RELATIONAL DATABASE for ECUADORIAN MAMMALS DEPOSITED in MUSEUMS AROUND the WORLD by JUAN PABLO CARRERA ESTUPIÑAN, B S. a Thesi
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RELATIONAL DATABASE FOR ECUADORIAN MAMMALS DEPOSITED IN MUSEUMS AROUND THE WORLD by JUAN PABLO CARRERA ESTUPIÑAN, B S. A Thesis In MUSEUM SCIENCES Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Approved Robert J. Baker Chairperson of the Committee Gary F. Edson Nicola Ladkin John Borrelli Dean of the Graduate School August, 2007 Copyright 2007, Carrera-E. Juan P. Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 ACKOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of my committee for their enthusiasm, support and guidance during my time in the Museum Science Program at the Museum of Texas Tech University. Thanks to Dr. Robert J. Baker, Gary F. Edson, and Nicola Ladkin. My special gratitude goes to Dr. Robert J. Baker for his willingness to invite me to join the Museum Science Program at Texas Tech University. He always provided an excellent academic and professional support during this project and my time at the Natural Science Research Laboratory. It is also fair to recognize the help of many curators and collection managers that made this project possible facilitating information regarding Ecuadorian mammals deposited in their institutions. My sincere gratitude to: Bruce D. Patterson (FMNH), Candance McCaffery (FLMNH), Christopher J. Conroy (MVZ), Craig A. Ludwig (NMNH), Gary Shugart (SMNH), James P. Dines (NHMLAC), Josefina Barreiro (Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Spain), Joseph A. Cook (SBM – UNM), Judith Eger (ROM, Canada), Judith M. Chupasko (MCZ), Kristof Zyskowski (YPM), Laura Abraczinskas (MSUM), Moe Flannery (CASC), Manuel Ruedi (MNHG, Switzerland), Marcia Revelez (SMOMNH), Mark S. Hafner (LSUMZ), Martin A. Ramirez (MACN, Argentina), Nancy Simmons (AMNH), Ned Gilmore (ACNATSCI), Norman A. Slade (MHN – KU), Per Ericson (NRM, Sweeden), Philip Myers (UMMZ), Robert C. Dowler (ASNHC), and Heath Garner (NSRL – TTU). Furthermore, I want to recognize the valuable help, information, and suggestions provided by Rollin H. Baker, Luis Albuja (MEPN), Giovanni Onore (Museo QCAZ – PUCE), Pablo Jarrín (BU), Robert C. Dowler (ASU), Enrique Lessa (Universidad de la República, Uruguay), Suzanne McLaren (CMNH), Richard Monk (AMNH), James L. Patton, John Wieczorek (MVZ), Jorge Salazar-Bravo, Clyde Jones, Jackie Chavez, Carleton J. Phillips, Eileen Locke, Claudia Cory, Miguel Pinto, Raquel Marchán, Jorge Baquero, Heath Garner, Nicté Ordóñez-Garza, Tamara Enríquez, Tamara Ginter, and Kathy MacDonald (TTU). In addition, I want to ii Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 recognize the unconditional help and support of my beloved family and friends during all this time. I would like to thank the following people: my parents, Juan and Myriam, my brother Enrique, my sister in law Adriana, my grand mother Elina, my sweet girlfriend Nicté, my aunt Silvia, my uncles Héctor and Chalo, my cousins Miguel, Maria Helena, Juan José, Paulina, Andrés, Marco, Cristian, Doménica, Enrique (+), Fernando, and to my friends and colleagues: Sofía Alarcón, María Mercedes Alarcón, Laura Arcós-Terán, Cristina Arguello, Diana Avilés, Alvaro Barragán, Martín Bustamante, Santiago Burneo, Carlos Carpio, Carlos Carrión, Luis A. Coloma, Bolívar Costales, Carlos Corral, David Donoso, Gustavo Donoso, Steve Hoofer, Geovanna Flores, Familia Fonseca-Naranjo, Peter Larsen, David Lasso, Enrique Lopez, Pancho Martínez, Pablo Menéndez, Hugo Mantilla, Hugo Mogollón, Andrés Navarrete, Santiago Navarrete, Diego Narváez, Ricardo Oliva, Javier Pical, Aura Paucar, Diego Peñafiel, María Gloria Rivas, Brian Reece, Becky Roper, Laura Salazar, Noe de la Sancha, Sergio Solari, Nelson Trejo, Dimas Vera, Lupita Vera, Nadia Vieira, Denise Villamar, Javier Viteri, and Tjitte de Vries (if I forgot somebody, please forgive me). Gracias por todo hoy y siempre! At the end, I would like to dedicate this work in memory of two special friends: To René M. Fonseca and Michelle Knapp, whose friendship I will always cherish. iii Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT vi LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF FIGURES viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1 Natural History Collections and Databases 2 Justification for the Study 4 Objectives 5 Methodology 6 II. BRIEF HISTORY OF NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS OF ECUADORIAN MAMMALS 7 III. MATERIALS AND METHODS 14 Voucher Specimens Retrieval and Organization of the Information 14 Scientific Literature 14 Museum Websites and Online Databases 15 Personal Communications 16 Information Requested from Museums 17 Computer Hardware 17 Computer Software 17 