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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Hi everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The last year, I worked on my master’s thesis at the Museum für Naturkunde (MfN) in Berlin. My thesis focused on the deterioration processes in mammal collections. The skins and hides are easily tearable and often torn
or damaged. Studies concerning deterioration processes in mammal collections are rare and only few publications are available. Comparable studies can be found in projects of leather research. In my thesis unpublished knowledge of taxidermists, tanners, and
researchers of interdisciplinary special fields from Germany, France, Sweden and Switzerland is gathered, matched and compared with available publications. Acid-induced decay caused by inadequate conservation techniques seems to be the main reason for deterioration.
Sulfuric acid demolishes structures in the skin and reduces the tear strength. Poor storage conditions accelerate the deterioration processes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I visited several collections in Germany and Switzerland and I know that there are comparable problems in other collections in Europe. Now, the MfN wants to spread out the research and we want to share our knowledge with
other mammal collections.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We want to know: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Status quo of the collections. How many collections were threatened by that problem? Are there mammal orders or families known that are particularly affected? Percentage/Proportion of the threatened specimens in your
collections?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Publications and projects. Are there more projects, institutions, research groups known that study the decay in collections? Do have further articles or publications about that topic?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Please, send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:steffen.bock@mfn-berlin.de">
steffen.bock@mfn-berlin.de</a> if you have further information that can help.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In June 2016, I will present the results of my master’s thesis at the SPNHC conference in Berlin. Hopefully we will see us there and have a nice discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE">Steffen Bock</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-language:DE"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE">M.Sc. in Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE">Museum für Naturkunde<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE">Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE">Invalidenstr. 43<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE">D-10115 Berlin</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE">Germany</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:DE"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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