3,102 records document Arctic marine fish specimens from North American and Russian museum collections. The dataset results from an evaluation project led by Mecklenburg et al., submitted in July 2006, to correct misidentifications and update taxonomy. Population of the database was ongoing, with additions planned at least until the end of International Polar Year activities in 2009.
Use Cases
- Correcting species distribution maps by validating and updating specimen locality data against cruise records.
- Training classification models to identify fish species using features like habitat, bottom type, depth, temperature, and salinity from specimen records.
- Analyzing taxonomic changes over time by tracking updates from old names or junior synonyms to current senior synonyms.
- Studying collection biases by examining records per institution, such as the 912 records from the University of British Columbia.
- Assessing historical misidentification rates by comparing original and corrected identifications for specimens collected outside published ranges.
Strengths
- 3,102 validated records provide a substantial basis for analysis.
- Data integrates specimens from 10 institutions across North America and Russia, offering broad geographic representation.
- Includes corrected taxonomic nomenclature and additional habitat parameters like bottom type and salinity for many records.
Limitations
- The core dataset is from 2006, with updates potentially ending in 2009, making it temporally stale for current climate change studies.
- Sample size is moderate (3,102 records) relative to the vast number of Arctic fish specimens globally.
- Record counts per institution vary widely, from 3 to 912, which may introduce institutional bias in analyses.
Provenance
- Source
- Database submitted to ArcOD, Institute of Marine Science, University of Alaska Fairbanks by Point Stephens Research.
- Collection Method
- Examination and re-identification of museum specimens, with corrections to taxonomy and locality data based on systematic reviews and cruise records.
- Time Range
- Specimen collection dates not specified; database submitted in 2006 with ongoing updates planned until at least 2009.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Arctic marine regions, with specimens from North American and Russian institutions.