Open Access: Conservation, Digitization and Interoperability of the Historic Non-Vertebrate Collections of the Texas Natural Science Center

无论是近代的还是过去地质时期的生物标本，都为研究生物多样性的变化模式和对全球变化（如气候变化）的响应提供了独特的工具。该项目将保护并为研究和教育提供对稀有藏品的开放访问。它是德克萨斯自然科学中心的非脊椎动物古生物库中保存的一系列历史、近代和化石收藏品。其中许多标本很脆弱，目前存放条件不合适，许多相关数据写在变质的纸质标签上。这个项目将保存和重新安置这些材料。关键标本将与相关标签、现场注释或图表一起进行数字成像。所有关于标本的信息，包括收集地点，将被添加到nsf赞助的开源数据库中，并可通过网络访问，用户可以查看所有或查询特定的群体或时间框架，并根据今天的地理或地质历史上相关的时间框架在b谷歌Earth上绘制他们的选择。19世纪晚期采集的近代标本，如淡水贻贝和蜗牛，以及陆生蜗牛，是当今发生变化模式的关键，是现代调查可以比较的标志。壳牌化学品是未来环境指标的潜在资源。更古老的化石标本来自其他气候变化时期，如5500万年前的古新世-始新世边界；这些标本是科学家研究当前气候变化的宝贵资源。收集到的数据将被用作流行和开源移动媒体平台上开发的完整教育资源。与熟练的信息科学家及其学生的合作将有助于开发数字实地考察、化石钥匙和其他互动工具，以激发学生和公众的兴趣并为他们提供信息。对于许多少数民族来说，手机是他们上网的唯一途径。

Biological collections whether from the recent or geologic past provide a unique tool to investigate the changing patterns of diversity and responses to global changes, such as climate change. This project will protect and provide open access to a rare collection for both research and education. It is a series of historic recent and fossil collections held in the Non-vertebrate paleontology repository of the Texas Natural Science Center. Many of these specimens are fragile, currently located in unsuitable storage conditions with much of their related data written on deteriorating paper labels. This project will conserve and relocate that material. Key specimens will be digitally imaged along with related labels, field notes or diagrams. All information about the specimens, including collection localities, will added to an NSF-sponsored open source database and be made accessible via the web, where the user can view all or query for specific groups or time frames, and map their selections on Google Earth against today's geography or that of the relevant time frame in geologic history.Specimens of recent age, such as freshwater mussels and snails, and terrestrial snails, collected in the late 19th century are keys to patterns of change occurring today, markers against which modern surveys can be compared. Shell chemistries are potential future resources for environmental indicators. Older fossil specimens come from other periods of climate change, such as 55 million years ago at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary; these specimens are invaluable resources for scientists examining the current climate changes. The data gathered will be used as an integral educational resource developed on both popular and open source mobile media platforms. Collaboration with skilled information scientists and their students will help the development of digital field trips, fossil keys and other interactive tools to excite and inform students and members of the public. For many minority groups a phone is their only access to the internet.