CSBR: Natural History Collections: Critical infrastructure needs in the University of Alaska Museum's bird collection

阿拉斯加约占美国陆地面积的20%。它拥有各种各样的新世界和旧大陆鸟类，以及地方性的地区鸟类。阿拉斯加大学博物馆（UAM）的鸟类收藏在国内和国际上的重要性日益增加，代表了许多增强其效用的准备类型。此外，UAM现在拥有世界上第八大担保鸟类组织收藏。这个收藏被大量使用，可能是因为它包含了这个广阔地区最好的（也是唯一的现代）鸟类标本，并支持生物多样性、进化史、管理和保护的研究。它也被艺术家、观鸟者、社会科学家、生态学家、生态系统生物学家和毒理学家使用。因此，这些收藏品为研究提供了信息，包括污染物和稳定同位素的评估、气候变化、人类文物和艺术，以及阿拉斯加原住民的历史饮食。这些藏品有助于我们应对大规模的社会挑战，如健康、食品和环境。近年来，该丛书在至少115篇出版物和28篇学生论文中被引用，证明了它的影响力，其谷歌学者档案（UAM Birds）进一步显示了它的高影响力。该收藏还作为本科生、研究生和博士后水平的培训和教育的重点，并作为公众参与科学的展示。然而，这些藏品严重拥挤，由于部分藏品被迫进入未经分类和不合标准的住房，这些藏品正变得难以进入。皮肤、骨骼和开翅标本的储存不充分，用户无法访问，现在关于收集数量的决定主要集中在正在考虑的标本的大小上。这些问题严重影响了不同用户群体对这一研究资源的使用。该项目通过在压实机系统上安装新的标本柜来解决这些问题，并支持实习生与博物馆工作人员密切合作，重新安置所有藏品，并制定和实施公众宣传活动。该项目支持的基础设施对需要禽类样本的许多类型的研究至关重要。它将允许在新的移动存储系统上购买和安装92个新的标本柜，最大限度地利用博物馆扩建和翻新后的空间。这种柜体装置将充分容纳和方便使用过度拥挤的标本，并为未来十年的增长提供空间。重要的是，该项目将培养学生在以收集为基础的科学，从而帮助培养21世纪的STEM劳动力。它还吸引了本地和全球公众对生物收藏的兴趣，促进了对科学及其在服务社会中的作用的更好理解。有关UAM鸟类收藏的更多信息，请访问我们的网站www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/bird/或www.universityofalaskamuseumbirds.org/。

Alaska represents about 20% of the land area of the United States. It hosts diverse assemblages of New World and Old World birds and an endemic regional avifauna. The Bird Collection at the University of Alaska Museum (UAM) is one of growing national and international importance, representing many preparation types that enhance its utility. Additionally, UAM now houses the 8th-largest vouchered avian tissue collection in the world. This collection is rather heavily used, probably because it contains the best (and only modern) bird specimens from this vast region, and supports research in biodiversity, evolutionary history, management, and conservation. It is also used by artists, birdwatchers, social scientists, ecologists, ecosystem biologists, and toxicologists. Thus, the collection informs studies including assessments of contaminants and stable isotopes, climate change, human artifacts and art, and the historic diets of Alaska Natives. These collections contribute to our ability to address large-scale societal challenges such as health, food, and the environment. The collection's impact is exemplified by its citation in at least 115 publications and 28 student theses in recent years, and its Google Scholar profile (UAM Birds) further shows its high impact. The collection also serves as a focus for training and education at undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels, and as a showpiece for public engagement in science. However, the collection is severely overcrowded and is becoming inaccessible as portions are forced into unsorted and substandard housing. Skin, skeleton, and open-wing specimens are inadequately stored, inaccessible to users, and decisions about collection growth now focus on the size of the specimen being considered. These problems severely impact the use of this research resource by its diverse community of users. This project addresses these problems by installing new specimen cabinets on a compactor system and supporting student trainees to work closely with museum staff in rehousing the entire collection and in developing and implementing public outreach activities.This project supports infrastructure that is critical to many types of studies requiring avian samples. It will enable the purchase and installation of 92 new specimen cabinets on a new mobile storage system, maximizing the use of space following the museum's expansion and renovation. This cabinet installation will adequately house and make accessible overcrowded specimens and provide room for growth for the next decade. Importantly, this project will train students in collections-based science, thus helping prepare the 21st century STEM workforce. It also engages the public locally and globally in the excitement of biological collections, fostering a better understanding of science and its role in serving society. More information about the UAM Bird Collection can be accessed through our web site at www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/bird/, or here: www.universityofalaskamuseumbirds.org/.