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PaleoCollaborator is a FREE web-based identification tool for the web.  It was originally designed for use on paleobotany projects, but it can also be used for any paleontology project.  In fact, it can also be used for non-paleontology projects too - any project that needs an identification tool that lends itself to a decision-tree type menu structure.

Key features:

• Provides identification guide and key for fossils from a particular locality or stratigraphic formation/member;
• Solicits information about specimens in private collections that represent new or unusually preserved species;
• Provides resource management tool for land owners (e.g. Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, National/State Parks) by defining common versus rare specimens;
• Allows web-based collaboration between all parties on a project.  This may include such diverse groups as museum and university paleontologists, amateur and commercial collectors, and land managers.
• Allows comparison of your research with other related projects using PaleoCollaborator (see Projects below).
• Upcoming: Will allow comparison of fossil plant specimens with modern plants using leaf architecture characteristics.

Cost:

• Available for free download and use on your project (see license in download file).
• May be used in entirely cost-free environment with the MySQL database and Apache webserver.  Or, you can use it in other other environments.  (See Software Platforms below.)
• A detailed Administration Manual is available below.  For further assistance with installation, setup and database loading, see Fee-Based Support (below).

Software Platforms Supported

• Operating Systems: Unix, Linux, Windows Server
• Databases: MySQL, MS SQL Server
• Web Servers: Apache, MS Internet Information Services (IIS)

Installation Requirements

• PHP web-based programming language - www.php.net.
• Website with one of the operating systems, databases and web servers listed above.

Projects/Institutions using PaleoCollaborator:

• Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS)

Green River Paleobotany Project.  Fossil plants of the Eocene Green River Formation of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.  This project now part of larger Paleobotany Project database.

• Evolving Earth Foundation  

McAbee Paleobotany Project.  Fossil plants of the Middle Eocene McAbee flora located near Cache Creek, British Columbia.

• Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle

Republic Paleobotany Project.  Fossil plants of the Early-Middle Eocene Republic Flora of Northeastern Washington State.

• Chicago Field Museum of Natural History & Florida Museum of Natural History

Leaf Cuticle Database Project. - No longer using PaleoCollaborator software.  This was an effort by Rich Barclay (Northwestern University) at The Field Museum and David Dilcher at the Florida Museum of Natural History.  This was an earlier database of modern and fossil plant leaf cuticle using PaleoCollaborator. This project has now evolved into: The Cuticle Database Project.  This is a collaborative effort between researchers at Northwestern University, The Field Museum, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and Pennsylvania State University.  To promote the understanding and identification of living and fossil plants using the first large, unrestricted visual library of leaf cuticle available on the Internet.

Download PaleoCollaborator

PaleoCollaborator, v1.2.2.

• Download Instructions
• Software: paleocollaborator_v1_2_2.zip.
• Administration_Manual.zip (requires Microsoft Word)

Fee-based Support:  Help with Installation, Setup and Database Loads

• A detailed Administration Manual is available for download.  However, if you need further help installing and using the software, please contact me.  In early project implementations, I assisted in installation, setup and database loading free-of-charge.  However, I need to receive some compensation for these efforts.  Depending on your needs, I'm sure we can work something out.  If we proceed, a contract will be written between your organization and Wagner Database Solutions, Inc. (a Colorado corporation since 1998).

 

Host your Project on this Website

• I'm considering offering a service to host your PaleoCollaborator project on Paleocurrents.com.  This would be useful if you don't have an existing webserver for your project or if you don't have technical support to implement the project.  Even if you have a webserver, your project could be hosted here and accessed via a link from your website.
• The benefits of this approach would be: (1) free implementation of software upgrades; (2) automatic database backups; (3) no learning curve for your staff to support the project; (4) no hardware/storage expense at your site; (5) very low cost - because I wrote the software and have experience implementing it; etc.
• If interested, please contact me.  I will provide an estimate based on the size of your project and storage space required.  After it is implemented, there would be a trivial yearly fee to continue hosting your project.  If you decide to host your project here, a contract will be written between your organization and Wagner Database Solutions, Inc. (a Colorado corporation since 1998).

Software Credits

• Evolving Earth Foundation - Provided funding for development of the initial application.
• Denver Museum of Nature & Science - Provided scientific oversight & management of the project.
• Paleocurrents.com - Provided development website.
• Wagner Database Solutions, Inc. - Application design.