The Vertebrate Paleontology Collection in the University of Kansas' Museum of Paleontology is one of the premier resources of its kind in North America. It comprises more than 100,000 specimens and was among the first to have a computerized collection database. The collection's rapid growth during the past decade has outpaced the Museum staff's ability to accession and catalog new fossil vertebrates. Dr. Hans-Peter Schultze, Curator of the collection, has devised a management plan to process this backlog and make these valuable specimens available to researchers. Systematic collections in natural history museums and herbaria constitute a unique record of the evolution of life on earth. Systematists, paleontologists, biogeographers, ecologists, and evolutionary biologists are becoming increasingly dependent on these research resources. Their continued growth and proper curation are essential for a wide range of research endeavors.
