> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://openscholarship.gitbook.io/chosn/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://openscholarship.gitbook.io/chosn/working-groups/use-case-climate-research-enabled-by-digitised-collections.md). # Use Case: Climate Research Enabled by Digitised Collections The [Natural History Museum](https://www.nhm.ac.uk/) digitised a large portion of its historical butterfly collection and made it accessible for computational research through their Data Portal ([Vézina & Harris, 2025](https://creativecommons.org/2025/09/10/understanding-barriers-to-accessing-heritage/); [Jennifer P., 2022](https://web.archive.org/web/20230606170200/https://naturalhistorymuseum.blog/2022/04/05/data-in-action-british-butterflies-body-size-changes-in-response-to-climate-change-digital-collections-programme/); [Pavid, 2022](https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/butterflies-unlocking-climate-secrets.html)). See [iCollections specimens](https://data.nhm.ac.uk/dataset/icollections/resource/ef702b5c-8ab1-4351-9796-75f44b7b93ee). {% hint style="info" %} Investment in repositories converts collections into high-impact research infrastructure, contributing directly to priority agendas such as climate change. {% endhint %} ## What the repository enabled * Large-scale remote access to 125,000+ specimen images * Use of AI/computer vision tools on structured, high-quality data * Reuse of collections without physical handling or travel ## Research value Researchers identified measurable biological responses to climate change (e.g. changes in insect size linked to temperature). ## Institutional value * Positions the institution as a contributor to global climate science * Increases research visibility and citations * Extends the value of existing collections without additional acquisition costs ## Why this matters * Digitisation and repository infrastructure transforms static collections into reusable research assets * Enables multiple future research projects from a single investment Back