The Importance of Museum Collections

The main responsibility of my internship involves the moving of thousands of museum specimens from old storage cabinets to new cabinets. While doing this, I have learned a lot about the importance of collections, why they need to be taken care of, and how they can make a difference in the scientific community.

Museum collections help researchers to examine species' morphology, and observe patterns over time. One of the ways they do this is through species re-assessment. When new species are discovered, specimens need to be reevaluated and the research that has been done with those species' needs to be assessed. Specimens provide genetic data and morphology for for recorded species, which can then be re-assessed and examined to figure out what the new species behaves like/looks like. Having collections accessible and in good condition is essential if this process of re-assessment is to work.

Specimens can also be used to assess the patterns and effects of invasive species. Reconstructing historical species distributions can compare pre- and post- invasion. Stable isotope and/or fatty acid analyses on the collections can also help to compare diets over time and observe trends. Similarly, significant environmental disturbances, regulators, or natural events can be traced through collections, as well as their effects.

Finally, comparing specimens over time can show evolutionary adaptations to changes in climate and urbanization of habitats. This is especially important now, as we take a hard look at how humans and their actions are affecting the natural world.

Having properly labelled, cataloged, and preserved collections is essential if this kind of important and fascinating work is going to continue. This is why the work that I a doing over the summer is important, and how it connects to the museum and research communities at large.