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Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
1
Abstract—The goal of LINNE is to accelerate taxonom-
ic research and improve biological collection infrastruc-
ture so that reliable information on biological diversity is
available to all branches of science and society.
LINNE will be an interactive network of taxono-
mists and institutions incorporating the latest technolo-
gies to seamlessly link researchers with other scientists,
biological collections and other research facilities, and
state-of-the-art instruments for efficient species dis-
covery, description, identification, and classification.
LINNE will transform taxonomy and make comprehen-
sive information on the world’s species easily accessible to
researchers, educators, and decision-makers who depend
on knowledge of biological diversity. With LINNE,
fundamental questions in biology will be answered,
including: What are Earth’s species, and how do they
vary? How are species distributed in geographical and
ecological space? What is the history of life on Earth,
and how are species interrelated? How has biological
diversity changed through space and time? What is the
history of character transformations? What factors lead to
speciation, dispersal, and extinction?
Nodes of the LINNE network will be existing
institutions with biological collections and taxonomic
research programs. The network will be distributed across
the nation, and resources at each node (e.g., specimens,
images, literature, molecular data) will be available to
researchers, educators, and policy-makers everywhere
via the Internet. LINNE will modernize infrastructure
for taxonomic research, enhance the nation’s taxonomic
workforce, modernize collection facilities, and update and
verify specimen identifications. LINNE will support
and benefit from linkages to a wide range of activities
in ecology, ecosystem science, bioinformatics, information
sciences, geology, land planning, and resource manage-
ment, including NEON (National Ecological Observa-
tory Network), GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information
Facility), and CHRONOS (an Interactive Network of
Data and Tools for Earth System History).
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
2
LINNE: Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
THE NATION’S 200-YEAR-OLD MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR
BIOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS
LESS THAN 10% OF DATA AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET
CURRENTLY
INFORMATION FLOW GREATLY LIMITED BY WALL OF
IMPEDIMENTS TO TAXONOMY
TOO FEW
TAXONOMISTS
SLOW PACE OF
TAXONOMIC RESEARCH
INSUFFICIENT
KNOWLEDGE OF
BIODIVERSITY
INACCURATE DATA
ANTIQUATED
INFRASTRUCTURE
INCOMPLETE OR
INACCESSIBLE DATA
RESEARCH IN
ISOLATION
ENVIRONMENTAL
CHALLENGES NOT MET
LINNE LIBERATES DATA, ESTABLISHES LINKAGES
THE NATION’S 200-YEAR-OLD
MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BIOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS
+
LINNE CYBERLABORATORY
INSTANT ACCESS TO ALL DATA ON ALL SPECIES
ACCELERATE TAXONOMIC RESEARCH
RELIABLE INFORMATION ON BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY AVAILABLE TO ALL BRANCHES
OF SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
ESTABLISH LINKAGES
ENVIRONMENTAL
CHALLENGES
MET
COMPLETE
TAXONOMIC
REVISIONS
ACCURATE DATA
ENHANCE TAXONOMIC
WORKFORCE
INCREASED RATE OF
TAXONOMIC RESEARCH
MODERNIZE
INFRASTRUCTURE
COMPREHENSIVE DATA
CAPTURE AND ANALYSIS
Much has been written recently about the loss
of biodiversity and the impediments to taxo-
nomic research. Included among the latter are
the scarcity of taxonomic expertise and the
insufficient infrastructure supporting taxonomy.
The juxtaposition of the biodiversity crisis and
current impediments to taxonomic research has
created the taxonomic crisis, a situation in which
much of the diversity of our planet is likely
to disappear before it can be discovered and
described. Scientists estimate that less than 10
percent of the world’s taxonomically recogniz-
able populations have been described. Although
many scientists recognize the extreme serious-
ness and negative consequences of the taxo-
nomic crisis, recommendations for solutions
have been slow to develop.
LINNE is an initiative to construct research
environments in which access to specimens,
data, and analytical tools are opened to re-
searchers through high-performance networks
(i.e., cyberinfrastructure) to address the taxo-
nomic crisis. The conceptual basis for LINNE
was developed at U.S. National Science Foun-
dation-funded workshops at the University of
Florida Museum of Natural History and The
New York Botanical Garden in 2003 and capi-
talizes on recent advances in taxonomic theory,
technology, and practices. The goal of LINNE
is to accelerate taxonomic research and improve
Introduction
biological collection infrastructure so that
reliable information on biological diversity is
available to all branches of science and society.
