Recipient Organization
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
202 HIMES HALL
BATON ROUGE,LA 70803-0100
Performing Department
Entomology
Non Technical Summary
Insects are the most diverse--and arguably most abundant--group of life on the planet. In Louisiana alone, it is estimated that over 15,000 unique species occur (C. Carlton, pers. comm.). Due to this diversity and abundance, insects are extremely important to the composition and functioning of almost every biome on the planet and routinely play a central role in the health of forestry and agricultural production by humans. This is supported by the fact that most entomology departments are contained in the land grant institutions across the United States, and Louisiana is no exception. It stands to reason, then, that the ability for accurate identification of insects is fundamental to the success of several entire subdisciplines like Agricultural Entomology, Forest Entomology, Pest Management, and Insect Ecology, and vital to entomology departments and their research programs nationwide. The establishment, maintenance, and growth of an insect collection, the development of resources and training for state agents, and the taxonomic services provided to a department, research units, and/or local/state/national agencies are all critical elements of a successful and utilitarian taxonomic program. The history of insect taxonomy is proud, and the quality of the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum ("LSAM" hereafter) is strong. The LSAM is the state of Louisiana's main and largest diagnostic and research collection, the voucher repository for numerous departmental and university research projects and is a critical resource in entomological research at LSU. As we are faced with global challenges such as population growth, increased global trade, natural habitat loss, and global warming, it becomes vital to not only maintain the current resources, but to strive to grow and adapt these resources for our changing world. This proposal seeks to do so in three main goal areas of insect assessment, service development, and collection resource improvement. A significant proportion of this proposal is dedicated to assessing the procedures, policies, and production of the pre-existing program and implementing novel approaches to continue the strong tradition of insect taxonomy in the state of Louisiana.Summary, Goal 1: In order to continue to assess the insect biodiversity of Louisiana, NPL plans to perform focused collecting activities on two specific areas per Hatch Proposal period, as opposed to less exhaustive surveys across the state. This approach will allow for synergistic collaboration of current research projects in the Department of Entomology and will enable year-round sampling to acquire phenological data. For this cycle, the two study sites to be targeted Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station and the Kisatchie National Forest. While all insects will be collected, a targeted emphasis on the order Coleoptera will be made, as that is both the specialty of NPL and the strength of the LSAM. These two sites were specifically selected in order to represent contrasting environments in Louisiana. Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station is a managed forest adjacent to agricultural fields and pasture land in mid-central Louisiana, whereas Kisatchie National Forest is a pristine forest in central Louisiana. Both sites have been studied extensively for other purposes, and the flora, geography, soil compositions, etc., are well-known.Summary, Goal 2: The Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) is one of the most important scientific resources in the LSU Department of Entomology, not only for the department, but also for the citizens of Louisiana and the scientific community. In order to continue and improve utilization of the LSAM by these units, a concerted effort must be made to work closely with parish agents, faculty, staff, and students within not only the LSU system, but across Louisiana. Specifically, the LSAM should assist in training and dissemination of knowledge, be a resource for scientific research, and provide educational and engagement opportunities for the public.Summary, Goal 3: With the recent hiring of a new insect systematist and Director of LSAM, Dr. Nathan Lord, now is an appropriate time to reconsider the mission and future direction of the LSAM. LSAM operations will be evaluated and improved on a number of levels, including developing core documents, specimen databasing, developing a plan for improving outreach and teaching efforts, including the development of a collection dedicated to research and outreach, and provide guidelines for the day-to-day activities of the LSAM (e.g., acquisition and use of specimens, museum access, loans, voucher specimens).
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
0%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
Goal 1. Conduct taxonomic inventories of insect species across the state of Louisiana, utilizing both targeted and general approaches.Objective 1a: Comprehensively survey the insects of Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station.Objective 1b: Comprehensively survey the insects of Kisatchie National Forest.Goal 2. Provide and improve arthropod diagnostic services and outreach for the Department of Entomology, the LSU AgCenter, LSU, and citizens of Louisiana.Objective 2a: Develop a Parish Agent Insect Identification Training Program for the state of Louisiana.Objective 2b: Continue to support research and outreach initiatives within the LSU system, specifically the Department of Entomology and LSU AgCenter.Objective 2c: Evaluate and improve the Department of Entomology teaching resources pertaining to insect identification.Goal 3. Improve the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum (LSAM) as the primary resource for insect identification in the state.Objective 3a. Evaluate and improve LSAM operations and documentation (e.g., procedures and policies, utilization)Objective 3b. Evaluate and improve specimen digitization, databasing, and frozen tissues.Objective 3c. Evaluate and improve records access and utilization of the LSAM on local, national, and international levels.