iv Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 Designing the Relational Database 18 Standardization of the Information 18 Design Objectives 23 Relational Database Structure 24 Table Relationships 25 Data Integrity 26 Network Accession on the Database 27 IV. RESULTS 28 Institutions that hold Ecuadorian Mammals and Information Related to the Collections 28 Final Relational Database and Internet Access 36 V. DISCUSSION 39 Problems Designing the Relational Database 39 Impact of the Database on the Scientific Community 40 Current and Future Considerations 41 VI. CONCLUSION 43 LITERATURE CITED 44 APPENDIX A. MODEL OF THE REQUESTING INFORMATION LETTER SUBMITED TO THE MUSEUMS 49 v Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 ABSTRACT Natural history collections play an essential role in the conservation and study of the biodiversity of our planet. Since the 19th century, increasing collections of fauna from Ecuador have been deposited in numerous institutions around the world. These collections have allowed a better understanding of the distribution and systematics of Neotropical mammals. During 2006, an extensive survey based on scientific literature, natural history museum databases, and personal communications with museum’s staff, was carried out to update our knowledge about collections of Ecuadorian mammals. The main goal of this project was to create a central database, hosted at the Museum of Texas Tech University, with the list of institutions that hold those specimens, dates of collections, taxa represented, and regions surveyed in Ecuador. A total of 42 institutions from South America, North America, and Europe have been identified. An effective collaboration with 26 of these 42 institutions made it possible to compile more than 20,000 records allowing the creation of a centralized database. The system has the advantage of being simple and easily accessed via the internet. The information is organized by Geography and Taxonomy criteria allowing queries without limitations. The scope of this project demonstrates effective collaboration among natural history museums in the 21st century. vi Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 LIST OF TABLES 1. Institutions identified to hold Ecuadorian Mammals in their collections 29 2. Institutions identified to hold Ecuadorian Mammals that collaborated with this project 31 vii Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 LIST OF FIGURES 1. Excel worksheet illustrating the records of Ecuadorian mammals 19 2. Text delimited file illustrating records of Ecuadorian mammals 20 3. Central Microsoft Excel worksheet with the records of Ecuadorian mammals 21 4. Differences in the storage of collection dates, NRM - Sweden 22 5. Differences in the storage of collection dates, FLMNH - USA 23 6. Screen Capture of the relationships between tables in Microsoft Access 25 7. Screen Capture of the relational database in Microsoft Access 32 8. Institutions that hold mammals from Ecuador versus the number of specimens 34 9. Percentage of specimens collected inside natural regions of Ecuador 35 10. Percentage of specimens collected by orders of Ecuadorian mammals 36 11. Screen capture of the database on the internet 37 12. Example of query for museums 37 13. Example of query for province 38 viii Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This thesis analyzes and discusses issues related to the data associated with Ecuadorian mammals deposited in museums throughout the world. The main objective of this project is the creation of a relational database for Ecuadorian mammals. The scope of this database can be used in natural history museums, universities and institutions interested in Neotropical mammals. The final database also will be useful in the design of proposals used for scientific research, conservation, education, and wildlife management. Furthermore, this type of database can be emulated in other fields of Biological Sciences, museums and countries around the world. The thesis consists of six chapters. Chapter I introduce the project providing a general overview about natural history museums and databases, the justification for this study, the objectives and the methodology proposed. Chapter II gives an overview about the history of natural history collections of Ecuadorian mammals. Chapter III describes the process to design the relational database. Chapter IV shows the final database. Chapter V discusses about some problems during the final design, the potential impact on the scientific community, and some future considerations. The final, Chapter VI, summarizes and concludes the study. 1 Texas Tech University, Juan Pablo Carrera Estupiñán, August 2007 1.1 Natural History Collections and Databases Natural history collections play an essential role in the