及（4）专著，或对特定生物群体的其他研究，包括潜在的医学（药物开发）或其他重要性。这些收藏品也广泛用于教育，支持世界各地不同大学的本科生，研究生和博士后学生进行的研究。