LINNE will be an interactive network of
taxonomists and institutions incorporating the
latest technologies to seamlessly link research-
ers with other scientists, biological collections
and other research facilities, and state-of-the-
art instruments for efficient species discovery,
description, identification, and classification.
LINNE will transform taxonomy by removing
impediments to taxonomic research and make
comprehensive information on the world’s spe-
cies easily accessible to researchers, educators,
and decision-makers who depend on knowl-
edge of biological diversity.
The full potential of taxonomy will be
realized when institutions supporting taxo-
nomic research and biological collections are
components of one comprehensive network.
Nodes of the network will be existing institu-
tions with biological collections and taxonomic
research programs. Each node will have unique
strengths and expertise, e.g., particular taxa,
geographic data, or specialized instrumenta-
tion. The network will be distributed across
the nation, and resources at each node (e.g.,
specimens, images, literature, molecular data)
will be available to researchers, educators, and
policy-makers everywhere via the Internet.
The goal of
LINNE is to
accelerate
taxonomic
research and
improve
biological
collection
infrastructure
so that reliable
information
on biological
diversity is
available to
all branches
of science
and society.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
3
TAXONOMY
Taxonomic knowledge, knowing the name of an organism
and how it is classified, is essential to biology. Classifications
make millions of kinds of organisms identifiable and pro
-
vide a necessary frame of reference. Scientific names enable
precise, efficient communication and retrieval of knowledge.
Phylogenetic analyses (those that explore relationships among
organisms) permit predictions about the properties of living
things. Managing billions of facts about the millions of species
on earth is impossible without taxonomy, yet the most funda
-
mental taxonomic questions could not be answered until now.
The vast numbers of species, fragmented literature, dispersed
experts, and isolated collections of specimens combine to
make the exploration of biological diversity slow and ineffi-
cient. The need to accelerate exploration of the biosphere has
become critical in the face of rapidly changing environments
and the imminent threat of a mass extinction event. We are
the last generation with the opportunity to explore, discover,
and document many of the species and evolutionary lineages
of the world.
Accelerated Research
With LINNE, research on some of the most
fundamental questions in biology will be
accelerated:
1. What are Earth’s species, and how do they
vary?
2. How are species distributed in geographical
and ecological space?
3. What is the history of life on Earth, and
how are species interrelated?
4. How has biological diversity changed
through space and time?
5. What is the history of character transforma
-
tions?
6. What factors lead to speciation, dispersal,
and extinction?
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
4
LINNE WILL ADDRESS MAJOR IMPEDIMENTS TO
TAXONOMIC RESEARCH
By creating research environments in which access to
specimens, data, and analytical tools is available to researchers
through high-performance networks, LINNE will dramatically
reduce the isolation of taxonomic research and fragmentation
of resources, including expertise, collections, literature, and
instrumentation, that currently slow research and inhibit
collaborations.
With LINNE, new generations of taxonomists will
be educated and supported in the exploration and
documentation of the world’s species and the production of
modern taxonomic revisions, including many diverse groups
of organisms that few or no current taxonomists have the
expertise to identify.
LINNE will provide improvements in collection facilities,
from environmentally controlled buildings to archival tissue
storage; provide the technical assistance necessary to properly
manage collections; and ensure that the information in
collections is accurate and accessible.
LINNE will:
• Provide vastly improved capabilities for spe
-
cies identifications.
• Improve research on environmental issues
such as habitat destruction, human health,
climate change, invasive species, and emerg-
ing infectious diseases.
• Improve our understanding of the history
of life and our ability to address questions
in comparative biology such as those related
to the origin, persistence, and extinction of
lineages and biogeographic patterns.
• Recognize important new areas of scientific
research such as those related to biosecurity
and biotechnology.
• Provide information instantly on species
identifications, distributions, habitat prefer-
ences, and other data required by natural
resource managers, conservationists, public
health workers, agricultural sciences, and
industry.
