Incorporation and Improvement of Collections of Marine Invertebrates into the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

尽管人们对全球生物多样性的兴趣和关注日益增加，但近年来，许多珍贵的海洋无脊椎动物（甲壳类动物、棘皮动物、海洋蠕虫、软体动物和其他群体）已成为“孤儿”。 该项目将提供资金，以照顾已捐赠给洛杉矶县自然历史博物馆的几个现有的和不同的海洋无脊椎动物收藏。新的架子将安装在现有的轨道，并需要照顾这些收藏品的用品将购买。 此外，博物馆的海洋生物多样性处理中心将雇用两名人员帮助分类、管理和升级藏品。该项目更广泛的科学意义在于，这些收藏品以及其他类似的收藏品代表了沿着西海岸历史海洋多样性的窗口。 在某些情况下，收藏品中包含的标本来自无法再进入的地区。 这些收藏品构成了我们了解过去和现在海洋生物多样性的基础，是太平洋沿岸海洋生物数据的无价宝库。 从这些收集的知识可以形成强大的教育计划的基础，并在保护和资源管理方面做出合理的决策。

Despite a growing interest in, and concern over, global biodiversity, many priceless collections of marine invertebrates (crustaceans, echinoderms, marine worms, molluscs, and other groups) have become "orphaned" in recent years. This project will provide funds to care for several existing and diverse collections of marine invertebrates that have been donated to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. New shelving will be installed on existing tracks, and supplies needed to care for these collections will be purchased. Additionally, two persons will be hired in the Museum's Marine Biodiversity Processing Center to help sort, curate, and upgrade the collections. The broader scientific significance of the project is that these collections, and others like them, represent windows into historical marine diversity along the west coast. In some cases, the collections contain specimens from areas that are no longer accessible. Such collections form the basis for what we understand about marine biodiversity, past and present, and represent priceless storehouses of data on Pacific coast marine life. Knowledge gleaned from these collections can form the basis for strong educational programs and for making sound decisions in conservation and resource management.