Improvements to the Division of Arthropods Collection, Museum of Southwestern Biology

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。西南生物学博物馆位于高度环境异质性和节肢动物多样性的地理区域。此外，美国西南部的节肢动物区系并不像美国其他地区那样广为人知。西南生物学博物馆已经成为一个活跃的机构，为生态学和分类学研究人员记录了几十年的昆虫多样性，但从来没有足够的存储空间来存储所有材料。这笔资金将使我们能够购买所需的橱柜，抽屉和其他设备，以安全地存储我们的收藏品，并使它们更容易用于研究。资金还包括学生协助我们准备标本和将收集的信息输入我们的数据库（http：//www.msb.unm.edu/arthropods/index.html）的资金。博物馆是涉及DNA分析、物种关系和分布的研究的重要伙伴。他们的藏品记录了物种的引进和保护，这对保护规划至关重要。本科生和研究生通过与博物馆维护的整个标本，图像和数据库一起工作，获得了宝贵的分类学培训。通过互联网访问这些数据库使K-12学生和公众受益，提供了准确的信息和了解当地和区域生物多样性的方法。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The Museum of Southwestern Biology is located in a geographic region of high environmental heterogeneity and arthropod diversity. Additionally, the arthropod fauna of the Southwest is not as well known as other regions of the United States. The Museum of Southwestern Biology has become an active institution documenting insect diversity for several decades for researchers in ecology and taxonomy, but has never had adequate storage space for all its material. The funding from this NSF grant will allow us to purchase needed cabinets, drawers and other equipment to store our collections securely and make them more available for study. The funding also includes money for students to assist us in preparing specimens and entering collection information into our database (http://www.msb.unm.edu/arthropods/index.html).Museums are essential partners in research involving DNA analysis, species relationships and distributions. Their holdings document species introductions and extinctions, which are critical for conservation planning. Undergraduate and graduate students receive invaluable training in taxonomy by working with whole specimens, images and databases maintained by museums. Internet access to these databases benefits K-12 students and the general public by providing accurate information and a way to learn about local and regional biodiversity.