• Create a legacy of knowledge through ac-
celerated exploration and classification of
life on earth. Rapidly changing environ-
ments mean that opportunities to discover
and describe Earth’s species are limited and
that future generations will benefit from a
baseline understanding of the diversity and
distribution of life on Earth. LINNE will
document existing historical and environ-
mental patterns through research and col-
lection development for the immediate and
enduring benefit of society, and bequeath a
legacy of knowledge and understanding to
our descendants.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
5
Societal Benefits
LINNE will have far-reaching and important
societal benefits including:
• Education: Source materials for classroom
instruction and outreach programs, includ
-
ing images and published information, will
become readily available—principally in
electronic form. These materials will en-
hance organism-based instruction.
• Natural resource management: Improved
information on biodiversity will improve
our ability to identify areas to be protected
(those with high species diversity or ende-
mism) and exploitable resources.
• Biosecurity: A wide array of species could
be used to disrupt the economy and health
systems of the United States. LINNE will
minimize the time needed to access data on
the identifications and distributions of these
species.
• Our natural heritage: Biological collections
contain a unique record of the natural and
cultural history of our nation. They are the
most informative data source on changing
landscapes and patterns of species distribu-
tions.
• Invasive species: Interception of potential
agricultural, forest, or medical pest species
at U.S. borders will be greatly facilitated by
access to a distributed network of taxonomic
resources.
• Agriculture and medicine: Management of
pests, use of organisms as biological control
agents, and control of vectors of diseases
are all dependent upon accurate and timely
species identifications and the information
contained in biological collections.
• Bioprospecting: Successful identification of
new pharmaceuticals, foods, and other yet-
undiscovered uses for organisms requires
taxonomic research and distributional infor
-
mation from biological collections.
• Forensic science: Forensic science is based
on protocols that require accurate identi-
fications of organisms and distributional
information from biological collections.
• History of science: Early and modern
explorers, from Lewis and Clark to mo-
lecular phylogeneticists, deposit vouchers
in biological collections. These specimens
and related data provide unique historical
information.
• International collaboration: Cyberinfra-
structure will allow taxonomists to instanta-
neously share resources.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
6
PREDICTING DISTRIBUTIONS OF CHAGAS
DISEASE VECTOR BUGS IN MEXICO
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis,
is a chronic, incurable disease that causes
serious cardiac degeneration. It is a critical
human health concern from northern Mexico
to Argentina. The geographic distributions
of Chagas vectors, which are blood-feeding
bugs of the subfamily Triatominae, are poorly
known. Recently, in a collaborative effort,
the Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública
(Cuernavaca, Mexico), Instituto de Biología
of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma
de México, and the University of Kansas
Biodiversity Research Center have explored
using museum specimen records to understand
the distributions of vectors. Shown on the
map is the predicted, potential distribution
of Triatoma mexicana, endemic to eastern
Mexico. The yellow squares are known records
(museum specimen collection localities),
based on specimens in multiple collections.
The red area is the predicted, potential
geographic distribution based on ecological
niche modeling in relation to 12 months of
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values
from the AVHRR satellite. Collection records
from from any single museum would not result
in such a widespread predicted distribution.
Predictions such as this are being used to guide
vector control efforts in Mexico.
IMPROVING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
LINNE will substantially increase the resources,
motivation, and excitement for training a new
generation of taxonomists. LINNE will incor-
porate the latest technologies to link scientists
with other scientists, biological collections, and
state-of-the-art instruments for efficient species
discovery, description, and classification. It will
attract students to taxonomy and create op
-
portunities for the development of new careers.
Expertise and data will be accessible through
-
out the world for educational and outreach
activities. Information will be readily available
to elementary students and their teachers,
providing opportunities for exposure to biologi
-
cal diversity and appreciation for nature in the
most formative years.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
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BIOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS
Taxonomic research is necessarily specimen-based, and
biological collections-—repositories of living, preserved, and
dried specimens—are required for taxonomic research.
Collections are growing rapidly in response to the in
-
creased pace of exploration made urgent by the biodiversity
crisis, and in response to the growth of molecular systemat
-
ics and the need for archival storage of voucher specimens,
tissues, and DNA.
Biological Collections Contain Unique Information
The vast amount of information in collections exists in no
other form or place. Much of the information was obtained
prior to modern development and constitutes an irreplace
-
able record of our natural heritage.
Biological Collections are Integral to Scientific Research and
Education
Most collections are maintained at universities and museums
and constitute an important component of research and edu
-
cation. The collections are necessary for a variety of scientific
research—especially the study of biological diversity—and
training of biologists.
