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At the University of Arkansas (U of A), researchers are digitizing 10,000 specimens of slime molds. The three-year project is part of an overall National Science Foundation effort to digitize data for millions of biological specimens. The U of A myxomycetes will be added to the National Resource for Digitization of Biological Collections database, making them accessible to scientists, educators and the public.
In some instances, an image of the actual specimen representing the collection also will be added to the database. Slime molds are not plants or animals but they share the characteristics of both. They feed on the microorganisms associated with dead plant material, especially bacteria and fungi, and they play an important role in vital ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling. Myxomycetes are commonly found in soil and on dead wood and leaves on the forest floor.Image credit: Matt Reynolds, University Relations
