[Nhcoll-l] Question About Validation of Scientific Collections

[Schindel, David]

I think you're asking about validation of the taxonomic identification of specimens, not entire collections.  A few publications have proposed ways to characterize the reliability of identifications but their proposals have never been implemented, as far as I know.  About all you can do is note who identified the specimen, sometimes found as metadata in the specimen database or an annotation on a specimen label. This doesn't indicate whether the ID is reliable or not, but it's better than nothing.   The Consortium for the Barcode of Life has developed a set of metadata fields for records in GenBank that record who made the identification, when it was made, the basis for the identification (whole specimens? diagnostic characters or overall appearance? pictures?) and a three-level qualitative assessment of the identifier's confidence in the accuracy of the identification.  We've used it for the Barcode of Life Project (www.barcodeoflife.org) and have a manuscript in preparation that presents the system.

David E. Schindel, Executive Secretary

Executive Secretary, Consortium for the Barcode of Life<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.barcodeoflife.org_content_about_what-2Dcbol&d=CwIFAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=OHIDsRycRALBAxlWfA3pgNH1salVKMsgGM0nbuqSyWY&s=KtqEQgaWme-5Np8iuykrSl-Y2Ttnf4Ty8d-8HMAVaMU&e= >
Executive Board Chair, Scientific Collections International<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.scicoll.org_&d=CwIFAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=OHIDsRycRALBAxlWfA3pgNH1salVKMsgGM0nbuqSyWY&s=GprtvITNIug59KS98D7kZvv4GU7B96oTZ8ZhwpOp0c0&e= >
  202/633-0812; fax 202/633-2938; portable 202/557-1149
National Museum of Natural History
 Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC 20560



From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Furth, David
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2016 3:43 PM
To: 'nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu'
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Question About Validation of Scientific Collections

I am forwarding this for a friend/colleague in the US Fish & Wildlife Service.  Any advice would be appreciated.


"I am trying to find some literature on Validation of Scientific Collections. I started a Wood Collection when I got to Ashland to be able to do the case work I came to do. Some of the wood came from Xylariums in Europe, the Forest Product Lab (USDA) in Madison, WI and a lot of it has been purchased from wood sellers in the US and Canada. Our identification techniques include wood anatomy and chemical analysis, we rely heavily on the chemistry (every species of wood has its own chemical profile--very cool). As we start to publish we are asked about who validated our material. Sometimes we can use the Xylarium information, but most commonly now, even the samples that come from Xylariums are not identified correctly. Anyway, wanted to see if you have any suggestions on literature in regards to this issues."


******************************************************
David G. Furth, Ph.D.
Emeritus Collections Manager & Research Associate
Department of Entomology
MRC 165, P.O. Box 37012
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D. C. 20013-7012  USA
Phone: 202-633-0990
Fax: 202-786-2894
Email: furthd at si.edu<mailto:furthd at si.edu>
Website: www.entomology.si.edu<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.entomology.si.edu_&d=CwMFAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=FLtxbhkH2P4-ihdXGBG3Hhwre7Cfvo0fCvbJeO5i_Xw&s=9KuN3xfxTGqicNNh3jE_DJP27ClC6V0YLRFNMixe0C4&e=>


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