Project Methods
Goal 1.Objectives 1a-b: Comprehensively survey the insects of Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station and Kisatchie National Forest.Methods: The site will be studied thoroughly to gain an understanding of the habitat types present, which will then be targeted for collection. Insects will be sampled at various times throughout the year via the following methods: Malaise trapping, canopy trapping, Lindgren funnel trapping, leaf litter sifting & Berlese/Winkler funnel extraction. Insects will be sampled periodically via the following methods: MV/UV light traps, general collecting (e.g., aerial/sweep/aquatic nets, hand collecting). Samples will be stored in ethanol (80%) until curated. Curation will include standard entomological techniques (pointing, pinning, etc.), and material will be stored in entomological drawers and cabinets. Voucher specimens will be deposited in the LSAM and will contain unique barcodes. Specimen-level data will be databased according to adopted LSAM standards (see Objective 3 below). Specimens will be identified to a reasonable level possible, and the order Coleoptera will be emphasized for expediency. Voucher specimens of morphospecies will be imaged for the construction of a digital reference. Type specimens resulting from the possible discovery and description of new taxa will be deposited in the appropriate repositories (e.g., USNM, FMNH, AMNH).Goal 2. Objective 2a: Develop a Parish Agent Insect Identification Training Program for the state of Louisiana.Methods: NPL will work with collaborators Dr. Kathryn Fontenot (Associate Professor and AgCenter Extension Specialist, SPESS) and Dr. Raghuwinder Singh (Associate Professor, Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology) and the LSU AgCenter to develop an agent diagnostic training in entomological collection, curation, and identification. The overall goal of this program will be to provide standardized procedures and knowledge across our agents, develop a strong, collaborative cohort of people with a need for insect identification, and instill a system to aid in the acquisition and identification of material reported by the Louisiana stakeholders. Parish agents will attend lectures specific to insect identification to order and common Louisiana families, morphology and identification, and collection construction. This workshop will be given every two years, beginning in Baton Rouge on the LSU campus.Goal 2.Objective 2c: Evaluate and improve the Department of Entomology teaching resources pertaining to insect identification.Methods: To prevent further damage to specimens and to facilitate access and ease of use:Collections will be consolidated into a single departmental resource that is accessible, yet free from pests and specimen mismanagement.A mass re-organization effort will be undertaken to provide proper identification and curation of pinned specimens.Specimens will be individually inspected for damage due to mishandling, pests, fungi, etc., and hazardous specimens should be culled from the collection.Specimens will each receive an "LSU Teaching Collection" label. Labeling will help keep specimens organized and prevent mechanical damage while handling.Specimens will be removed from "other" storage containers (i.e., cardboard boxes) and should be placed into drawers.Header cards and reference specimens will be provided for all families to facilitate proper identification and ease of acquiring target specimens.Drawers will be stored in cabinets with doors to prevent further pest damage. These doors will be equipped with locks (keys to be made available to all TAs and instructors of courses requiring access to specimens).A standing freezer will be installed to facilitate regular quarantine and decontamination protocols.Goal 3. Objective 3a. Evaluate and improve LSAM operations and documentation (e.g., procedures and policies, utilization)Methods: Documentation from The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (https://spnhc.org/), the Committee for Museums and Collections of Natural History (NATHIST) of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) (https://icomnathist.wordpress.com/about/), the American Alliance of Museums (https://www.aam-us.org/), the Entomological Collections Network (http://ecnweb.org/) and previous ECN workshops will be consulted in order to follow current and best practices. In order to evaluate the current state of the LSAM, an ad-hoc museum committee will be formed, consisting of Departmental faculty, LSU Museum of Natural Science Faculty, and external member(s). The tasks of this review will be as follows:Articulate the mission and vision of the LSAMClearly delineate the roles and responsibilities of the Director and Curator positions (including an organizational chart)Describe how the LSAM will relate to and coordinate with the LSU Museum of Natural ScienceOutline existing use of space and indicate the potential need for additional space in the futureDevelop a plan for improving outreach and teaching efforts, including the development of a collection dedicated to research and outreachProvide guidelines for the day-to-day activities of the LSAM (e.g., acquisition and use of specimens, museum access, loans, voucher specimens)Address any other issues the committee feels is necessaryOnce the ad-hoc museum committee has been formed, we will apply for the American Alliance of Museums Museum Assessment Program (MAP), which is a one-year process of formal review in one of five major areas: organizational, collections stewardship, education and interpretation, community and audience engagement, and board leadership. For this cycle, we will select the organizational assessment.Goal 3.Objective 3b. Evaluate and improve specimen digitization, databasing, and frozen tissues holdings.?Methods:Assess current state of databasing platforms, including (but not limited to) K-Emu, Symbiota, Specify. If a new platform is suggested, data will be prepared and migrated onto this new platform.Databasing initiatives will continue, with a target minimum of 15,000 specimens databased per annum.Adopt and implement QR or barcode label system for the LSAM.Increase digitization efforts utilizing the LSAM Imaging Studio for drawer and specimen-level digital imaging.Perform a cost and system evaluation specific to starting a departmental cryo-collection. Provide this report to Dept. Chair and Faculty for discussion and potential vote. If the construction of a cryo-collection is voted on favorably, equipment will be purchased (-80ºC freezer(s), racks, boxes, cryo tubes, cryo labels), a specimen storage/tracking software will be selected, and implementation of current frozen tissues will begin.Goal 3.?Objective 3c. Evaluate and improve records access and utilization of the LSAM on local, national, and international levels.Currently, efforts to track the activities of the LSAM are sporadic at best. The LSAM does not currently provide data to any of the major collaborative data portals.Methods:A living document will be created to chart the following statistics: number of identifications performed, loans sent and received, donations received, data requests, curatorial activities, scientific visitors, tours/outreach/service/extension. An effort will be made to backfill until at least 2018.Create a GoogleScholar profile for the LSAM to track citation metrics for LSAM specimen utilization in scientific publications.Implement data sharing/upload procedures into widely-used and supported digital portals/archives/networks (e.g., The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF; https://www.gbif.org/), Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio; https://www.idigbio.org/), and Symbiota Collections of Arthropods Network (SCAN; https://scan-bugs.org/portal/index.php)