A plea for digital reference collections and other science‐based digitization initiatives in taxonomy: <scp>S</scp>epsidnet as exemplar

Y, Ang; Puniamoorthy, Jayanthi; Pont, Adrian C.; Barták, Miroslav; Blanckenhorn, Wolf U.; Eberhard, William G.; Puniamoorthy, Nalini; Silva, Vera C.; Munari, Lorenzo; Meier, Rudolf

doi:10.1111/syen.12015

Cited by 49 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…This includes scanning horizontally stored slides with the SatScan® system (Blagoderov et al 2012), which would result in images of labels and the outline of specimens at best. A more realistic and more sophisticated approach to digitization was suggested by Jersabek et al (2003a, b), Jersabek (2005), and Ang et al (2013). These authors encourage digitization only "if they (i) enhance taxonomic output and quality, (ii) are feasible, and (iii) have favorable cost-benefit ratios" (Ang et al 2013, p. 637).…”

Section: Digitization Of Microscope Slidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(1) Digitization does not stop deterioration of the original microscope slides in any way but takes staff time and expertise, which is then lacking for restoration efforts (see also Ang et al 2013).…”

Section: Digitization Of Microscope Slidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(3) It requires considerable time and expert knowledge to take meaningful photographs of exactly those characters, which are taxonomically valuable for a database of, e.g., type and rare specimens (Jersabek et al 2003a, b;Jersabek 2005;Ang et al 2013). Also, each slide would have to be digitized individually with a motorized microscope, especially if DIC or phase contrast are required (see also topics 7 and 8).…”

Section: Digitization Of Microscope Slidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the contrary, even digitization of certain slides by an expert in the highest quality possible may just be complementary to physical microscope slides in a few specific cases only (Jersabek et al 2003a, b;Jersabek 2005;Ang et al 2013). …”

Section: Digitization Of Microscope Slidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Collection management and study of microscope slides: Storage, profiling, deterioration, restoration procedures, and general recommendations

Neuhaus

Schmid

Riedel

2017

Zootaxa

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A wide range of aspects concerning microscope slides, their preparation, long-time storage, curatorial measures in collections, deterioration, restoration, and study is summarized based on our own data and by analyzing more than 600 references from the 19th century until 2016, 15 patents, and about 100 Materials Safety Data Sheets. Information from systematic zoology, conservation sciences, chemistry, forensic sciences, pathology, paleopathology, applied sciences like food industry, and most recent advances in digital imaging are put together in order to obtain a better understanding of which and possibly why mounting media and coverslip seals deteriorate, how slides can be salvaged, which studies may be necessary to identify a range of ideal mounting media, and how microscope studies can benefit from improvements in developmental biology and related fields. We also elaborate on confusing usage of concepts like that of maceration and of clearing. The chemical ingredients of a range of mounting media and coverslip seals are identified as much as possible from published data, but this information suffers in so far as the composition of a medium is often proprietary of the manufacturer and may vary over time. Advantages, disadvantages, and signs of deterioration are documented extensively for these media both from references and from our own observations. It turns out that many media degrade within a few years, or decades at the latest, except Canada balsam with a documented life-time of 150 years, Euparal with a documented life-time of 50 years, and glycerol-paraffin mounts sealed with Glyceel, which represents almost the only non-deteriorating and easily reversible mount. Deterioration reveals itself as a yellowing in natural resins and as cracking, crystallization, shrinkage on drying or possibly on loss of a plasticizer, detachment of the coverslip, segregation of the ingredients in synthetic polymers, as well as continued maceration of a specimen to a degree that the specimen virtually disappears. Confusingly, decay does not always appear equally within a collection of slides mounted at the same time in the same medium. The reasons for the deteriorative processes have been discussed but are controversial especially for gum-chloral media. Comparing data from conservation sciences, chemical handbooks, and documented ingredients, we discuss here how far chemical and physical deterioration probably are inherent to many media and are caused by the chemical and physical properties of their components and by chemicals dragged along from previous preparation steps like fixation, chemical maceration, and physical clearing. Some recipes even contain a macerating agent, which proceeds with its destructive work. We provide permeability data for oxygen and water vapor of several polymers contained in mounting media and coverslip seals. Calculation of the penetration rate of moisture in one example reveals that water molecules reach a specimen within a few days up to about a month; this lays to rest extensive discussions about the permanent protection of a mounted specimen by a mounting medium and a coverslip seal. Based on the ever growing evidence of the unsuitable composition and application of many, and possibly almost all, mounting media, we strongly encourage changing the perspective on microscope slides from immediate usability and convenience of preparation towards durability and reversibility, concepts taken from conservation sciences. Such a change has already been suggested by Upton (1993) more than 20 years ago for gum-chloral media, but these media are still encouraged nowadays by scientists. Without a new perspective, taxonomic biology will certainly lose a large amount of its specimen basis for its research within the next few decades. Modern non-invasive techniques like Raman spectroscopy may help to identify mounting media and coverslip seals on a given slide as well as to understand ageing of the media. An outlook is given on potential future studies. In order to improve the situation of existing collections of microscope slides, we transfer concepts as per the Smithsonian Collections Standards and Profiling System, developed for insect collections more than 25 years ago, to collections of slides. We describe historical and current properties and usage of glass slides, coverslips, labels, and adhesives under conservational aspects. In addition, we summarize and argue from published and our own experimental information about restorative procedures, including re-hydration of dried-up specimens previously mounted in a fluid medium. Alternatives to microscope slides are considered. We also extract practical suggestions from the literature concerning microscope equipment, cleaning of optical surfaces, health risks of immersion oil, and recent improvements of temporary observation media especially in connection with new developments in digital software.

