1. Archbold Biological Station
From the scrub to the web: Digitizing Archbold’s natural history collections
Stephanie Leon
@sleon002
Archbold Biological Station

2. Outline History of Collections at Archbold Special Collection
Databasing Goals
Beyond Databasing
Public Outreach
Special Research Projects

3. History
Large, on-site natural history collection
Archbold Prioritized development and curation of the on-site ABS collection
Multi-taxon
More than 270,000 specimens
Rich in local flora and fauna
reference collection
Treasure trove for Entomologists 
And Ecologists given the richness of data
© B. Mansell

4. Collections at Archbold
Invertebrates ~250,000 pinned specimens
~6,000 species
Birds & Mammals ~1500 bird skins, 512 species
73 mammal skins, 30 species
Herptiles & Fish 2,068 wet specimens of amphibians and reptiles
100 species
2,248 fish specimens, 45 species
Plants >4,000 mounted vascular plants
>1400 species
Small number of lichens and bryophyte specimens

5. Why digitize? Specimens serve as “global research infrastructure”
Provide long-term preservation
Increase access to specimen data
PROMOTE and INCREASE use of collections
Provide opportunities for student training

6. Collections at Archbold: Arthropods
Flower visiting insects
Scrub endemics
Synoptic collections
Gall berry insects
Palmetto visitors
Ants of Florida
Crematogaster pinicola
Crematogaster ashmeadi
Mark Deyrup
Collections in support of Biological Collections (CSBR)

7. Scientific Goals of ABS CSBR Award
Prioritize digitization of the Archbold arthropod collection (Largest).
Ant collection
Flower Visitor
LWR Rare Endemics
Dead Wood Specialists
Build a complete searchable holdings list (all taxa) and image specimens.
Build on our existing collaboration with iDigBio.
Add metrics and web analytics of the use and impact of Archbold Collection data.
In conjunction with iDigBio Archbold to serve as a model for biological field station collections.

8. General Workflow Pre-digitization Curation Data capture
Specimen Image capture
Data upload

9. Digitization of the Archbold arthropod collection: Pre-digitization specimen curation
Expand storage capacity for the arthropod collection
Added 6 new full Cornell cabinets and one vial cabinet
Arthropods re-organized by order, then alphabetically by family within order, genus within family and species within genus (1 species per tray[s])
Spread specimens out among existing/new drawers: 120/420 drawers or 29% complete

10. Arthropod Digitization Part II: Data Capture
Flower visitors
Florida Ants
Data entry:
ARTHARCH #s
Label transcription
QA/QC: Check for all errors
Red Dot= Checked and ready for upload

11. Arthropod Digitization Part III: Specimen image capture
Pre-digitization/Curation/Staging
Curating specimens; Selecting the right specimen: intact, legible labels, etc.
Image Capture
Position & parameters
Image processing and Wrap-up
Adding scale bar and species name
Adding yellow dot to specimen to mark as “imaged”

12. Data entry achievements in numbers
Taxa
Specimens
Species
Databased
(imaged)
Specimens OnLine
Plants
4,531
 1,499
4,580
Bryophytes
538
200 
80%
Pollen slides
300
100%
Arthropods
258,000
~8,000 
~26,000 specimens
1500 species 1350 imaged (roughly 25% of all species in collection)
11,708
(4.5% of 258,000)
Herptiles
2,068
110
Fishes
2,248 52 0%
Birds
2,007
554 (incl. skeletons)
(~20%)
Mammals
399 57

13. Specimens & data for research
ABS Collections
Student training
Specimens & data for research
Public outreach
Students are trained in basic curatorial skills, databasing and imaging; They are encouraged to use the collection for research projects; in turn they deposit specimens into the collection
Lab and collection tours are given to the public; social media posts, newspaper articles
Interns/students present their research at symposia

14. Engaging “non-collections” scientists
Ecologists being immersed in the world of collections
Graduate Student training
Transcribing field notes and labels from our Florida Scrub Jay collection
Representing over 40 years of scrub jay research
Young Ha Suh

15. Bees and Wasps on ALL sampled flowers at Archbold
Using our database
Dylan Ricke

16. Flower visitors

17. Broader Impact Goals
Establish collections research internships at Archbold
Establish an annual multi-taxon training workshop for Archbold post- baccalaureate research interns
Newsletters, newspaper articles, and social media posts

18. Conclusions
Collections digitization at Archbold extends beyond data and image capture
Living collection
Adding specimens
Answering research questions based on specimen data
Creating a natural history collections environment to all scientists volunteers and the general public
Our Flower visiting insects database is available online (and waiting to be used )

19. Acknowledgements Archbold Biological Station Hilary Swain Mark Deyrup
SPNHC
Fitzgerald Travel Grant
Dylan Ricke
Young Ha Suh