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Putting specimens on the map: An introduction to georeferencing

Author(s): Elissa Sorojsrisom1, Matthew Johnson2

1. Columbia University 2. Texas Tech University

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Summary:
Use GEOLocate to assign geographic coordinates to natural history collections specimens

Licensed under CC Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International according to these terms

Version 1.0 - published on 04 Mar 2022 doi:10.25334/CBTJ-PV50 - cite this

Description

Abstract: Georeferencing generally refers to the process of assigning geographic coordinates to an image. In the context of museum specimens, it means assigning a location to the specimen that corresponds to where the specimen was collected. In this activity, students will learn about latitude/longitude and mapping through background reading. Through a written tutorial, optional guided lecture, and a tutorial video, they will then learn the process of georeferencing with the online tool GEOLocate according to a similar protocol used by the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. Finally, students will complete a practice assignment designed to develop their georeferencing skills and get them thinking about the advantages and drawbacks of museum specimen data.

This activity can be used as a standalone resource or as part of the implementation of a BCEENET CURE. 

 

Learning Objectives:

  • Interpret verbatim locality data and transform it into GPS coordinates 
  • Gather data using GEOLocate and other online mapping resources (e.g., Google maps) 
  • Discuss uncertainty in locality data as it relates to accuracy and precision in data collection 
  • Identify common issues in georeferencing 
  • Implement a georeferencing protocol used by natural history collections 

 

Logistics:

Intended Audience: Undergraduate, all levels. Suitable for in-person, hybrid, or online courses in biology or environmental science. 

Learning Time: Flexible, 2-3 hours 

Required Resources: Access to computers and internet 

 

 

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