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Section: Digitization Of Microscope Slidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Digitization Of Microscope Slidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Digitization Of Microscope Slidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Digitization Of Microscope Slidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Collection management and study of microscope slides: Storage, profiling, deterioration, restoration procedures, and general recommendations

Neuhaus

Schmid

Riedel

2017

Zootaxa

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“…Not only does digitization provide a back-up of the data stored in collections, but it can also make analyses easier for future researchers. Much-needed discussions regarding the digitization of collections are emerging (Ang et al 2013, Balke et al 2013, and major initiatives to promote digitization, including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, www.gbif.org) and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio, www.idigbio.org), are already taking place. VertNet's Portal Statstcs already provide some data on usage of their databases (http://portal.vertnet.org/ stats) that could integrate into administrative reports.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracking changes in natural history collections utilization: A case study at the Museum of Southwestern Biology at the University of New Mexico

Abrahamson

2015

Collection Forum

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Abstract.-Natural history collections (NHCs) are used in many fields of study, but general knowledge regarding their uses is poor. Because of this, funding and support for NHCs frequently fluctuate. One way in which collections professionals can illustrate a collection's contribution to a variety of fields is based on the collection's history of use. Tracking NHC utilization through time can increase NHC value to others outside of the collection, allow for the analysis of changes in specimen-based research trends, and assist in effective collection management. This case study focuses on NHC usage records held by the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), a currently growing university collection used in many research fields, and presents methods for quantifying collections utilization through time. Through an exploration of these data, this paper illustrates MSB's growth and changes in research produced over time and offers explanations for the changes observed. Last, this study provides suggestions for how collections professionals can most greatly benefit from considering NHC records as a data source. Understanding NHC usage from "the collection's perspective" provides a new way for NHC professionals to understand NHCs' value in the context of the research it supports and demonstrates the importance of this key infrastructure to a broader audience.

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Arthropods as a Sustainable Biomonitoring Tool for Environmental Pollution

Abajue,

Izah

2024

Biomonitoring of Pollutants in the Global South

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A plea for digital reference collections and other science‐based digitization initiatives in taxonomy: Sepsidnet as exemplar

Cited by 49 publications

References 66 publications

Collection management and study of microscope slides: Storage, profiling, deterioration, restoration procedures, and general recommendations

Collection management and study of microscope slides: Storage, profiling, deterioration, restoration procedures, and general recommendations

Tracking changes in natural history collections utilization: A case study at the Museum of Southwestern Biology at the University of New Mexico

Arthropods as a Sustainable Biomonitoring Tool for Environmental Pollution

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