CSBR: Natural History: Addressing Critical Needs in the Ornithology and Herpetology Collections of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

CSBR: Natural History: Addressing Critical Collection Needs at UC - Berkeley's Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ). An award is made to the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ), a center for research and education at the University of California, Berkeley. Its collections of over 700,000 specimens are used for research, education, and to inform conservation decisions. Implementation of the planned activities will secure this biodiversity data resource for the advancement of scientific research. Specifically, the value and security of the MVZ collections will be enhanced through upgrades to the storage conditions of the ornithology collection. Also, rare specimens and associated information will be cataloged and made accessible, potentially increasing their use in research and informing resource management decisions. The collection includes species that are protected and poorly represented in most museum collections. Additionally, some samples are important for understanding disease spread, reproduction, physiology, and population changes over time. The project will leverage existing outreach efforts at the museum and continue the museum's tradition of student mentorship and training. This will, in part, be achieved through a workshop on the curation and use of museum data. Students and postgraduates will be trained in curation methods, modern collection management and data standards. This project has two major goals: (1) Enhance pest protection of the MVZ Ornithology collection by replacing a subset of the bird specimen cases to protect against future infestations. This aspect of the project focuses on passerine skins as they comprise the bulk of the MVZ bird collection, are the most actively growing part of the collection, and are most heavily used by researchers. The work performed will also involve reorganization of the collection to reflect current published taxonomies, facilitating its use for research and teaching. (2) Provide long-term security of Ornithology and Herpetology specimens and data by cataloging 14 special acquisitions. Over 3,000 specimens in Ornithology and over 19,000 in Herpetology have been accepted through special donations and specimen transfers of orphaned collections since 1995. These acquisitions include: unique series or specimen preparations not found in other museum collections; specimens of historic and/or geographic relevance to NSF-funded research aimed at documenting faunal change over the past century; and rare and/or endangered and globally diverse amphibian specimens used for studying the effects of deadly chytrid fungus. These acquisitions contain critically important, but currently inaccessible data for scientific research and discovery and they enhance knowledge about biodiversity and environmental change through species, data, and geographic areas that are underrepresented in museum collections. By cataloging these collections, the specimens will be secured long-term and available more quickly to the scientific community. The MVZ is a leader in biodiversity data projects, and all data will be made available globally through Arctos, VertNet, iDigBio, GBIF, and other data portals. Broader impacts of this project include a webcast Digital Curation and Data Quality Workshop and new public displays that further the MVZ's mission. Plans are to develop new community outreach across multiple age groups, and recruit and train new students, postgraduates, and interns. The principal investigators will mentor and/or employ 20 individuals and train an additional 35 participants through the workshop and webcast.