A comprehensive survey of mammal collections and genetic resources in South America: challenges and directions

Abstract Natural history collections serve as crucial infrastructure for both basic and applied scientific research, providing temporal and spatial specimen data needed to understand biodiversity, environmental change, and emerging pathogens. This study surveyed mammal collections across South America to assess the scope and quality of this infrastructure. A detailed questionnaire was distributed to curators and collection managers from May 2021 to February 2022, gathering information on institutional characteristics, collection size, taxonomic and geographical scope, preservation methods, genetic resource availability, percentage digitization, financial support, and challenges such as funding limitations. Our survey identified 141 collections; more than twice the number reported by the American Society of Mammalogists in 2018. South American collections house ∼746 000 catalogued specimens, including 452 primary type specimens, representing only a modest proportion of the vast mammalian diversity of South America. Collections are geographically concentrated in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, with a significant gap in the Guianas region and a decline in responses from Venezuela. The survey highlights four major challenges facing South American collections: staffing shortages, minimal cryogenic infrastructure, incomplete digitization, and sustainability issues. This initiative aims to raise awareness of collections in South America, plan for strategic growth, and strengthen research capacity to address pressing global issues, such as climate change, zoonotic disease transmission, and long-term conservation strategies.

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
Published
2025-08-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blaf069
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
7.44
Controls
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article

A comprehensive survey of mammal collections and genetic resources in South America: challenges and directions

3 citations
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
7.44
article

A comprehensive survey of mammal collections and genetic resources in South America: challenges and directions

article en
3 citations

Abstract

Abstract Natural history collections serve as crucial infrastructure for both basic and applied scientific research, providing temporal and spatial specimen data needed to understand biodiversity, environmental change, and emerging pathogens. This study surveyed mammal collections across South America to assess the scope and quality of this infrastructure. A detailed questionnaire was distributed to curators and collection managers from May 2021 to February 2022, gathering information on institutional characteristics, collection size, taxonomic and geographical scope, preservation methods, genetic resource availability, percentage digitization, financial support, and challenges such as funding limitations. Our survey identified 141 collections; more than twice the number reported by the American Society of Mammalogists in 2018. South American collections house ∼746 000 catalogued specimens, including 452 primary type specimens, representing only a modest proportion of the vast mammalian diversity of South America. Collections are geographically concentrated in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, with a significant gap in the Guianas region and a decline in responses from Venezuela. The survey highlights four major challenges facing South American collections: staffing shortages, minimal cryogenic infrastructure, incomplete digitization, and sustainability issues. This initiative aims to raise awareness of collections in South America, plan for strategic growth, and strengthen research capacity to address pressing global issues, such as climate change, zoonotic disease transmission, and long-term conservation strategies.

Biological Journal of the Linnean SocietyVol. 146(1)
Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (EC), Gabriel René Moreno Autonomous University (BO), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (BR), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BR), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR), Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (BR), Universidade Federal de Rondônia (BR), Texas Tech University (US), National University of Tucumán (AR), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (BR), Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (BR), Universidade de Ribeirão Preto (BR), University of Quindío (CO), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (BR), University of Kansas (US), Universidade de Brasília (BR), University of Caldas (CO), Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto (AR), Universidad de Los Andes (CO), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (CL), Austral University of Chile (CL), Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (BR), National University of Luján (AR), Universidade Federal da Paraíba (BR), Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (BR), University of Concepción (CL), Universidade de São Paulo (BR), Universidad de la República de Uruguay (UY), Universidad El Bosque (CO), Universidade Federal de Sergipe (BR), National University of San Marcos (PE), Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais (BR), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (CO), University of Guayaquil (EC), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (BR), University of Michigan (US), Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute (CO), Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (US), Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (BR), Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará (BR), Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (BR), Universidade Estadual de Goiás (BR), State University of Norte Fluminense (BR), National University of Jujuy (AR), National University of Saint Anthony the Abbot in Cuzco (PE), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (BR), Universidad de Antioquia (CO), Universidad Nacional de Colombia (CO), Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (EC), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (BR), Military University Nueva Granada (CO), Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum (AR), Centro Científico Tecnológico - Santa Fe (AR), Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado (BO), Universidade do Tocantins (BR), Universidad Estatal de Milagro (EC), Fundación Biodiversidad (ES), Universidad Politécnica y Artística del Paraguay (PY), New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (US), Instituto Argentino de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento (AR), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (BR), Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Rondônia (BR), Governo do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (BR), Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (AR), National Polytechnic School (EC), Universidade Regional de Blumenau (BR), Institut Pasteur de la Guyane (GF), Laboratoire National de Référence (MA), Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud (AR), Pontificial Catholic University of Valparaiso (CL), Guyra Paraguay (PY), National Museum of Archaeology (BO), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (ES), Universidad Ricardo Palma (PE), Hospital Regional de Concepción (CL), Universidad del Valle (CR), Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (EC), Centro Científico Tecnológico - Patagonia Norte (AR), Museu de Ciências Naturais da Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul (BR), São Paulo Museum of Art (BR), Escola de Comando e Estado-Maior do Exército (BR), Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano (CO), Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagónico (AR), Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas (BR), Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad (PE), Para La Tierra (PY), Observatorio Astronómico Los Molinos (UY), Atlantic Environmental Research Center (ES), Instituto de Biología Subtropical (AR), AtlantiCare (US), Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde (BR), Corporación Universitaria Santa Rosa de Cabal (CO), University of Bío-Bío (CL), Universidad Privada del Este (PY), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (BR), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (BR), Universidade Federal do Paraná (BR), Universidade Federal do Pará (BR), Université de Montréal (CA), Universidade Federal de Alagoas (BR), Universidad Central de Venezuela (VE), Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (BR), Universidad Nacional de Asunción (PY), Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (BR), University of La Salle (CO), Universidad EAFIT (CO), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (AR), Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) (BR), Universidad del Valle (CO), University of Guyana (GY)
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