An open-source database model and collections management system for fish scale and otolith archives

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2020.101115
• Publication Date: 2020-06-08T15:53:22Z
• Authors: Elizabeth Tray; Adam Leadbetter; Will Meaney; Andrew Conway; Caoimhín Kelly; Niall Ó Maoiléidigh; Elvira de Eyto; Siobhan Moran; Deirdre Brophy
• Keywords: Sample (material)

Scales and otoliths (ear stones) from fish are routinely sampled for age estimation fisheries management purposes. Growth records scales can be used to generate long-term time series data, in combination with environmental reveal species specific population responses a changing climate. Additionally, scale otolith microchemical data utilized investigate habitat usage. A common problem associated biological collections, is that while sample intake grows, physical storage rarely priority, much of the sampling took place before advent open-access digital infrastructure. Material often collected meet short-term objectives resources seldom committed maintaining archiving collections. As consequence, precious samples frequently stored many different unsuitable locations, may become lost or separated metadata. The Marine Institute's ecological research station Newport, Co. Mayo, Ireland, holds multi-decadal (1928–2020) collection various species, gathered geographic locations. Here we present an open-source database model system consolidate digitize this collection, show how case study infrastructure could other utilizes FAIR (Findable Accessible Interoperable Reusable) open-data principles, includes repository, metadata catalogue, image library.