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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Dear Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I’m trying to estimate the number of species of organisms in a particular section of Duke Forest, a preserve/teaching/research forest owned by Duke University (where I work). I’ve searched the literature and
found some publications that include e.g. plant inventories, etc. for Duke Forest, but not that many.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">So I have been exploring using the different online natural history specimen search engines to answer my question. As a botanist I have a good handle on the search engines I can use to search herbaria (for
vascular plants, bryophytes, you name it). I simply used the key words “Duke Forest” (or “Korstian Division”, the name of the section of Duke Forest I’m focusing on); I also drew polygons on maps within the search engines, which was also helpful. So, I now
have a good rough estimate of the number of vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and non-lichen fungi for the Korstian Division.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">But I am not as familiar with similar search engines for non-botany (and non-mycology) natural history collections. I am aware of eBird, but I think that includes mostly observations, not actual specimen records,
right? (Still, I may tap into it, since we have a lot more birdwatchers active than actual bird collectors). I’ve also heard of FishNet, for fish; but it is unlikely to give me any data for a forest…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Are there comparable search engines for species (specimen) records of herps, mammals, insects, and non-insect invertebrates (annelids, molluscs, spiders, etc.)?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Side note: I don’t really want to rely on iNaturalist observations because I’ve seen so many misidentifications there. But I will if I must. (Convince me!). iNaturalist also doesn’t have historical data (because
the app is only a few years old—but am I wrong about this? Is anyone uploading historical records into iNaturalist?).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Again, I’m aiming to get a rough number of species of organisms for a given geographic area. If you can help me, please send me direct messages (rather than to the listserv) because I subscribe to the digest
of this listserv, and I only receive my digest once per month. So I may not see your reply for a month.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><br>
Thanks for any help or advice you can give me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Sincerely yours,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Scott<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Scott LaGreca, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Collections Manager, Lichens<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Duke Lichen Herbarium<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Room 137 Biological Sciences Building<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">130 Science Drive<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Box 90338<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Duke University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">Durham, NC 27708 USA </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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