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A collaborative system for sharing paleontology collections data

¹ Department of Invertebrate Paleontology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90007, USA

View larger version (108K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1. An example of a specimen lot from the Department of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACMIP) collections, including paper labels containing potentially useful information that should be incorporated into the LACMIP specimen catalog

View larger version (63K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 2. A schematic model illustrating the architecture underlying the Department of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACMIP) catalog. All information is stored in a relational database and is accessible through four user interfaces. Web forms and REST-style Web services can be used to search, browse, and add information into the system. Software underlying each component is indicated in parentheses, including Apache Web server, PostgreSQL database management system, and SQL and PHP programming languages. Connections between Web server and clients on the World Wide Web can be encrypted using the mod_ssl module available with the Apache Web server software

View larger version (21K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 3. Forms for searching for collecting localities in the Department of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACMIP) catalog. A: Search form allows users to specify values for various fields.

View larger version (34K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 3. (Continued.) B: Results for a search for localities from Redding Formation in Shasta County include 88 localities. Note that there can be multiple entries for each field, for example, the age of locality LACMIP 10726 has been refined from Cretaceous to Turonian by Harry Filkorn in August 2004. Public view cannot be modified.

View larger version (33K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 3. (Continued.) C: In contrast, authorized users may add additional information using controls along left margin of form.

View larger version (17K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 3. (Continued.) D: Clicking the control for Unit results in a new form that can be used to add additional information regarding stratigraphic units. This simple mechanism allows researchers to update the catalog as they use it from any computer connected to the Internet

View larger version (23K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 4. A new collecting locality can be added using this Web form.

View larger version (24K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 5. A simple pick list mechanism can be used to select taxonomic names. A: For example, when adding a new lot, determination is selected using a pick list. In this form, user is searching for the genus Chione.

View larger version (24K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 5. (Continued.) B: One genus is found by that search and can be selected by choosing the Yes control.

View larger version (29K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 5. (Continued.) C: The pick list can then be used to select the appropriate subgenus and species within the genus. If a particular taxon is not found in the system, it can be added by selecting entry for New in pick list.

View larger version (27K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 5. (Continued.) D: In this case Chione (Chionista) fluctifraga is selected as the determination for the new lot.

View larger version (31K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 6. Specimen lot data can be browsed and new information can be added to the Department of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACMIP) collections catalog using Web forms. A: A search for the gastropod genus Paosia from the Redding Formation is performed by entering Paosia and Redding in the appropriate fields.

View larger version (32K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 6. (Continued.) B: This search returned eight lots from various collecting localities; selecting one of the buttons on the left of page will return more information for a particular lot.

View larger version (25K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 6. (Continued.) C: For example, the complete record for lot 10726-2 includes taxonomic determination, type status, citation information, and collecting locality details. In this case images of the specimen and a map of the collecting locality are available

View larger version (70K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 7. The Web services interface to the Department of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACMIP) catalog has been used to construct a joint search tool for the catalogs of the Department of Invertebrate Paleontology and the Malacology Section (LACM) of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. A: This search form allows researchers to locate specimens from two different data sets.

View larger version (76K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 7. (Continued.) B: A search for genus Terebralia in both LACM and LACMIP collections results in a total of six lots, including four from fossil localities and two sites from the Holocene.

View larger version (38K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 7. (Continued.) C: Links are available on the page along with results that allow researchers convenient access to the additional information in the LACMIP catalog. For example, the full information for specimen lot 26814-1 is available from http://ip.nhm.org/ipdatabase/lot/26814-1.