Biological Collections Represent a Universal Investment
Biological collections are found in every state and have cost
the nation billions of dollars and centuries of effort to amass.
With a large number of biological collections, the U.S.
enjoys a clear advantage in research and education requiring
collection-based data.
Creating
LINNE
Much of the infra-
structure necessary
to create LINNE
exists as current
taxonomic research
programs and as
biological collections
in universities and
museums through-
out the U.S. How-
ever, these stand-
alone programs lack
the connectivity
that permits rapid
utilization of speci-
mens and data, and
lack ready access
to powerful new
technologies that reside in only a few special-
ized laboratories. LINNE will arm taxono-
mists with tools to overcome impediments by
providing access to specimens, literature, data,
instruments, and colleagues. With LINNE,
taxonomic information will be readily available,
facilities housing collections will be modernized
to ensure long-term protection of resources,
new generations of taxonomists will be edu-
cated and provide modern taxonomic revisions,
diverse technical expertise will be incorporated
into taxonomic research teams, and taxonomic
information will be distributed in electronic
form. LINNE will result in a quantitative leap
forward in taxonomic research as a result of
increased synergy.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
8
LINNE will result in
a quantitative leap
forward in taxonomic
research as a result
of increased synergy.
DISTRIBUTION OF BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
COLLECTIONS IN THE U.S.
Much of the infrastructure necessary to create
LINNE exists as taxonomic research programs
and biological collections in universities and mu-
seums throughout the United States (as shown
below). However, these stand-alone programs
lack the power of connectivity that permits rapid
utilization of specimens and data, and lack ready
access to powerful new technologies that reside
in only a few specialized laboratories. Like the
U.S. Interstate Highway System, LINNE has the
potential to link all of the disparate information
in these collections into a common, Internet-
accessible cyberlaboratory.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
9
Implementation
Implementation of LINNE will:
1. Modernize infrastructure for taxonomic
research.
Advances in cyberinfrastructure and in-
formation technology that increase efficiency
must be made available to centers of taxo-
nomic research. Roughly one billion biological
specimens are curated in museums worldwide,
and each specimen often contributes to many
datasets. Researchers working with collections
will be provided access through the LINNE
network to technology that provides for high-
bandwidth image and data capture, online
workbenches for identification,
georeferencing, data analysis and
visualization, and electronic pub-
lication. This technology includes
digital imaging resources such as
remote-controlled digital micro-
scopes, high resolution 2D and 3D
surface and deep tissue imaging
through computed tomography
(CT scanning) and magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI), high-
throughput DNA sequencing facili-
ties, and digital libraries that place
250 years of published and archived
information at our fingertips. Tens
of millions of specimen records
are now available through elec-
tronic resources such as the Global
Biodiversity Information Facility
(GBIF). Although only the tip of
the iceberg, this access to data held in hundreds
of institutions from a single portal demon
-
strates how technology can transform modern
taxonomy. With LINNE, comprehensive data
capture, analysis, and electronic publication
will be available to all researchers via cyberin-
frastructure that will provide transparent data
access for billions of records across a network of
hundreds of institutions.
2. Enhance the nation’s taxonomic workforce.
Taxonomy is labor-intensive and requires
specialized scholars. A new generation of
taxonomists must be educated and supported
to explore and document the world’s species.
NSF’s PEET (Partnerships for Enhancing Ex-
pertise in Taxonomy) program must be expand-
ed, and other means of educating students and
fostering interest in taxonomy must be identi-
fied and supported. In addition to accelerating
the training of taxonomists, LINNE will foster
collaborations to realize the full potential of the
taxonomic community. Institutions of all sizes,
educators at all levels, and the general public
will have the opportunity to contribute to and
benefit from taxonomic research.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
10
PHASE I
PROTOTYPE LINNE CYBERLABORATORY
SMALL, MIDDLE, LARGE INSTITUTIONS (8–12) WITH
VARYING TAXONOMIC RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
PHASE II
LINNE CYBERLABORATORY
ALL INSTITUTIONS IN U.S.A. WITH BIOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS AND
TAXONOMIC RESEARCH CONNECTED IN NATIONAL NETWORK
PHASE III
LINNE CYBERLABORATORY
LINKAGES ESTABLISHED TO EDUCATION, ECOLOGY, GEOLOGY,
BIOINFORMATICS, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
PHASE IV
LINNE CYBERLABORATORY
INTERNATIONAL LINKAGES ESTABLISHED
ACCESS TO DATA
Difficulty in accessing rare literature often impedes taxo-
nomic research. The
Biologia Centrali-Americana (BCA),
published between 1879 and 1915, contains original
descriptions for 19,263 species. Taxonomists working on
the region’s biota must consult this reference. Unfortu
-
nately, very few copies exist, and researchers have been
forced to travel to one of the institutions owning a copy
to complete their studies. Recently, the Smithsonian
Institution National Museum of Natural History scanned
the text and images of the BCA and made it readily
available over the Internet. The next steps of the joint
project (with the Natural History Museum, London) will
be to put the text into XML and make it interoperable
with species data and other databases held globally.
