Biological Collections: Their Past, Present, and Future Contributions and Options for Sustaining Them

美国国家科学院、工程院和医学院（NASEM）将评估生物收藏的价值——这里定义为生物体的活库存和保存的生物多样性标本和材料库)——对研究和教育的价值。生物收藏用于进化生物学、生物多样性、全球变化、保护、粮食安全、公共卫生、入侵物种传播和生物医学（以及其他领域）的研究。一些植物、动物和微生物标本作为“标准标本”或“模式标本”保留下来，以供将来比较根据《命名法》附属于特定名称的正式描述的物种。它们还提供了文件，可以对过去和现在的生物多样性进行比较，并允许研究人员重建重要的历史变化。生物收藏馆还藏有尚未被描述的物种标本，因此今天的研究人员在保存下来的标本中发现的动植物新物种要比在自然界中发现的多得多。保存下来的标本也是教育和培训的宝贵资源。由于美国的许多生物馆藏正在减少，该项目将为它们的持续利用提出长期战略。这项研究将为如何使生物收集适应不断变化的科学能力和社会需求提供关键的输入。有关NASEM生命科学委员会及其产品的信息可在http://dels.nas.edu/bls.Biological上找到，这些信息主要有三个功能：用于研究和创新、教育和公众参与科学。这项研究将为如何使生物收集适应不断变化的科学能力和社会需求提供关键的输入。NASEM生命科学委员会将召集一个独立的专家委员会，审查和评估通常由生物馆藏支持的研究、培训和公众参与活动的类型。他们将审查推进科学、教育和公众宣传工作的后勤和财政需求，并建议一系列长期战略，以提高这些资源的有效利用。这项研究将有助于建立所需的研究、教育和公共宣传基础设施，以推进技术进步，应对国家和全球挑战，并为未来的劳动力做好准备，以参与由藏品支持的各种科学领域。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识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 National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) will evaluate the value of biological collections - defined here as living stocks of organisms and preserved repositories of biodiversity specimens and materials) - to research and education. Biological collections are used for research in evolutionary biology, biodiversity, global change, conservation, food security, public health, the spread of invasive species, and biomedicine (among other fields). Some specimens of plants, animals, and microbes serve as "standards" or "type specimens" to be retained for future comparisons for formally described species attached to particular names under the Codes of Nomenclature. They also provide documentation that allows the comparison of past and present biodiversity and allow researchers to reconstruct important historical changes. Biological collections also harbor specimens of as yet undescribed species so that researchers today find many more new animal and plant species among preserved specimens than they do in nature. Preserved specimens also represent invaluable resources for education and training. Because many biological collections are in decline in the United States, the project will suggest long-term strategies for their sustained use. This study will provide critical input on how biological collections can be made to adapt to changing scientific capabilities and societal needs. Information on the NASEM's Board on Life Sciences and its products may be found at http://dels.nas.edu/bls.Biological collections serve three main functions: use in research and innovation, education, and public engagement in science. This study will provide critical input on how biological collections can be made to adapt to changing scientific capabilities and societal needs. The NASEM Board on Life Sciences will convene an independent, expert committee to review and evaluate the types of research, training, and public engagement activities that are commonly supported by biological collections. They will examine the logistical and financial needs to advance science, education, and public outreach endeavors and recommend a range of long-term strategies to enhance the effective use of these resources. The study will help build the research, education, and public outreach infrastructure needed to advance technologies, address national and global challenges, and prepare future workforce to engage in the diverse areas of science supported by collections.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.