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4 messages in edu.ku.nhm.mailman.taxacomNo subject| From | Sent On | Attachments |
|---|---|---|
| Hesiquio Benitez Diaz | Jul 26, 1995 12:39 pm | |
| Beryl Simpson | Jul 31, 1995 9:37 pm | |
| Venger's Orchids | Aug 5, 1995 6:30 am | |
| JAMES BLAKE | Aug 6, 1995 11:01 am |
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| From: | JAMES BLAKE (jabl...@IX.NETCOM.COM) | |
| Date: | Aug 6, 1995 11:01:29 am | |
| List: | edu.ku.nhm.mailman.taxacom | |
Dear taxonomists,
Lynn S. Kimsey Wrote:
Somehow biologists always behave as if their problems, in this case tracking specimens, lots of specimens or whatever, are somehow unique. Has it ever occurred to any of you that industry has not only managed but mastered how to track anything from individual widgets to warehouses of stuff. As a result, if you look outside the biological community you may be suprised to find that these problems have already been solved in simple easy to implement ways, usually with software and hardware available off the shelf (so to speak).
As part of our environmental monitoring programs, we routinely use computer based sample tracking procedures. This is now required for Quality Assurance (QA). What happens is that labels are printed out that have unique sample tracking numbers with bar codes. These bar codes can be scanned at various stages in sample collection, processing, and archiving, so that managers can always tell where the samples are. As an example, in our benthic programs in Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bays, the grab samples are used to retain samples for benthic infauna, sediment grain size, total organic carbon, Clostridium analysis, organic contaminants, and metals. Each of these samples are eventually shipped to a laboratory for analysis. Tracking sheets containing the unique sample code numbers accompany all samples and the receiving laboratories are required to return sheets when they receive them and verify the contents. The sample tracking is updated for each step in the laboratory analysis and eventually for any that are archived. For the biology, the prcedures do not continue to the species level, but there is no reason why it could not. I don't see why similar procedures could not be applied to curating. We have the technology and it is user friendly!!
James A. Blake ENSR Consulting and Engineering 89 Water Street Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 USA (508) 457-7900; FAX (508) 457-7595 E-mail: jablake at ix.netcom.com