Imagine trying to keep track of the data associated with almost 8 million specimens! In the past the task would have been inconceivable, but with the widespread availability of computers, many institutions have begun entering their collection data into computerized databases. The INHS has been one of the leaders in computerization of natural history collections. The INHS Mammal, Amphibian and Reptile, Fish, Crustacean, Mollusk, and Plant collections all have complete and up-to-date electronic databases, and computerization of the INHS Insect and Annelid collections is currently under way. All told, data for nearly 1.5 million specimens have been entered. The databases are run in Claris Filemaker Pro primarily on Macintosh computers, but are also compatible with Windows.
Data from the collections have been used by scientists to develop lists of both state and federal threatened and endangered species and of introduced or harmful species. They have also been used to recognize outstanding natural areas and to formulate management plans for species. Information is supplied on request to other scientific research institutions, governmental agencies, universities, museums, and the general public on a routine basis for a variety of uses.
Several of the collections databases are searchable on the World Wide Web. Anyone with access to the Web can query the mammal, amphibian and reptile, fish, crustacean, and mollusk collections databases at http://ellipse.inhs.uiuc.edu/INHSCollections/. We offer a limited amount of information about each specimen on our Web site, but individuals are welcome to e-mail the appropriate curator and request further details. Programs used for Web access of the databases include WebSTAR, Lasso, and Filemaker Pro.
The INHS Geographic Information System (GIS) is being incorporated for use with our collections databases. The collections locations are plotted in the GIS and then the locality information in the Filemaker Pro file is linked to the GIS point. The location of each specimen can then be drawn on a computer-generated map. Distributions of individual species or groups of species can be plotted on paper, on the computer screen, and on the Web (see "Illinois Amphibian and Reptile Distributions" at http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/herpdist/herp.html). By using our collections databases in conjunction with GIS, researchers are able to see changes in distributions of populations both in time and space. Gaps in species conservation can be assessed by combining collection data with GIS data on land ownership.
The Survey's biological collections are an important part of our knowledge of the biodiversity of Illinois. By entering the information into electronic databases, we are able to easily retrieve information and use it in different ways. We can also combine the collections data with other types of data already available in the GIS to help give us a better understanding of the plants and animals of Illinois.
Christine Mayer, Center for Biodiversity
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