specimens vs "Dead Butterflies"
Michael Gochfeld
gochfeld at eohsi.rutgers.edu
Thu Jun 7 11:59:34 EDT 2001
Norbert wrote:
I believe that specimens (dead organisms) will
continue to play an important role in science and in documentation of
global biodiversity -
------------------------
I share that belief, but (as I have written often before) I suspect that
fewer and few institutions will commit to preserving and curating
specimens, and old curatorial policies may not be congruent with the
future needs of systematics or conservation biology.
Xrays are now being "curated" in digital format. (Lucky thing too since
hospitals can discard the films after 5-7 years). Will there come a
time when only digital images of the type specimen (with every
conceived of digital measurement), and digital biochemical sequences
remain---the virtual musuem.
M. Gochfeld
------------------------------------------------------------
For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:
http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl
More information about the Leps-l
mailing list