Title |
Opportunities and challenges for digital morphology
|
---|---|
Published in |
Biology Direct, July 2010
|
DOI | 10.1186/1745-6150-5-45 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Alexander Ziegler, Malte Ogurreck, Thomas Steinke, Felix Beckmann, Steffen Prohaska, Andreas Ziegler |
Abstract |
Advances in digital data acquisition, analysis, and storage have revolutionized the work in many biological disciplines such as genomics, molecular phylogenetics, and structural biology, but have not yet found satisfactory acceptance in morphology. Improvements in non-invasive imaging and three-dimensional visualization techniques, however, permit high-throughput analyses also of whole biological specimens, including museum material. These developments pave the way towards a digital era in morphology. Using sea urchins (Echinodermata: Echinoidea), we provide examples illustrating the power of these techniques. However, remote visualization, the creation of a specialized database, and the implementation of standardized, world-wide accepted data deposition practices prior to publication are essential to cope with the foreseeable exponential increase in digital morphological data. |
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Geographical breakdown
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Germany | 3 | 3% |
United Kingdom | 2 | 2% |
Brazil | 2 | 2% |
Malaysia | 1 | <1% |
Hong Kong | 1 | <1% |
Argentina | 1 | <1% |
United States | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 103 | 90% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Researcher | 31 | 27% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 25 | 22% |
Student > Master | 15 | 13% |
Other | 8 | 7% |
Student > Bachelor | 7 | 6% |
Other | 21 | 18% |
Unknown | 7 | 6% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 64 | 56% |
Earth and Planetary Sciences | 9 | 8% |
Computer Science | 5 | 4% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 4 | 4% |
Engineering | 3 | 3% |
Other | 17 | 15% |
Unknown | 12 | 11% |