Computerization of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Mollusk Collection

密歇根大学动物博物馆软体动物收藏的计算机化

• 批准号: 0447142
• 负责人: Diarmaid O'Foighil
• 金额: $ 48.48万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-03-01 至 2010-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0447142&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Computerization; University; Michigan; Museum; Zoology

A grant has been awarded to the University of Michigan, under the direction of Dr. Diarmaid O'Foighil, for partial support of the computerization of the Museum of Zoology Mollusk Collection (UMMZ-MC). This collection is a major national and international resource, serving as an influential research reference to diverse fields including freshwater biology and conservation, invertebrate zoology, medical and veterinary zoology, and paleontology. The present day scientific utilization of the UMMZ-MC is hindered by the absence of an online searchable database. In practical terms, this means that biologists/conservationists interested in UMMZ-MC holdings often have to physically visit the collection for extended periods to access the information they require. The grant will enable UMMZ-MC personnel to enter all of the catalogued lots (approximately 251,000) into an online searchable database. During this process, each lot will be re-housed in an acid-free environment, enumerated, taxonomically-updated and georeferenced. This work will have a transformative effect on the research utility of the UMMZ-MC and will greatly facilitate remote access to the collection's historical biodiversity data.University of Michigan undergraduate students and graduate student curatorial assistants will be centrally involved in this project. These students will receive a thorough grounding in modern museum skills and work practices. They will receive expert training in identifying specimens based on conchological features, in taxonomic practice and nomenclature, and in the management and care of museum collections. They will also be trained in a variety of computer science skills, including data management, database design, SQL server and online database applications, and geographic information systems. Computerization of the UMMZ-MC will return it to the forefront of active research mollusk collections, releasing its enormous store of latent historical biodiversity and biogeographical data to an eager audience of systematists, ecologists and conservation biologists, and spurring significant increases in overall collection activity rates. The online database will also be available to the general public, a growing fraction of whom are increasingly interested in conservation issues and who are gradually becoming aware that the greatest loss in North American animal diversity has involved freshwater mollusks. It will allow the UMMZ-MC to eventually link with sister collections in peer museums, facilitating the transition to online multiple-collection searches as they develop. Finally, this project will also enable the UMMZ-MC to strengthen its prominent role in training graduate and undergraduate students in systematic biology and museum science by incorporating significant levels of practical database and general curatorial skill development.

在Diarmaid O'Foighil博士的指导下向密歇根大学授予了一笔赠款，以部分支持动物学博物馆Mollusk Collection（UMMZ-MC）的计算机化。该系列是一种主要的国家和国际资源，是针对各种领域的有影响力的研究参考，包括淡水生物学和保护，无脊椎动物动物学，医学和兽医动物学以及古生物学。当今的UMMZ-MC的科学利用受到缺乏在线搜索数据库的阻碍。 实际上，这意味着对UMMZ-MC控股感兴趣的生物学家/保护主义者通常必须物理访问该藏品，以便访问所需的信息。该赠款将使UMMZ-MC人员能够将所有已分类的批次（约251,000）输入到在线搜索数据库中。 在此过程中，每个批次都将在无酸环境中重新载入，列举，分类法上更新并获得地理位置。 这项工作将对UMMZ-MC的研究实用性产生变革性的影响，并将极大地促进远程访问该系列的历史生物多样性数据。 这些学生将在现代博物馆技能和工作实践中获得彻底的基础。 他们将接受专家培训，以根据分类学实践和术语以及博物馆收藏的管理和护理来识别标本的专家培训。 它们还将接受各种计算机科学技能的培训，包括数据管理，数据库设计，SQL Server和在线数据库应用程序以及地理信息系统。 UMMZ-MC的计算机化将把它归还活跃研究的软体动物收藏的最前沿，将其潜在的历史生物多样性和生物地理数据释放给了渴望的系统主义者，生态学家和保护生物学家的观众，并激发了整体收集活动率的显着提高。 在线数据库还将向公众提供，其中越来越多的部分对保护问题越来越感兴趣，并且逐渐意识到，北美动物多样性中最大的损失涉及淡水软体动物。 它将允许UMMZ-MC最终与同行博物馆的姐妹收藏联系起来，从而促进了在开发的在线多收集搜索的过渡。 最后，该项目还将使UMMZ-MC能够通过结合大量的实用数据库和一般策展技能开发来加强其在培训毕业生和本科生中的重要作用。