Digitization PEN: Mollusca and Arthropoda Biodiversity in the Colorado Plateau Region

北亚利桑那博物馆 (MNA) 的昆虫收藏跨越了近 100 年，重点关注标志性的大峡谷生态区和周围景观。 许多标本是在泉水处采集的，泉水是至关重要的生态系统，与周围景观相比，泉水具有异常高水平的生物多样性和独特的物种。 通过该奖项，120,000 个有据可查的昆虫标本记录和 1,000 张高分辨率图像将被数字化并贡献给 InvertEBase 主题收集网络 (TCN)。 MNA 工作人员将举办三场关于标本识别和成像的研讨会，并将培训和指导学生，包括来自代表性不足群体的学生，以了解博物馆管理、成像、数据管理和生物多样性研究。 MNA 还将举办有关科罗拉多高原和大峡谷无脊椎动物生物多样性的互动展览。 该展览旨在吸引所有年龄段的人，将包含有关该地区最引人注目的物种的照片和信息，包括分类、分布、进化历史、生态作用和保护状况。 通过该项目数字化的数据将填补物种地理范围的关键空白，并贡献目前未包含在 InvertEBase 中的分类群，其中包括蜻蜓目、曼托亚目、蜚蠊亚目、膜翅目、鞘翅目和非昆虫陆生节肢动物（多足亚目、蛛形纲和甲壳亚目）。 标本包括稀有、濒危和未描述物种的记录。 MNAInverts 是一个在线关系数据库，将作为一个平台来促进标本的识别和地理配准，并简化质量控制程序。 收集地点的地理配准将增加其对范围制图和生物地理学研究的价值。 该资源将包括该地区样本的带注释、堆叠的高分辨率图像。 为了便于识别，将注明物种水平诊断所必需的重要形态特征状态。 该项目将促进公众和科学对水生和陆生无脊椎动物的复杂性和对西南地区生态完整性的重要性的理解。 MNA 对事件数据和图像的贡献将增强软体动物和节肢动物在 InvertEBase TCN 中的代表性和分布，并将与 iDigBio (www.idigbio.org) 共享。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The insect collection at the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) spans nearly 100 years, focusing on the iconic Grand Canyon ecoregion and surrounding landscapes. Many specimens were collected at springs - critical ecosystems that support unusually high levels of biodiversity and unique species compared with the surrounding landscape. Through this award 120,000 well-documented insect specimen records and 1,000 high-resolution images will be digitized and contributed to the InvertEBase Thematic Collection Network (TCN). MNA staff will conduct three workshops on specimen identification and imaging, and will train and mentor students, including those from under-represented groups, to learn about museum curation, imaging, data management, and biodiversity research. The MNA will also present an interactive exhibit on the biodiversity of invertebrates on the Colorado Plateau and Grand Canyon. Designed to appeal to all age groups, the exhibit will consist of photographs and information about the region's most compelling species, with taxonomy, distribution, evolutionary history, ecological roles, and conservation status. The data digitized through this project will fill critical gaps on species geographic ranges and contribute taxa currently not included in InvertEBase, with a representation of Odonata, Mantodea, Blattodea, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and non-insect terrestrial Arthropoda (Myriapoda, Arachnida and Crustacea). Specimens include records of rare, endangered, and undescribed species. MNAInverts, an online relational database, will serve as a platform to facilitate identification and georeferencing of specimens, and to streamline quality control procedures. Georeferencing of collection localities will increase their value for range mapping and biogeographical studies. The resource will include annotated, stacked, high resolution images of exemplar specimens from the region. To facilitate identification, important morphological character states essential for diagnosis at the species level will be noted. The project will advance public and scientific understanding of the complexity and importance of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates to the ecological integrity of the Southwest. The MNA's contribution of occurrence data and images will augment the representation and distribution of Mollusca and Arthropoda in the InvertEBase TCN and will be shared with iDigBio (www.idigbio.org).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.