BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY: ORGANIZING MINNESOTA'S
FRESHWATER MOLLUSKS INTO A GIS-COMPATIBLE DATABASE

Mark Hove1, Mark Nelson2, Susan Weller1, Richard Buech2, and Robert Bright1
1 James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, St.
Paul, MN  55108
2 US Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station, St. Paul, MN 
55108

The Bell Museum of Natural History is Minnesota's repository for freshwater
mollusks.  The museum collection includes 5737 lots; 5146 from states
surrounding and including Minnesota.  Freshwater bivalves constitute 92% of
the collection, including 250 lots collected before 1910. Specimens collected
beyond Minnesota and adjacent states include freshwater mussels from 22 states
(n=188 lots) and 2 other countries (n=2 lots), and snails from 31 states (n=369
lots) and 11 other countries (n=32 lots).  Most of these collection records are
entered into a computer database (Filemaker Pro customized by Daniel Graf). 
In addition to active acquisition of specimens, we are expanding our computer
database on Minnesota mollusks to include a review of species locality data
collected from journal articles and federal reports.  In collaboration with the US
Forest Service, we are in the process of converting our literature database to a
GIS-friendly format.  With GIS capability, it is possible to visualize collection
needs, changes in fauna over time, and the correlation of mussel species'
distributions with geoclimatic and vegetation records.  This database and GIS
capability will provide distribution information in an accessible format to
resource managers, and facilitate efforts to identify and conserve rare species.

keywords: Bell Museum, freshwater mollusks, database




1.  Presenting author: Mark Hove, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell
         Avenue, St. Paul, MN  55108           phone (612) 624-3019     FAX
         (612) 625-5299     email: mh@fw.umn.edu
2.  I'd like to present this subject as a poster presentation.   It would be too
         inconvenient to present this subject as a platform presentation.
3.  The poster will not be presented by a student.