Symposium: No Collection Left Behind @ SPNHC

Symposium: No Collection Left Behind: Research Contributions of Small Collections

 

Contributed by Anna Monfils (Central Michigan University) and Molly Phillips (iDigBio)

 

SCNet, Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN), iDigBio, NSCA, and Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education Network (BLUE) cosponsored the 5th annual SCNet Symposium at SPNHC 2019. The goal of this symposium was to highlight data-driven examples of the contributions small biological collections make to the national digitization initiative and resultant biodiversity research. This symposium discussed  small collections in the context of their unique and valuable contributions to digitization, aggregated data and metadata, and downstream research.

Small natural history collections have the potential to significantly expand our knowledge of species diversity and landscape-level biogeography. Every small collection with properly curated specimens is a unique source of valuable biodiversity data for research. Small research collections archive unduplicated specimens that represent intensive regional sampling, unrepresented temporal sampling, and a focused sampling of community composition typically not represented in large collections. Some small collections are associated with biological research stations and can be our best resource for information on diversity in local biological "hotspots" through time. In addition, small collections can be a hidden source of specimens that represent the expertise of associated curators and researchers.

 

Defining “small research collections” is more than just a matter of scale but rather a cohort of attributes that goes beyond size. These regional natural history collections often have an ecological, taxonomic and geographic focus. Specimens from small collections are often not included in literature review of the regional flora and fauna, so the diversity they archive is not represented in the collective records of species inventories, field guides, regional flora and monographic studies. Curatorial responsibilities may not be part of the "official" job descriptions of small collections staff, so work done for the collection is not linked to reappointment tenure, or promotion. As a result, the visibility of these collections may be limited.

 

This symposium was a product of the working group focused on documenting the contributions of small collections to biodiversity science (SCNet Small Collections Working Group, SCWG). The SCWG is working to generate a manuscript based on the collective contributions of the speakers.

 

Symposium Participants



Hannah  Appiah-Madson  
Northeastern University,

Ocean Genome Legacy Center  
 

Travis D. Marsico  
Arkansas State University,

Biological Sciences  
 

John M. Bates*  
Field Museum of Natural History,

Life Sciences  
 

Jess  Miller-Camp  
Indiana University - Bloomington, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences  

 

Jennifer E Bauer  
University of Florida,

Florida Museum of Natural History  
 

Anna K. Monfils *
Central Michigan University,

Department of Biology
 

Michael W Belitz  
University of Florida,

Florida Museum of Natural History  
 

Molly A Phillips*
Florida Museum of Natural History,

iDigBio  
 

Blake C. Cahill  
Central Michigan University,

Department of Biology
 

Marcia A Revelez*
Natural Science Research Laboratory,

Texas Tech University  
 

Julia B Colby  
Milwaukee Public Museum,

Zoology  
 

Dawn R. Roberts  
Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Collections  

 

Erica  Krimmel*
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Co.,

Research & Collections  
 

Randal A Singer  
University of Michigan,

Museum of Zoology
 

Teresa J Mayfield-Meyer  
University of New Mexico,

Museum of Southwestern Biology  
 

Jennifer M Zaspel *
Milwaukee Public Museum,

Zoology  
 

*Members of Small Collections Working Group Planning Team