Open Access: Conservation, Digitization and Interoperability of the Historic Non-Vertebrate Collections of the Texas Natural Science Center

无论是最近的生物收集还是过去的地质收集，都为研究多样性的变化模式和对气候变化等全球变化的反应提供了独特的工具。该项目将为研究和教育提供对稀有藏品的保护和开放访问。它是德克萨斯自然科学中心非脊椎动物古生物库中保存的一系列历史、近期和化石收藏。这些标本中有许多是易碎的，目前存放在不合适的储存条件下，它们的许多相关数据都写在变质的纸质标签上。这个项目将保护和重新安置这些材料。关键标本将与相关的标签、实地笔记或图表一起以数字方式成像。所有关于标本的信息，包括采集地点，都将被添加到NSF赞助的开源数据库中，并通过网络进行访问，用户可以在网上查看或查询特定的群体或时间框架，并将他们在谷歌地球上的选择与今天的地理或地质史上的相关时间框架绘制地图。最近收集的物种，如淡水贻贝和蜗牛，以及19世纪末收集的陆生蜗牛，是研究当今变化模式的关键，可以与现代调查进行比较。壳牌化学是环境指示剂的潜在未来资源。较老的化石标本来自其他气候变化时期，例如5500万年前在古新世-始新世交界处；这些标本对于科学家研究当前的气候变化是宝贵的资源。收集的数据将作为在流行和开放源码移动媒体平台上开发的综合教育资源。与熟练的信息科学家及其学生的合作将有助于开发数字实地考察、化石钥匙和其他互动工具，以激发和告知学生和公众。对许多少数民族来说，手机是他们上网的唯一途径。

Biological collections whether from the recent or geologic past provide a unique tool to investigate the changing patterns of diversity and responses to global changes, such as climate change. This project will protect and provide open access to a rare collection for both research and education. It is a series of historic recent and fossil collections held in the Non-vertebrate paleontology repository of the Texas Natural Science Center. Many of these specimens are fragile, currently located in unsuitable storage conditions with much of their related data written on deteriorating paper labels. This project will conserve and relocate that material. Key specimens will be digitally imaged along with related labels, field notes or diagrams. All information about the specimens, including collection localities, will added to an NSF-sponsored open source database and be made accessible via the web, where the user can view all or query for specific groups or time frames, and map their selections on Google Earth against today's geography or that of the relevant time frame in geologic history.Specimens of recent age, such as freshwater mussels and snails, and terrestrial snails, collected in the late 19th century are keys to patterns of change occurring today, markers against which modern surveys can be compared. Shell chemistries are potential future resources for environmental indicators. Older fossil specimens come from other periods of climate change, such as 55 million years ago at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary; these specimens are invaluable resources for scientists examining the current climate changes. The data gathered will be used as an integral educational resource developed on both popular and open source mobile media platforms. Collaboration with skilled information scientists and their students will help the development of digital field trips, fossil keys and other interactive tools to excite and inform students and members of the public. For many minority groups a phone is their only access to the internet.