CSBR: Natural History Collections: Protecting and Improving Orange County's (California) Palentological Collection (OCPC)

奥兰治县的古生物收藏(OCPC)包含了根据加利福尼亚州和奥兰治县(OC)法律法规的要求，通过在建筑工地缓解气候变化而收集的超过50年的化石。超过600万的化石储存在OC的约翰·D·库珀考古和古生物中心，并由加州州立大学富勒顿分校(CSUF)管理。这一重要的收集对于理解北美西部和北太平洋从1.8亿年前到最近的丰富的生命历史非常重要。该藏品种类繁多，包含许多独特的、未描述的和未记录的物种。这些微化石让我们了解了古代环境和过去的气候。其中一些已经被国际和国家古生物学家研究，被K-16教育工作者使用，并用于准备公共展览。该项目建议将这些化石的图像和相关数据存档到中心的数据库中，并在网上向公众开放。因此，OCPC所拥有的用于研究、培训和推广的巨大潜力将得到实现，这些潜力以前因交通不便而受阻。这些活动将通过采用现代储存和管理标准改善OCPC的安全和保存来实现。该项目将使约翰·D·库珀中心能够通过提供现代化的博物馆存储，包括新的橱柜和支持基础设施，为大约100,000块化石提供保护和保存从OC恢复的化石。标本将被检查、修复、唯一编号，并与数据卡一起存储在博物馆托盘中，放置在新的橱柜中，按从侏罗纪到最近的地层顺序排列。在该项目的三年中，将雇用四名CSUF研究生协助收集、重组和管理。对于每个标本，支持数据和图像将由工作人员和志愿者添加到中心的指定6数据库中。这些标本的适当储存将允许对剩余的化石进行重组，而不需要资金，并提供一些空间来减少拥堵。现代策展标准的应用、数据库的建立和OCPC的重组将使学生、教职员工和访问科学家能够进行研究，并将藏品用于公共活动、展览和K-16教育。CSUF有大量的本科生人口，包括代表不足的少数族裔的很高比例，他们可能是参与这一项目的潜在新兵。有关OCPC研究和推广计划的更多信息，请访问www.jdcoopercenter.org。

Orange County's Paleontological Collection (OCPC) contains fossils collected over 50 years by mitigation at construction sites, as required by California State and Orange County (OC) laws and regulations. Over six million fossils are stored at OC's John D. Cooper Archaeological and Paleontological Center, and managed by California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). This major collection is important for understanding the rich history of life in western North America and the north Pacific from ~180 million years ago to Recent. The collection is diverse and contains many unique, undescribed and unrecorded species. These microfossils inform our understanding of ancient environments and past climates. Some are already being studied by international and national paleontologists, used by K-16 educators, and used in the preparation of public exhibits. This project proposes to archive images - and associated data - of these fossils into the Center's database and make them publically available on-line. As a result, the enormous potential of OCPC's holdings for research, training and outreach, previously hindered by inaccessibility, will be realized. These activities will be accomplished through improved security and preservation of OCPC through the application of modern storage and curatorial standards. This project will enable The John D. Cooper Center to protect and preserve fossils recovered from OC by providing modern museum storage, including new cabinets and supporting infrastructure for approximately 100,000 fossils. Specimens will be inspected, repaired, uniquely numbered, and stored with a data card in museum trays placed in new cabinets arranged in stratigraphic order from Jurassic to Recent. Four CSUF graduate students will be employed, over the three years of the project, to assist with collection reorganization and curation. For each specimen, supporting data and images will be added to the Center's Specify 6 database by staff and volunteers. The proper storage of these specimens will allow reorganization of the remaining fossils, for which no funds are requested, and provide some room to decrease congestion. The application of modern curatorial standards, databasing and reorganization of OCPC will enable research by students, faculty and visiting scientists, and the collection's use in public events, exhibits and K-16 education. CSUF has a large undergraduate population, including a high percentage of under-represented minorities, who can be potential recruits for participation in this project. Additional information about OCPC's research and outreach programs is available at www.jdcoopercenter.org.