Wood Identification Database Enhancement: Descriptions and Images of Fossil and Modern Woods

北卡罗莱纳州立大学获得了一笔拨款，用于创建一个带有编码解剖描述的互联网可访问的化石木材数据库，将化石木材的图像整合到该数据库中，并通过添加许多最近贡献的木材解剖图像来增强现有的现代木材数据库（5500 +记录）。用于准备现代木材Oracle数据库InsideWood （http://insidewood.lib.ncsu.edu/search）的协议将用于将化石木材数据库（1500多条记录）合并到InsideWood网站中。图像已根据国会图书馆数字馆藏的最佳实践创建和索引。数据库中360000多张图片中的每一张都通过元数据标签链接到标本信息、分类信息和贡献者信息。这些数据库采用非排他性的开放架构开发，以实现长期可持续性。化石木数据库是最完整的化石木解剖信息汇编。使这个数据库能够在互联网上访问，并附带图像和多种搜索策略，对于研究树木、灌木和藤本植物过去的分布和多样性，跟踪进化趋势和重建古代环境具有重要意义。InsideWood的现代双科木材数据库，使用国际木材解剖学家协会（IAWA）术语，是最广泛的互联网上可访问的木材解剖信息纲要。该数据库还首次提供了一些未在其他地方公布的北美树木和灌木的濒危物种的木材描述和图像。现代木材的大型图像数据库允许木材解剖特征的评估纳入系统发育分析。这些图像是InsideWood的多入口木材识别钥匙的宝贵补充。这个键对于确定化石和现代双科树的亲缘关系很有用。木材鉴定还有助于考古学家解决有关古代植被、人类进化背景、过去对自然资源的利用以及贸易路线等问题。木材解剖信息也用于森林生物学和生态学的各种研究项目。InsideWood网站为植物学，森林生物学和生态学课程的讲师提供了广泛的全球百科全书，可以可靠地识别显微照片。这些图像显示了木材解剖的多样性，说明了结构功能的关系，并补充了现有的教科书。有了来自InsideWood的图像和其他信息，教师可以创建关于木材解剖和识别的教程，并将其纳入课程；学生可以在研究项目中使用这些数据。InsideWood为国家公园、州立公园和博物馆的公共项目提供化石木材的图像。图像数据库和多入口木材识别钥匙对于需要识别木材的法医、海关人员、古董商和博物馆馆长也具有实际意义。木材鉴定具有法律或保护意义，因为木材鉴定是执行CITES法规所必需的。

North Carolina State University is awarded a grant to create an Internet-accessible fossil wood database with coded anatomical descriptions, to integrate images of fossil woods into that database, and enhance an existing modern wood database (5500 + records) by adding numerous recently contributed wood anatomical images. Protocols used for preparing the modern wood Oracle database, InsideWood (http://insidewood.lib.ncsu.edu/search), will be adapted for incorporating the fossil wood database (1500+ records) into the InsideWood web site. Images have been created and indexed in accordance with Library of Congress best practices for digital collections. Each of the 36,0000 + images in the database is linked via metadata tags to specimen information, taxonomic information, and contributor information. These databases have been developed with non-exclusive, open architecture to allow for long-term sustainability. The fossil wood database is the most complete compilation of information on fossil dicot wood anatomy. Making this database Internet accessible, accompanied by images and multiple search strategies, is significant for research into the past distribution and diversity of trees, shrubs, and vines, tracking evolutionary trends, and reconstructing ancient environments. The modern dicot wood database of InsideWood, which uses International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA) terminology, is the most extensive internet-accessible compendium of wood anatomical information. This database also makes available for the first time wood descriptions and images of some threatened species of North American trees and shrubs not published elsewhere. A large image database of modern woods allows evaluation of wood anatomical characters for inclusion into phylogenetic analyses. These images are an invaluable addition to InsideWood's multiple-entry key for wood identification. This key is useful for determining the affinities of both fossil and modern dicot woods. Wood identification also helps archaeologists address questions about ancient vegetation and the context for human evolution, past uses of natural resources, and trade routes. Wood anatomical information is also used in a variety of research projects in forest biology and ecology. The InsideWood site provides instructors in botany, forest biology, and ecology courses with an extensive global encyclopedia of reliably identified photomicrographs. These images show wood anatomical diversity and illustrate structure-function relationships, and complement existing textbooks. With images and other information from InsideWood, instructors can create tutorials on wood anatomy and identification to incorporate into their curricula; students can use these data in research projects. InsideWood provides access to images of fossil wood for public programs at National and State Parks and museums. The image database and the multiple-entry wood identification key are also of practical significance for forensic scientists, customs agents, antique dealers, and museum curators who need to identify wood. Wood identification has legal or conservation implications, as timber identification is necessary for enforcing CITES regulations.