By
making rare literature, images of type specimens, and
other difficult-to-access materials
available electronically,
LINNE will greatly facilitate the efforts of taxonomists to
document Earth’s diversity.
3. Modernize collection facilities.
Specimens harbor much more data than can
be captured or displayed electronically. It is vi-
tal to recognize the source of information—the
specimens themselves—and to guarantee their
availability to future generations. LINNE will
provide improvements in collection facilities,
from environmentally controlled buildings to
archival tissue storage, and provide the techni-
cal assistance necessary to properly manage
collections.
4. Update and verify specimen
identifications.
Accurate identification of specimens in col-
lections is necessary for research on the spatial
and temporal distributions of organisms. Many
specimens in collections now are unidentified
or incorrectly identified (estimates of mis-
identified specimens for particular taxonomic
groups range from 10
to 70%). LINNE will
increase the pace of
taxonomic revisions
(in part by supporting
an expansion of NSF’s
Revisionary Syntheses
in Systematics initia-
tive), provide new tools
for specimen identifica-
tion, and ensure that the
information content of
collections is accurate
and electronically acces-
sible.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
11
ONLINE IDENTIFICATIONS
Compiling the knowledge for identifying the known 1.75
million different species on Earth is an enormous task. Iden
-
tification keys and manuals traditionally have been printed;
although computer identification tools have been around
since the late 1960s, they have not been widely utilized.
LINNE will provide the infrastructure needed to build online
identification facilities such as the Electronic Field Guide
(EFG), and SPIDA-web.
Electronic Field Guide (EFG), developed at the University
of Massachusetts, Boston, is a tool that allows researchers
to build their own online keys from observations, measure
-
ments, images, and publications. As explained on the EFG
Web site, EFG “aims to provide a database management
system for manipulating taxonomic information associated
with the tree of life based on Linnaeus’ model. It is intended
for use as an educational research tool to assist users in
accessing data regarding taxa. It will help biology research
-
ers to identify species by performing iterative classification
through elaboration of characteristics.”
An Internet-accessible automated identification sys
-
tem that uses neural networks to make species identifica
-
tions based on digital images is under development at the
American Museum of Natural History. The goal is to create a
system that can identify species without requiring the user to
have more than the most basic knowledge of the organisms
to be identified. The prototype, “SPIDA-web” (SPecies IDen
-
tification, Automated, web accessible), will identify images of
spiders submitted via a Web page and provide distributional
and other information from a database. Internet-accessible
automated identification systems have the potential to faci-
litate studies of diverse taxa and to lead to an explosion of
knowledge about our biodiversity.
5. Establish linkages at multiple levels.
LINNE will transform how taxonomy is
done and used through innovative linkages at
multiple levels. Teams of taxonomists will be
linked with each other and research resources to
expedite revisions, monographs, and inventories.
Natural history collections will be linked across
the nation to form the backbone of LINNE and
make new kinds of research possible. Taxonomic
information will be linked to diverse sources
of information from many fields to address
environmental challenges. LINNE will support
and benefit from linkages to a wide range of
activities in ecology, ecosystem science, bioin-
formatics, information sciences, geology, land
planning, and resource management, including
NEON (National Ecological Observatory Net-
work), GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information
Facility), CHRONOS (an Interactive Network
of Data and Tools for Earth System History),
and TDWG (Taxonomic Databases Working
Group).
