REVIEW OF THE STATE OF PHYSICAL PALEONTOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT AND THE VALUE OF FOSSILS

Paleontological collections are the only record that preserves the diversity and evolution of past life on Earth. Museum collections coalesce and make accessible the history of life and can recognize and fill gaps in the fossil record. The continued management and preservation of physical collections is imperative because they are uniquely irreproducible. Many fossil collecting localities have been destroyed due to erosion or urban development, which will continue unabated as population expands. Collecting new research specimens has become more difficult due to stricter regulations and limited funding for field collecting.

Preserving existing physical collections is important because we cannot predict which direction paleontological research may take in the future, such as the shift from primarily taxonomic identification of fossils to using occurrence and abundance data to answer broader paleoecological questions. Physical specimens are essential when exploring new types of analyses and technology, especially in geochemical, paleobiogeographical, and evolutionary research.

We have analyzed the state of physical paleontological collections management and stewardship and emphasize why collections should be valued and maintained in an organized and accessible manner. We plan to compile resources that document best practices for managing and facilitating the scientific use of physical specimens. We will also discuss possible challenges to the care of physical specimens that include: funding sources; limited storage space; and the disposition of orphaned collections when a museum closes permanently. These challenges are not isolated; the proper management of orphaned collections relies on finding a museum with sufficient storage and funding that will cover the transport and the staff to care for the collection.

In addition to professional research, paleontological collections are extremely useful for public outreach given the public’s inherent fascination with fossils. Paleontological collections can be used as a gateway tool to get children excited about paleontology and science in general. Fossils are a great visual and tangible resource that can be used to engage the public and promote scientific literacy; a fact we should capitalize on when advocating for the value of our collections.