The complete conversion and digitization of the Field Museum's Bryophyte collection: Working towards a networking hub of bryophyte specimen and taxonomic data

藏品对于系统学和进化论、生态学和保护等科学研究领域是不可或缺的。在一个为期36个月的项目中，菲尔德博物馆的植物部将把12万个苔藓标本从床单储存到封闭式包装，由于它们的微妙性质，解决了对它们长期保存的迫切关注。苔藓是一类通常被称为“苔藓植物”的植物，它们对我们了解陆地植物的起源和进化至关重要。苔藓植物被认为是世界各地植被的重要组成部分，具有重要的生态和环境意义。该项目将1)使整个MOSS收集的标本数据建立数据基础并实现数字化；2)确保全国和全世界的用户更容易获得MOSS收集；3)显著提高收集管理的效率。该项目的数字化部分将增加这些收藏品的重要性，使全世界的科学界和更广泛的社区能够在线获取这些收藏品，并为全球生物设施和生命百科全书等国际数据库项目作出贡献。该项目还有一项强有力的推广战略，包括通过整合与数字化收藏有关的内容为《世界教育者指南》的植物做出贡献，并参加包括300多名芝加哥地区教育工作者在内的教育者开放日活动。

Collections are indispensable to areas of scientific research such as systematics and evolution, ecology, and conservation. In a 36 month project, the Botany Department at The Field Museum will convert the 120,000 moss specimens from storage on sheets to enclosed packets, which due to their delicate nature; addresses the urgent concern over their long-term preservation. Mosses belong to a group of plants commonly termed "bryophytes," which are pivotal in our understanding of the origin and evolution of plants on land. Bryophytes are considered an important component of the vegetation in regions throughout the world and are of great ecological and environmental significance. The project will 1) enable the data basing and digitization of specimen data for the entire moss collection; 2) ensure the moss collection is more accessible for users both nationally and worldwide; and 3) significantly improve efficiency for collections management.This project provides training to staff and interns as to how to curate scientific collections. The digitization component of the project will add to the significance of the collections, making them available online to the scientific and broader community worldwide and contributing to international data basing projects, e.g., Global Biological Facility and the Encyclopedia of Life. The project also has a strong outreach strategy including contributing to Plants of the World Educator Guide by integrating content related to the digitized collection, and participating in the Educator Open House, including over 300 Chicago-area educators.