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
12
LINNE Is Necessary
COMPLETING TAXONOMY; CATFISHES AS AN EXAMPLE
Estimates of the numbers of species of organisms yet to be
discovered and described vary greatly; however, all taxono
-
mists agree that fewer than one-half are described. With about
2,750 described species, catfishes are an exceptionally diverse
group. About 1 in 4 species of freshwater fishes, 1 in 10 fishes,
and 1 in 20 vertebrates, is a catfish. However, catfishes are
most diverse in the least-explored parts of the tropics, and the
number of catfish species is thought to be much greater than
recognized. A project recently funded by the Planetary Biodi
-
versity Inventories (PBI) initiative of the U.S. National Science
Foundation is expected to result in the description of 873 to
1,750 new species of catfishes.
Time remaining to complete the taxonomy of Earth’s biodi
-
versity is rapidly decreasing. As the human population grows,
habitats are lost, and species are driven to extinction. Without
an accelerated effort, many species will disappear before
they are discovered. With their disappearance, the natural
complexity and beauty of our planet is diminished, as are op
-
portunities to develop new foods, medicines, and biocontrol
strategies. We are the first generation to fully comprehend the
magnitude of the biodiversity crisis and the last to have the
opportunity to respond in the most meaningful way. LINNE
will promote initiatives and programs that enhance our ability
to complete the most important task before us: documenta
-
tion of life on Earth.
LINNE will build on the nation’s investments
in natural history collections and innova-
tive programs that have energized taxonomic
research. Examples include NSF programs and
initiatives, such as those supporting the educa-
tion of taxonomists (Partnerships for Enhanc-
ing Expertise in Taxonomy), acceleration of
taxonomic revisions (Revisionary Syntheses in
Systematics), expansion of expeditionary explo-
ration (Planetary Biodiversity Inventories), and
a framework phylogeny of life (Assembling the
Tree of Life), as well as increased investment in
core NSF programs such as Systematic Biology,
Biodiversity Surveys and Inventories,
Biological Research Collections, and
Biological Databases and Informatics.
Continuation and expansion of these
programs and initiatives are vital to
meeting the challenge of the taxonomic
crisis.
LINNE will transform taxonomy,
modernize collections, and open taxo-
nomic knowledge to science and society.
With environmental deterioration accelerat-
ing, little time remains for documenting the
world’s biodiversity. Taxonomy and biologi-
cal collections remain the core resources for
accomplishing this extremely important task.
Our generation is the first to fully comprehend
the biodiversity crisis and the last with the
opportunity to explore and document the life
of our planet. LINNE is necessary if we are to
succeed!
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
13
LINNE will build
on the nation’s
investments in
natural history
collections and
innovative
programs that
have energized
taxonomic
research.
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Conservation of Natural History Collections,
Madrid, Spain.
National Research Council. 2004. NEON: Addressing
the nation’s environmental challenges. The National
Academies Press, Washington, D.C.
National Science Board. 1989. Loss of biological
diversity: A global crisis requiring international
solutions. Report NSB 89-171. National Science
Foundation, Washington, D. C.
Novacek, M. J. 2001. The role of natural history
museums in the stewardship of biodiversity. Pp.
47-55 in A University Natural History Museum
for the New Millennium. M. A. Mares (ed.). Sam
Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History,
Norman, OK.
REFERENCES
RELEVANT INTERNET WEB SITES
LINNE
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/linne/
NSF Report on Cyberinfrastructure
http://www.communitytechnology.org/nsf_ci_report/
NEON: National Ecological Observatory Network
http://www.neoninc.org/
GBIF: Global Biodiversity Information Facility
http://www.gbif.org/
CHRONOS: An interactive Network of Data and Tools
for Earth System History
http://www.chronos.org/
TDWG: International Working Group on Taxonomic
Databases
http://www.tdwg.org/index.html
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Funding was provided by the U.S. National Science
Foundation for workshops on taxonomy held at the
University of Florida Museum of Natural History
(DEB-0349540) and The New York Botanical Garden
(DEB-0352943). This document was designed by Lynn
Hawkinson Smith, Office of Continuing Education,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Index
Herbariorum, The New York Botanical Garden, provided
the database of herbaria used in the map. The illustration
and text for the discussion of Chagas Disease were provided
by Townsend Peterson, University of Kansas Biodiversity
Research Center. Text for the description of SPIDA-web
was provided by Kimberly N. Russell, American Museum
of Natural History. Photos were provided by Martin Hauser,
Department of Entomology, School of Integrative Biology,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, pp. 2 left, 12
top; Michael R. Jeffords, Illinois Natural History Survey,
pp. cover, 3, 4 top, 4 bottom left, 5 top, 7-10, 12 bottom,
13 top; Susan L. Post, Illinois Natural Histoy Survey, pp.
cover (luna moth), 4 bottom right, 5 bottom; David Riecks,
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental
Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
pp. 2 right, 15, back cover; Matthew R. Thomas, Kentucky
Department of Fish and Wildlife, pp. 13 bottom. Flow
charts were produced by Lynn Hawkinson Smith, Office
of Continuing Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign. The illustration from Biologia Centrali-
Americana was provided by Anna Weitzman, National
Museum of Natural History.
