A Conservation Imperative: Replacement of Bird and Mammal Specimen Cases at Texas A&M

得克萨斯A&M大学的德克萨斯合作野生动物收藏中心(TCWC)已获奖，以资助更换鸟类和哺乳动物收藏中的所有箱子，这些标本在15年前的一次洪水中遭到严重破坏。有了这笔资金，主要研究人员将能够确保这些脊椎动物标本的长期安全和持续生存，这些脊椎动物标本的数量超过60,000只哺乳动物和15,000只鸟类。该奖项还将允许收集来自活跃的正在进行的研究计划的越来越多的标本。PIS还将更新分类、核实标本鉴定，并将标本与遗传资源交叉参照，所有这些都是收藏管理的关键方面。此外，这笔赠款将资助博物馆助理研究生职位，使主要调查人员能够培训和教育新的博物馆研究人员。即将迎来第75个年头的TCWC是该州最活跃的脊椎动物收藏之一：鸟类收藏是该州唯一活跃的基于研究的收藏，哺乳动物收藏跻身西半球前20名。除了为基础研究提供资源外，TCWC还是野生动物和渔业科学系课程的关键要素，所有脊椎动物自然历史课程的实验室部分都在这些收藏中。每年有200多名本科生接触到鸟类、哺乳动物和其他脊椎动物收藏中所代表的生物多样性，并从中受益。此外，藏品协会定期赞助参与藏品管理各个方面的本科生实习生。私人投资机构预计将提供超过12个与这笔补助金相关的实习机会。

An award has been made to the Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection (TCWC) at Texas A&M University to fund the replacement of all cases in the bird and mammal collections which were heavily damaged in a flood event over 15 years ago. With this funding, the principal investigators will be able to ensure the long-term safety and continued viability of these vertebrate collections, which number over 60,000 mammals and 15,000 birds. This award will also allow the collection to accommodate increasing numbers of specimens from active ongoing research programs. The PIs will also update taxonomy, verify specimen identifications, and cross-reference specimens to genetic resources, all of which are critical aspects of collection management. Additionally, the grant will fund graduate Curatorial Assistant positions, allowing the principal investigators to train and educate new museum-based researchers. Approaching its 75th year, the TCWC is one of the most active vertebrate collections in the state: the bird collection is the only active research-based collection in the state, and the mammal collection ranks among the top 20 in the western hemisphere. In addition to providing resources for basic research, the TCWC is a critical element in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences curriculum, for which the collections host the lab sections of all vertebrate natural history courses. Over 200 undergraduates per year are exposed to, and are made beneficiaries of, the biodiversity represented in the bird, mammal and other vertebrate collections. Furthermore, the collections routinely sponsor undergraduate interns who participate in various aspects of collections management. The PIs anticipate providing over 12 internship opportunities associated with this grant.