![]() ![]() ![]() The value of specimensĮvery natural history specimen with good data provides a physical snapshot of a species or community at a particular point in time and space. Most importantly, they have good information about where and when the specimens were collected. These specimens are physical proof that work has been conducted and that species have been described accurately. ![]() Obviously the life in your back garden is quite well known by now, but there are still parts of the Earth that have not been thoroughly investigated and new species are coming to light all the time – particularly in the oceans and tropical forests.īeyond the important type specimens, museums also hold voucher specimens, which are examples of organisms collected during biological recording and other research. These are preserved specimens of the individuals that were used to describe and name a species, providing the basis for taxonomy.Įvery plant, fungus and animal you see in your garden has a scientific name that comes from such a description and each new proposed species needs to be compared to the preserved types of other similar organisms in order to ensure that it is in fact different to anything already described. The most fundamental role of natural history collections is safeguarding type specimens. This is because historical collections provide base-line data against which modern observations can be compared and to produce predictive models. Natural Science Collections provide a valuable resource for helping us to understand the world in which we live.Īpart from being hugely popular with the public, natural history collections play a vital role in our understanding of biodiversity, evolution, population genetics and the environmental impacts of climate change, pesticide use and so on.
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