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
14
Published by the
Illinois Natural
History Survey
on behalf of
LINNE: Legacy
Infrastructure
Network for
Natural
Environments
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
15
O’Leary, Maureen
State University of New York at
Stony Brook
Page, Lawrence
Florida Museum of Natural
History
Peterson, Townsend
University of Kansas Museum of
Natural History
Pipoly, John III
Fairchild Tropical Garden
Poston, Muriel
National Science Foundation
Program Officer (observer)
Rawlins, John
Carnegie Museum of Natural
History
Rowe, Tim
University of Texas
Schaefer, Scott
American Museum of Natural
History
Sharkey, Michael
University of Kentucky
Sheldon, Fred
Louisiana State University
Kimsey, Lynn
University of California at Davis
Lipscomb, Diana
George Washington University
Magill, Robert
Missouri Botanical Garden
Manchester, Steven
Florida Museum of Natural
History
Mares, Michael
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum
of Natural History
Martin, Jody
Natural History Museum of
Los Angeles County
Mayden, Richard
St. Louis University
McDiarmid, Roy
National Museum of Natural
History, Smithsonian Institution
USGS Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center
Miller, Scott
National Museum of Natural
History, Smithsonian Institution
Moritz, Thomas
American Museum of Natural
History
Blaine, Lois
American Type Culture
Collection
Brochu, Christopher
University of Iowa
Budd, Ann
University of Iowa
Collins, James
Arizona State University
Fautin, Daphne
University of Kansas Natural
History Museum
Frost, Darrel
American Museum of Natural
History
Gosliner, Terrance
California Academy of Sciences
Hanken, James
Harvard University Museum of
Comparative Zoology
Hanner, Robert
Coriell Institute for Medical
Research
Kearny, Maureen
Field Museum of Natural
History
Stevenson, Dennis
The New York Botanical Garden
Stevenson, Jan
The New York Botanical Garden
Tang, Evonne
U.S. National Academy of
Sciences
Thiers, Barbara
The New York Botanical Garden
Tulig, Melissa
The New York Botanical Garden
Wheeler, Quentin
National Science Foundation
Division Director (observer)
Wheeler, Ward
American Museum of Natural
History
Woolley, James
National Science Foundation
Program Officer (observer)
Yates, Terry
University of New Mexico
Participants at “A Workshop on Development of a National Systematics Infrastructure: A Virtual Instrument for the 21st Century,”
held at The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, 11–13 December 2003
Allison, Allen
Bishop Museum
Bart, Henry L., Jr.
Tulane University Museum of
Natural History
Burgess, George
Florida Museum of Natural
History
American Elasmobranch
Society
Cannatella, David
University of Texas Memorial
Museum
All Species Foundation
Society of Systematic
Biologists
Cracraft, Joel
American Museum of Natural
History
Culley, Theresa
University of Cincinnati
Curry, Gordon
Systematics Association (UK)
Frost, Darrel
American Museum of Natural
History
The Herpetologists’ League
Funk, Vicki
National Museum of Natural
History Smithsonian Institution
Gardner, Scott
University of Nebraska
American Society of
Parasitologists
Society of Nematologists
Garrity, George
Michigan State University
International Committee on
Systematics of Prokaryotes
Graf, Daniel L.
