Origin of CPBC Collections

At the time of its founding, the CPBC included over 400,000 specimens and samples distributed across its seven divisions as follows. Roman numerals denote individual Divisions.

Current Location of CPBC Collections

Current Extent of CPBC Collections

Together, the seven Divisions of life sciences collections comprising the CPBC include over 425,000 specimens and lots. As of 1/1/07 these collections include specimens as follows:

QSP LABORATORIES OF PALEOECOLOGY COLLECTIONS
The Quaternary Science Program Lab of Paleoecology (Division II) contains both fossil and modern pollen and other plant materials as described below. Much of the fossil pollen collection originates from lake sediments of known age. The Modern Macro Collection emphasizes species of montane habitats. The Modern Macrobotanical collection emphasizes seeds, needles, twigs, and leaves from plants of desert habitats. The modern collections are critical to the interpretation of fossil specimens and lots. Overall these collections include ~3,500 specimens. These are primarily research materials.
1)  Palynology Collection                                                 2,308 lots
2)  Modern Macro Collection                                          1,185 whole plants, pine needles, seeds
3)  Modern Wood Collection                                          ~100+ specimens
4)  Macrobotanical Collection                                         ~xxxx specimens

1. Fossil Packrat Midden Collection                     ~14,000 specimens
2. Fossil Hyrax Midden Collection                        50 lots
3. Modern Macrobotanical Coll.                          ~2,800 specimens

 
BOTANY COLLECTIONS
This Division contains modern plant specimens documenting contemporary plant species of our region and comparative specimens from around the world. These are both research and teaching materials including 82,000 fully prepared specimens and 5,000 specimens still to be cataloged. This Division also includes NAU's teaching greenhouse to provide living plant material for a number of lab courses in the Department of Biological Sciences. The facility includes 2,000 square feet of greenhouse and 150 square feet of preparation area organized to provide specific habitats such as hot dry deserts and cool moist cloud forest. Tree frogs breed in the two ponds that house the aquatic plant collections. The facility also houses extensive collections of orchids and succulents from the tropics worldwide.

1. Vascular Plant Collection                                   ~87,000 specimens
2. Bryophyte Collection                                        ~200 specimens
3. Lichen Collection                                             ~200 specimens
4. Living Collections                                                     
1. Epiphyte Collection                              ~200 specimens
2. Succulent Collection                            ~350 specimens
3. Other Living Stock Collection               ~600 specimens

INVERTEBRATE COLLECTIONS
The Invertebrate Division encompasses a huge diversity of taxa from our region as well as comparative specimens from around the world. The largest portion of this collection are insects (Hexapoda), but many spiders and scorpions (Arachnida) as well as centipedes and millipedes (Myriopoda) are included as well. These are housed in the Colorado Plateau Museum of Arthropod Biodiversity (CPMAB). These are both research and teaching materials.

1. Crustaceans & Non-Arthropod Invertebrates          18,000 specimens
2. CPMAB: Hexapods, Myriopods, and Arachnids:       250,000+ specimens

VERTEBRATE COLLECTIONS
Division V includes modern vertebrate animal specimens that document contemporary animal species diversity of our region as well as comparative specimens from around the world. These are both research and teaching materials.
1)  Mammal Collection:                                                     ~ 4,500 specimens
2)  Ornithological Collection:                                            ~ 1,800 specimens
3)  Herpetological Collection:                                           ~ 1,500 specimens
4)  Ichthyology Collections:                                              ~ 1,500 specimens

FUNGAL COLLECTIONS
This Division contains modern fungi with specimens documenting contemporary fungal species of our region. Dried specimens, wet tissue samples, and DNA samples are included. These are both research and teaching materials. This is a recent collection and is growing rapidly.
1)  Mycorrhizal Fungal Collections:    ~ 100 tissue and DNA specimens
2)  Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Spore Collections:       ~
3)  Mushroom Collections:                                               ~ 100 specimens
4)  Endophytic Fungal Collections:     ~ 100 tissue and DNA specimens

ENVIRONMENTAL GENOMICS AND GENETICS LAB (EnGGen) COLLECTIONS
The EnGGen DNA and tissue collections comprises specimens from a number of research programs and may include collateral materials from the other divisions usually consisting of tissue samples stored in ultracold freezers. The Botanical Tissue Collection is primarily specimens waiting to be sequenced and will enter the permanent DNA Collection once processed. The DNA Collection is catalogued and permanently accessioned.
         1)  Botanical Tissue Collections:                                    ~1,000 specimens
         2)  DNA Collections:                                                       ~1,500 specimens

Future Directions and Collections Considerations
The CPBC will continue efforts to improve its ability to achieve its mission through on-going collection and ever more complete species inventories. Directions for the immediate future include the improvement of information transfer via electronic enhancements and increased ability to address scientific questions across a variety of disciplines. Further integration of research and teaching will continue, as will outreach to the private sector.

Division Curators

Current Division Curators and Staff:
Each of the seven Divisions comprising the CPBC has a Division Curator who is responsible for the development, care, and active research program of that Division. As of 7/08 these are the Division Curators, their Staff, and contact information:

Courses Using Collection Material

There are 27 courses that currently use material from one or more of the CPBC Divisions. In addition, the collections also support many undergraduate and graduate student internship and Independent Study projects.