Wiley Natural History Collections in the Science of the 21st Century

Natural History Collections in the Science of the 21st Century provides an essential look at how specimen collections drive modern scientific research. While these collections were originally built for systematics and taxonomy, they have become fundamental tools for addressing significant scientific and societal questions in the modern era. This book explores the vast potential held within billions of specimens collected globally over the last two centuries. It presents a wide range of questions and answers generated by the study of these collections, making it a valuable resource for those working in systematics, phylogenomics, and taxonomy. By examining how these historical assets serve as a sustainable resource for open science, this work helps researchers understand the evolving role of natural history in contemporary biological studies.