Academy of Natural Sciences
of Philadelphia
American Malacological
Society
Graham, Mark
Canadian Museum of Nature
Gropp, Robert
American Institute of Biological
Sciences
Guala, Stinger
National Science Foundation
Program Officer (observer)
Hall, Jason
American Association of
Museums
Horton, Diana
University of Iowa
Huber, Brian
National Museum of Natural
History, Smithsonian Institution
Jeffords, Mike
Illinois Natural History Survey
Jones, Doug
Florida Museum of Natural
History
Judd, Darlene
Oregon State University
Kimsey, Lynn
University of California-Davis
International Society of
Hymenopterists
Koleff, Patricia
Conabio (Mexico)
Levin, Geoff
Illinois Natural History Survey
Loneux, Michele
University of Liege Museum of
Zoology (Belgium)
IUCN/SSC/Birdlife/WPA Grouse
Specialist Group
Belgium French Speaking
Association of Museums
(AFMB)
Belgian Naturalists Society
Lipscomb, Diana
George Washington University
Lydeard, Charles
University of Alabama
Freshwater Mollusk
Conservation Society
Magill, Robert
Missouri Botanical Garden
American Bryological and
Lichenological Society
Mares, Michael
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum
of Natural History
McCartney, Nancy
University of Arkansas
McDade, Lucinda
Academy of Natural Sciences,
Philadelphia
American Society of Plant
Taxonomists
Michan-Aguirre, Layla
Universidad Nacional
Autonoma de Mexico
Miller, Jacqueline
Allyn Museum
Entomological Society of
America
Miller, Steve
University of Wyoming
North American Mycological
Association
Mishler, Brent
University of California-Berkeley
Botanical Society of America
Mueller, Gregory
Field Museum of Natural
History
Natural Science Collections
Alliance
Naczi, Robert
Delaware State University
Page, Lawrence
Florida Museum of Natural
History
American Society of
Ichthyologists & Herpetologists
Patterson, Bruce
Field Museum of Natural
History
American Society of
Mammalogists
Paulay, Gustav
Florida Museum of Natural
History
Pogue, Michael
U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Lepidopterists’ Society
Poston, Muriel
National Science Foundation
Program Officer (observer)
Prather, L. Alan
Michigan State University
American Society of Plant
Taxonomists
Rawlins, John
Carnegie Museum of Natural
History
Schlitter, Duane A.
Texas A&M University
Simons, Andrew
Bell Museum, University of
Minnesota
American Fisheries Society
Snow, Neil
University of Northern
Colorado
Steadman, David
Florida Museum of Natural
History
Stevenson, Dennis
The New York Botanical
Garden
Participants at the “Workshop to Produce a Decadal Vision for Taxonomy and Natural History Collections,” held at the University of Florida Museum of Natural History,
Gainesville, 10–12 November 2003
Sumrall, Colin
University of Tennessee
Paleontological Society of
America
Tang, Evonne
U.S. National Academy of
Sciences
Thiers, Barbara
The New York Botanical Garden
Tirrell, Peter
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum
of Natural History
American Association of
Museums
Trueb, Linda
University of Kansas Natural
History Museum
Welbourn, W. C.
Florida Dept. Agriculture and
Consumer Services
Acarological Society of America
Wheeler, Quentin
National Science Foundation
Division Director (observer)
Woolley, James
National Science Foundation
Program Officer (observer)
Wetzer, Regina
Natural History Museum of Los
Angeles County
Work, Paula
University of Maine
Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections
Legacy Infrastructure Network for Natural Environments
16
Prepared by the LINNE Steer-
ing Committee. Citation for this
document should read: Page,
L. M., H. L. Bart, Jr., R. Beaman,
L. Bohs, L. T. Deck, V. A. Funk,
D. Lipscomb, M. A. Mares,
L. A. Prather, J. Stevenson,
Q. D. Wheeler, J. B. Woolley,
D. W. Stevenson. 2005. LINNE:
Legacy Infrastructure Network
for Natural Environments. Illinois
Natural History Survey, Cham-
paign, IL.
Page, Lawrence M.
Florida Museum of Natural
History
Bart, Henry L., Jr.
Tulane University Museum of
Natural History
Beaman, Reed
Peabody Museum of Natural
History, Yale University
Bohs, Lynn
University of Utah
Deck, Linda T.
Idaho Museum of Natural History
Funk, Vicki A.
National Museum of Natural
History, Smithsonian Institution
Lipscomb, Diana
George Washington University
Mares, Michael A.
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum
of Natural History
Prather, L. Alan
Michigan State University
Stevenson, Jan
The New York Botanical Garden
Wheeler, Quentin D.
The Natural History Museum
London
Woolley, James B.
Texas A&M University
Stevenson, Dennis W. (ex officio)
The New York Botanical Garden
