Incorporation and Improvement of Collections of Marine Invertebrates into the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County Museum Of Natural History Foundation, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

Despite a growing interest in, and concern over, global biodiversity, many priceless collections of marine invertebrates (crustaceans, echinoderms, marine worms, molluscs, and other groups) have become "orphaned" in recent years. This project will provide funds to care for several existing and diverse collections of marine invertebrates that have been donated to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. New shelving will be installed on existing tracks, and supplies needed to care for these collections will be purchased. Additionally, two persons will be hired in the Museum's Marine Biodiversity Processing Center to help sort, curate, and upgrade the collections. The broader scientific significance of the project is that these collections, and others like them, represent windows into historical marine diversity along the west coast. In some cases, the collections contain specimens from areas that are no longer accessible. Such collections form the basis for what we understand about marine biodiversity, past and present, and represent priceless storehouses of data on Pacific coast marine life. Knowledge gleaned from these collections can form the basis for strong educational programs and for making sound decisions in conservation and resource management.