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    Liberating Data for Biodiversity Research
    The objectives of this exercise are to familiarize you with the information content of biodiversity specimens and their labels, the breadth of that information across geographic space and/or time.

    Keywords: Biodiversitynatural history collectionsBLUEresearch specimensbiodiversity dataspecimen labels

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    Introduction to Assessing Biodiversity: Bivalves of the Rio Grande Area
    Learning to identify taxa is a key skill gained in many systematics classes. This module aims to introduce students to concepts and resources for identifying organisms and assessing species...

    Keywords: Biodiversityspecies distributionsdistance learninginvertebrate zoologyMuseum databases data literacyidentification

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    Module 6: Specimen Prep 2 - YouTube
    Once students have pressed and dried their plant material (from Module 5), they will learn about the curatorial techniques used to create a permanent museum specimen.

    Keywords: Herbarium digitizationHerbarium specimenNotes from Nature

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    Module 5: How to Collect and Press Plants in the Field
    This activity will guide students through the process of collecting fresh plant material that will be transformed into a permanent herbarium specimen. Students will make a specimen for the plant...

    Keywords: ethnobotanyherbariumHerbarium digitizationPlant pressPlant specimenGeneral Botany

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    Using Digitized Collections-Based Data in Research: A Hands-On Crash Course in Ecological Niche Modeling
    Step-by-step, hands-on instruction on ways to access and download these specimen data, how to process climate layer data, and how to apply Maxent software to construct ecological niche models.

    Keywords: ecology labbiodiversity informaticsnatural history collectionsMicrosoft Excelbiodiversity collectionsRstatsecological niche modelingQGISENMToolsMaxent

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    An Introduction to Biodiversity Databases and Specimen Images
    In this module, students will be introduced to some biodiversity data resources and how to search for and download herbarium specimen images. They will be asked to think critically about the...

    Keywords: data in the classroombiodiversity informaticsnatural history collection

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    Putting specimens on the map: An introduction to georeferencing
    Use GEOLocate to assign geographic coordinates to natural history collections specimens

    Keywords: mappingnatural history collectionscourse-based research experiences (CUREs)digitized natural history collectionsgeoreferencing

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    Spatial Analysis with QGIS
    Map specimen data points using QGIS, connect them to form a polygon using the Concave Hull plugin, and calculate the range of a species to examine how it changes over time.

    Keywords: natural history collectionsspecies distributionscourse-based research experiences (CUREs)spatial analysisdigitized natural history collectionsQGIS

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    Constructing Phylogenies using Herbarium Specimens
    This lab is intended as an introduction to a plant systematics course. Students work in groups of two to apply what they have learned about plant structures to develop a character matrix based on a...

    Keywords: botanyphylogenyherbariumdistance learningPlant systematicscharacter matrix

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    Exploring Plant Phenology using Herbarium Specimens: Lab or Workshop
    In this workshop or lab exercise, participants will examine the effects of climate on the phenological events of a selected species using herbarium specimen data.
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    Is everything bigger in Texas? Introduction to Statistics with the Rock Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus intermedius)
    Natural history museums often contain large collections of the same species and therefore, are a resource for studying intraspecific variation. This module uses 172 images of rock pocket mouse...

    Keywords: statisticsnatural history museumsdistance learningStudy Designintraspecific variation

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    Mapping Specimen Occurrence Data in QGIS
    Use digitized natural history collection occurrence data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) to map the distribution of the beaver in the state of Oregon from 1800-2020 using QGIS

    Keywords: natural history collectionsspecies distributionscourse-based research experiences (CUREs)digitized natural history collectionsQGIS

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    Data is the New Science - Modified and combined with Following the Data Module
    In this module, students will be introduced to some emerging biodiversity data resources. They will be asked to think critically about the strengths and utility of these data resources and apply...

    Keywords: data in the classroombiodiversity informaticsnatural history collection

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    Why are Cells Small? Surface Area to Volume Ratio
    This module explores surface area to volume ratios in a cube and sphere in relation to cell size.

    Keywords: introductory biologygraphingRatiosOpenStaxqbccmanipulate equationsCellular and Molecular BiologyUse elementary functionsCreate graphsInterpret graphsRates and ProportionsSolving Equations and Inequalitiesinterpret tables

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    Introduction to Bionomia
    This module introduces students and instructors to Bionomia, a database that highlights the collectors and identifiers of natural history specimens. It aims to foster appreciation for these...

    Keywords: ORCIDidentitynatural history collectionscourse-based research experiences (CUREs)AttributionBCEENETRepresentationWikidatahidden figuresdata democratizationrestorative practicerestorative justiceBionomia

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    Module 4: What Kind of Data Goes in a Field Notebook?
    The goal of this activity is to introduce students to biological field notebooks and how they are used by scientists during field work. Specifically, students will learn what a botanist collecting...

    Keywords: Herbarium digitizationField notebookTimothy Plowman

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    Applying phylogenetic tree building in MEGA X to forensic applications for identifying unknown specimens
    This exercise is designed to guide a learner through the construction of phylogenetic trees as a means of addressing research questions in forensic science such as the identification of previously...

    Keywords: taxonomyBioinformatics and GenomicsDNA Barcodinginvertebrate phylogeneticsforensic entomology

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    Module 3: What on Earth is a Herbarium?
    The goal of this activity is to introduce students to herbarium specimens and why they are an important source of information. The emphasis of this activity is on examining the types of data that...

    Keywords: natural history collectionsherbariumHerbarium digitizationYnez Mexia

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    Building an Inclusive Botany - Structuring in Class Discussions
    Driven by the national conversation on systemic racism, ongoing inequities, appeals to decolonize science, and the many recent calls for diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion, we use...

    Keywords: botanyplant sciencediversityAccessibilityHistory of Sciencetraditional knowledgeCommunityScienceColonialismSpecimen Digitization

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    Measuring Size and Area of Digitized Specimens using ImageJ
    Use ImageJ to analyze morphological characters in digital images of natural history specimens. Skills are transferable to many organisms and other morphological measurements.

    Keywords: ImageJnatural history collectionscourse-based research experiences (CUREs)digitized natural history collections

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