Biodiversity Center Project at Arkansas State University

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Biodiversity Center Project at Arkansas State
University

• Aldemaro Romero, Tanja McKay, Thomas Risch,
   Stanley Trauth
• Department of Biological Sciences

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ASU Best Kept Secret
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Importance

• Dozens of specimens represent holotypes,
  paratypes, and threatened species
• 500 biologists have used them
• For historical biogeography, systematics,
  functional morphology, ecology, physiology,
  behavior, ethnozoology, and the introduction of
  exotics
• More than 400 papers and presentations

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Many Problems

• No sufficient space for them
• Taking up 5,000 sq ft and 13 rooms in Biology
• Lack of appropriate curation for some
• Glass and Bynes Diseases

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The Biodiversity Center
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What is It?

• The Repository of Arkansas Natural Heritage
• A center for community interactions through
  showing documentaries, pubic fora, scientific
  meetings, and other special events
• A spark for off-campus public events (e.g.,
  BioBlitz, itinerant exhibitions)
• A Web-accessed source of information

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The Building
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Fifth Floor
Fourth Floor
Third Floor
Second Floor
First Floor
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Fifth Floor
Fourth Floor
Third Floor
Second Floor
First Floor
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Fifth Floor
Fourth Floor
Third Floor
Second Floor
First Floor
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Fifth Floor
Fourth Floor
Third Floor
Second Floor
First Floor
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Fifth Floor
Fourth Floor
Third Floor
Second Floor
First Floor
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Networking
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Outreach

• To increase the public's awareness regarding the
  value of research collections
• BioBlitz

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Itinerant Exhibition
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Internet
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Specific Objectives in the Web

• To database all ASU specimens
• To develop web-based access to their information
• To georeference all specimens

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Increased access to specimen data by government,
educational, and non-government organizations
will

• Guide activities of the Arkansas Biological
  Survey
• Help track the status of rare, threatened, and
  endangered species
• Allow the incorporation of collection data into
  GIS databases
• Facilitate rapid accumulation and dissemination
  of biodiversity information

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The project also will enhance Arkansass science
and education infrastructure by providing
training in biological databasing and data
sharing via

• Work experiences for students and researchers
• Collaboration among state scientists
• Training workshops for state researchers

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Cost

• 5-year budget 10,000,000
• Physical Plant 7,000,000
• Equipment, furniture 3,000,000
• No additional personnel
• Maintenance costs through indirect costs from
  research grants generated by the Center

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