CSBR: Natural History Collections: Critical infrastructure needs in the University of Alaska Museum's bird collection

阿拉斯加占美国陆地面积的20%。它拥有新世界和旧世界鸟类的多样组合以及特有的区域鸟类。阿拉斯加大学博物馆（UAM）的鸟类收藏品是越来越重要的国家和国际重要性之一，代表了许多增强其实用性的制备类型。此外，UAM现在拥有世界上第8大的鸟类组织收藏。这个收藏品被大量使用，可能是因为它包含了这个广阔地区最好的（也是唯一的现代）鸟类标本，并支持生物多样性，进化历史，管理和保护的研究。它也被艺术家，鸟类观察者，社会科学家，生态学家，生态系统生物学家和毒理学家使用。因此，该系列为研究提供了信息，包括污染物和稳定同位素的评估，气候变化，人类文物和艺术，以及阿拉斯加原住民的历史饮食。这些藏品有助于我们应对健康、食品和环境等大规模社会挑战。该集合的影响力体现在近年来至少115篇出版物和28篇学生论文中的引用，其Google Scholar配置文件（UAM Birds）进一步显示了其高影响力。该系列还作为本科生，研究生和博士后水平的培训和教育的重点，并作为公众参与科学的展示。然而，这些收藏品严重拥挤，由于部分人被迫住进未经分类和不合标准的住房，因此越来越难以进入。皮肤、骨骼和开放翼标本储存不足，用户无法访问，现在关于标本收集增长的决定主要集中在考虑标本的大小。这些问题严重影响了不同用户群体对这一研究资源的使用。该项目通过在压缩机系统上安装新的标本柜来解决这些问题，并支持学生学员与博物馆工作人员密切合作，重新安置整个收藏品，并制定和实施公众宣传活动。该项目支持对许多需要鸟类样本的研究至关重要的基础设施。它将使购买和安装92个新的标本柜在一个新的移动的存储系统，最大限度地利用空间后，博物馆的扩建和翻新。这种橱柜安装将充分容纳并使过度拥挤的标本变得容易接近，并为未来十年的增长提供空间。重要的是，该项目将培养学生以收藏为基础的科学，从而帮助准备21世纪的STEM劳动力。它还让当地和全球公众参与生物收藏的兴奋，促进对科学及其在服务社会中的作用的更好理解。关于UAM鸟类收藏的更多信息可以通过我们的网站www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/bird/访问，或在这里：www.universityofalaskamuseumbirds.org/。

Alaska represents about 20% of the land area of the United States. It hosts diverse assemblages of New World and Old World birds and an endemic regional avifauna. The Bird Collection at the University of Alaska Museum (UAM) is one of growing national and international importance, representing many preparation types that enhance its utility. Additionally, UAM now houses the 8th-largest vouchered avian tissue collection in the world. This collection is rather heavily used, probably because it contains the best (and only modern) bird specimens from this vast region, and supports research in biodiversity, evolutionary history, management, and conservation. It is also used by artists, birdwatchers, social scientists, ecologists, ecosystem biologists, and toxicologists. Thus, the collection informs studies including assessments of contaminants and stable isotopes, climate change, human artifacts and art, and the historic diets of Alaska Natives. These collections contribute to our ability to address large-scale societal challenges such as health, food, and the environment. The collection's impact is exemplified by its citation in at least 115 publications and 28 student theses in recent years, and its Google Scholar profile (UAM Birds) further shows its high impact. The collection also serves as a focus for training and education at undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels, and as a showpiece for public engagement in science. However, the collection is severely overcrowded and is becoming inaccessible as portions are forced into unsorted and substandard housing. Skin, skeleton, and open-wing specimens are inadequately stored, inaccessible to users, and decisions about collection growth now focus on the size of the specimen being considered. These problems severely impact the use of this research resource by its diverse community of users. This project addresses these problems by installing new specimen cabinets on a compactor system and supporting student trainees to work closely with museum staff in rehousing the entire collection and in developing and implementing public outreach activities.This project supports infrastructure that is critical to many types of studies requiring avian samples. It will enable the purchase and installation of 92 new specimen cabinets on a new mobile storage system, maximizing the use of space following the museum's expansion and renovation. This cabinet installation will adequately house and make accessible overcrowded specimens and provide room for growth for the next decade. Importantly, this project will train students in collections-based science, thus helping prepare the 21st century STEM workforce. It also engages the public locally and globally in the excitement of biological collections, fostering a better understanding of science and its role in serving society. More information about the UAM Bird Collection can be accessed through our web site at www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/bird/, or here: www.universityofalaskamuseumbirds.org/.