CSBR: Natural History Collections: Curation, Digitization, Integration, and On-Line Access of Two Exceptional Invertebrate Fossil Research Collections

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

This project seeks funding to salvage two unique collections and permanently house them in the Invertebrate Paleontology Division of the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH). These collections were no longer afforded adequate storage at their home institutions. The larger of the two is an exceptional, nationally unique inventory of fossil micro-mollusks. The second collection is composed of critical reference specimens used originally to develop a powerful technique for numerical age dating of fossils (the amino acid racemization method). Both collections will be used extensively in research, education, and training of a new generation of scientists. Diverse audiences will benefit directly from two new exhibits developed using these collections. Additionally, two identification guides will be produced and 1,500 specimen images will be made available through on-line portals and the FLMNH's image galleries. The project will involve hands-on training of undergraduate interns, result in newsletter articles and talks to local groups, and contribute important specimens to public exhibits at the FLMNH and elsewhere. This project seeks to curate, digitize, and publish data from two unique invertebrate fossil collections recently acquired by the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH). The first collection (~30,000 lots) was assembled by Lyle Campbell (University of South Carolina, Upstate) during 40 years of fieldwork in Cenozoic deposits of Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. The collection is a nationally unique scientific resource representing a taxonomically diverse bio-inventory of micro-mollusks. The second collection (~3,000 lots) was assembled by John Wehmiller (University of Delaware) over the past 35 years during the development of amino acid racemization (AAR) dating methods. Both collections will be integrated into the Specify 6.6, a relational database that unifies all FLMNH paleontological and neontological specimen collections. The project will make two significant collections readily available to the global research community, thus providing a stimulus for research. The collection of numerous, rare, and undescribed species of micro-mollusks, severely underrepresented in FLMNH's holdings, will be of broad value to malacologists and paleontologists. This collection is particularly valuable for filling gaps in the fossil record (e.g., tropical Paleogene) and are uniquely suitable for quantitative macro-ecological studies (e.g., ecological niche modeling). The second collection contains key reference materials for geochronological studies needed to validate past research findings and assist Quaternary geochronologists with the development of new dating strategies. Upon completion, the project will result in novel high-quality data on spatial and temporal distribution of Cenozoic invertebrates. These records will be fully integrated into existing data networks (e.g., iDigBio, GBIF, PBDB, and Earth Cube).