Improvements to the Division of Arthropods Collection, Museum of Southwestern Biology

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。西南生物博物馆位于环境异质性和节肢动物多样性高的地理区域。此外，西南地区的节肢动物群并不像美国其他地区那样为人所知。几十年来，西南生物博物馆一直是生态学和分类学研究人员记录昆虫多样性的活跃机构，但从未有足够的存储空间来存放所有的材料。美国国家科学基金的资助将使我们能够购买所需的橱柜、抽屉和其他设备，以安全地存储我们的藏品，并使它们更易于研究。这笔资金还包括资助帮助我们准备标本和将收集信息输入数据库（http://www.msb.unm.edu/arthropods/index.html）.Museums)的学生，他们是DNA分析、物种关系和分布等研究的重要合作伙伴。他们的藏品记录了物种的引进和灭绝，这对保护规划至关重要。本科生和研究生通过处理博物馆保存的完整标本、图像和数据库，获得了分类学方面的宝贵训练。通过互联网访问这些数据库可以为K-12学生和公众提供准确的信息和了解当地和区域生物多样性的途径，从而使他们受益。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The Museum of Southwestern Biology is located in a geographic region of high environmental heterogeneity and arthropod diversity. Additionally, the arthropod fauna of the Southwest is not as well known as other regions of the United States. The Museum of Southwestern Biology has become an active institution documenting insect diversity for several decades for researchers in ecology and taxonomy, but has never had adequate storage space for all its material. The funding from this NSF grant will allow us to purchase needed cabinets, drawers and other equipment to store our collections securely and make them more available for study. The funding also includes money for students to assist us in preparing specimens and entering collection information into our database (http://www.msb.unm.edu/arthropods/index.html).Museums are essential partners in research involving DNA analysis, species relationships and distributions. Their holdings document species introductions and extinctions, which are critical for conservation planning. Undergraduate and graduate students receive invaluable training in taxonomy by working with whole specimens, images and databases maintained by museums. Internet access to these databases benefits K-12 students and the general public by providing accurate information and a way to learn about local and regional biodiversity.