|
Forty-one
researchers and collection management specialists, from as far as field
as Greece, Madeira and Tasmania, met at the Natural History Museum, South
Kensington, London on 3rd April 2000, to discuss current issues associated
with collections of oceanographic samples and their associated data. The
meeting originated from a suggestion by the Marine Environmental Data Advisory
Group of the UK's Inter Agency Committee for Marine Science and Technology
(IACMST) that it would be timely to organise a meeting of the oceanographic
community to review modern and potential usage of biological and geological
marine collections; and discuss common problems relating to providing wider
access and adequate funding of these important data resources.
A series
of talks and posters were presented covering a range of topics involving
seafloor sample collections, both biological and geological, and included
reports of modern innovative research using existing collections, such
as molecular methods for biodiversity research and retrospective measurement
of environmental stress. In addition, a discussion was held on common problems
facing sample collections, particularly on how to better secure their future
through long-term funding and to promote their use and accessibility to
researchers. The abstracts from the meeting may be viewed at http://www.nhm.ac.uk/zoology/taxinf/Ocean/Main.html
A series
of recommendations were made, and will be formally presented in the Meeting
Report to be published in the Inter Agency Committee on Marine Science
and Technology (IACMST, UK). These aim at raising the profile of marine
oceanographic collections and securing necessary resources for the long
term. Specific recommendations include getting data management policies,
both at national and international levels, to include proper curation of
physical samples in their recommendations; and to lobby funding agencies
to require proper curation of samples collected by research programmes
to be a condition of granting funding awards. It was recognised that increasing
the use of collections comes from making the scientific community aware
of resources available. Therefore, specific recommendations on making samples
and associated data more accessible include :
* Collection
storage facilities need to establish on-line catalogues of their collections.
EU-SEASED, was quoted as a good example of this.
* Consortia
of collection-holding facilities should be formed to develop proposals
to fund such
catalogues.
Organisations such as IOC and IODE should be approached to gain international
support.
It
is hoped that the meeting will be a start in stimulating debate, both nationally
and internationally, on the importance of sample collections, particularly
in regard to initiatives needed to promote long-term use and accessibility,
and the acquisition of long-term funding to secure these objectives.
For further details contact:
Dr Guy Rothwell,
Challenger Division for Seafloor Processes, Southampton Oceanography Centre,
European Way, Sothampton, SO14 3ZH, UK.
Tel : +44 2380 596567, Fax:
+44 2380 596554, email: R.G.Rothwell@soc.soton.ac.uk
Dr Gordon Paterson,
The Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK.
Tel: +44 207 942 5678, Fax:
+44 207 942 5433, email: gljp@nhm.ac.uk
|
|
Go to page 9