CSBR: Natural History: Augmentation of the HBOI Marine Biotechnology Reference Collection to Enhance Accessibility and Use by a Broader Scientific Community

海洋覆盖了我们星球的70%以上，是地球最后的边界之一。 佛罗里达大西洋大学海港分支海洋研究所（HBOI）在探索海洋生物多样性方面有着悠久的历史。这些努力产生了一个独特的标本集，被指定为海洋生物技术参考标本集（MBRC）。MBRC是一个分类和地理上多样化的集合，有31，500多个保存的底栖海洋无脊椎动物和大型藻类（海藻）。这次采集的独特之处在于，近30%的样本是由载人的Johnson-Sea-Link潜水器在超过150米的深度有选择地采集的，这些潜水器来自由于崎岖的地形或珊瑚礁栖息地而难以通过拖网或疏浚进入的地点。通过潜水器采集意味着与传统的拖网或挖泥船采集相比，这些标本相对完整。这一收藏的独特之处还在于它包括现场照片和录像带。 30年或更长时间的收集提供了一个研究随时间变化的机会。对标本，数据，图像和视频的研究已经有助于更好地了解进化生物学，生态学，海洋栖息地的特征和资源管理，并且对HBOI的药物发现计划至关重要。该项目的一个目标是向科学界提供这些独特的样品和相关数据。这些标本的良好状况使其可用于分子分析，这些视频为描述鲜为人知的海洋栖息地提供了重要数据，其中一些栖息地支持商业和娱乐重要的鱼类和无脊椎动物物种。 该项目的成果之一是建立一个可上网查阅的收藏数据库，其中包括照片和附有说明的视频剪辑，供世界各地的研究人员、学生和公众使用。该系列包括一整套完全数字化的潜水日志和标本照片以及数千小时的视频记录。将验证采集数据的准确性。 样本将贴上条形码标签，以便于访问;它们目前在温控环境中按采集日期进行组织。 数字化录像带将被注释并链接到标本数据库。 与标本数据库的链接将确保完整的数据集-标本，野外记录，收集数据，摄影图像和视频-可以在线公开。 该项目的结果将通过HBOI-FAU网站和iDigBio共享并提供给研究人员，资源管理人员，学生和公众。 将MBRC数字化并在网络上发布数据将扩大馆藏的可用性和影响，超越内部静态存储库的限制，并将促进教学，培训，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响进行评估来支持审查标准。

The oceans, covering over 70% of our planet, are one of Earth's last frontiers. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) has a long history of exploring the ocean biodiversity. These efforts have produced a unique collection of specimens designated as the Marine Biotechnology Reference Collection (MBRC). The MBRC is a taxonomically and geographically diverse collection of more than 31,500 preserved benthic marine invertebrates and macroalgae (seaweeds). This collection is unique in that nearly 30% of the samples were selectively collected by the manned Johnson-Sea-Link submersibles at depths of more than 150 m, from locations that are otherwise difficult to access by trawling or dredging due to rugged topography or reef habitats. Collection by submersible means that these specimens are relatively intact compared to those traditionally collected with trawl or dredge. This collection is also unique in that it includes in situ photographs and videotapes. Collections that were made over a period of 30 years or more provides an opportunity to study changes over time. Research on the specimens, data, images, and videos has already contributed to a better understanding of evolutionary biology, ecology, characterization of marine habitats, and resource management, and has been vital to HBOI's drug discovery program. A goal of this project is to provide the scientific community access to these unique samples and accompanying data. The excellent condition of the specimens makes them useful for molecular analyses, and the videos provide important data to characterize poorly known marine habitats, some of which support commercially and recreationally important fish and invertebrate species. An outcome of the project will be a web-accessible version of the collection database, including photos and annotated video clips, for use by researchers, students and the general public worldwide. The collection consists of a complete set of fully digitized dive logs and specimen photographs and thousands of hours of video recordings. Collection data will be verified for accuracy. Specimens will be barcode labeled for ease in accessing; they are currently organized by collection date in a temperature-controlled environment. Digitized videotapes will be annotated and linked to the specimen database. Links to the specimen database will ensure that the complete set of data - specimens, field notes, collection data, photographic images, and videos - can be made publicly available on-line. Results of this project will be shared and made available to researchers, resource managers, students, and the public through the HBOI-FAU website and through iDigBio. Digitizing the MBRC and publishing the data on the web will expand the availability and impact of the collection beyond the limitations of an internal, static repository, and will promote teaching, training, and learning in basic and interdisciplinary research in a variety of STEM fields.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.