Managing the 19 Million Specimen Resource of the NMNH/NSF Antarctic Marine Invertebrate Collection to Meet the Needs of 21st Century Research, Resource Management and Education

USAP收藏的近1900万件标本是目前南极海洋无脊椎动物分类学知识的基础，也是美国极地研究基础设施的一部分。需要提供支持，以使USAP财产的收集管理现代化，加强相关数据，并加快数据输入，以开发这一宝贵资源的巨大潜力。自1963年以来，史密森学会一直是美国南极计划(USAP)期间收集的无脊椎动物标本和相关数据的国家存档和分发中心。对南极海洋无脊椎动物现代信息的需求日益增加，需要对这些藏品进行专业的管理、管理和维护。需要提供支持，以将USAP收集和相关数据转变为现代资源，主要是基于网络的，便于广大和多样化的受众(如普通公众、政策制定者、保护团体)使用，并使其成为学者的有用工具。该项目将是即将到来的国际极地年(IPY)史密森学会泛机构活动的一部分。该网站将促进和加速用于教育目的的信息共享、各种科学分析、分类群分布图绘制、生物地理研究，并向决策者提供对生物保护有用的关键信息。该网站将链接到NMNH教育项目和海洋门户网站，该门户网站目前是正在进行的7200万美元海洋倡议(http://www.mnh.si.edu/ocean/).)的一部分该网站还将链接到国家科学基金会的海洋资源和活动以及海洋生物地理信息系统(http://www.iobis.org)，)，这是南极海洋生物普查(http://www.caml.aq/).)的数据组成部分通过一项拟议的南极馆长常驻计划，将鼓励广大科学界使用USAP收藏。这些专家将向NMNH-IZ数据库提供专门信息，同时填充南极无脊椎动物网站。将实施勤工俭学方案，培训本科生和研究生，包括代表性不足的群体，了解现代藏品管理做法和藏品研究。根据正式贷款协议，所有USAP标本将继续向现场或非现场的合格研究人员开放。从新的南极研究举措、类型、代金券，包括CAML条形码代金券和Palmer LTER样本获取具有科学价值的标本，将继续是优先事项。来自南极几个大型和有价值的收藏品(棘皮动物、甲壳类和线虫)的标本将被取回，这些标本是30多年来逾期借给现在不活跃或已故的分类学家的。

The USAP collection with its nearly 19 million specimens is the basis of current taxonomic knowledge of Antarctic marine invertebrates, and is part of the U.S. Polar research infrastructure. Support is needed to modernize collection management of the USAP holdings, enhance associated data, and expedite data entry to develop the tremendous potential of this valuable resource. Since 1963 the Smithsonian Institution has served as the national archiving and distribution center for invertebrate specimens and associated data collected during the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). The increased demand for modern information on Antarctic marine invertebrates requires professional management, curation, and maintenance of the collection. Support is requested to transform the USAP collection and associated data into a modern resource, primarily web-based, easily available to a vast and diverse audience (e.g., general public, policy makers, conservation groups) as well as making it a useful tool for scholars. This project will be part of the upcoming International Polar Year (IPY) pan-institutional activities of the Smithsonian. The web site will facilitate and accelerate the sharing of information for educational purposes, a variety of scientific analyses, mapping of taxa distributions, biogeographical studies, and provide policy makers with key information useful for biological conservation. The site will be linked to NMNH education programs, and the Ocean Web Portal currently part of the ongoing $72-million Ocean Initiative (http://www.mnh.si.edu/ocean/). The site will also be linked to NSF OPP resources and activities; and the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) (http://www.iobis.org), the data component of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) (http://www.caml.aq/). The scientific community at large will be encouraged to use the USAP collection through a proposed Antarctic Curator-in-Residence program. These experts will provide specialized information to the NMNH-IZ database, while simultaneously populating the Antarctic Invertebrate Web Site. A work study program will be implemented to train undergraduate and graduate students, including underrepresented groups, in modern collection management practices and collections-based research. All USAP specimens will continue to be accessible to qualified researchers on- or off-site under formal loan agreements. Acquisition of scientifically valuable specimens from new Antarctic research initiatives, types, vouchers, including CAML bar-coding vouchers and the Palmer LTER samples, will continue to be a priority. Specimens from several large and valuable Antarctic collections (echinoderms, crustaceans and nemerteans) from 30+ years overdue loans to now inactive or deceased taxonomists, will be retrieved.