Preservation Artefact
Definition
A treatment- or storage-associated change affecting observed specimen features. A measurement protocol should be compatible with the reference against which it is compared. Hot-water treatment does not guarantee unchanged dimensions forever.
- Context
- Preservation effects
For example, a change in measured larval length after storage may concern preservation rather than additional biological growth or a different deposition event.
A preservation difference can affect an age estimate and should be documented.
Related terms
- Chain of Custody
- The documented history of possession and transfers of an item of evidence. Physical custody and the conditions affecting an analysis should both...
- Custody Gap
- An unresolved gap in recorded possession or identity, with consequences requiring case-specific assessment. Its significance depends on what information is missing and...
- Ethanol Fixation
- Use of ethanol for preservation, with concentration, dilution, storage and intended analysis documented. Record ethanol concentration, dilution by wet material, storage conditions...
- Handling Deviation
- A departure from the intended procedure whose impact must be evaluated. Record transport, storage, preservation, refrigeration and examination events with their times....
- Hot-Water Killing
- A preservation step using an appropriate hot-water protocol; it does not guarantee unchanged measurements under every storage condition. Treatment and storage can...
- Instar Determination
- Assessment of the developmental stage between moults using an appropriate method. Typical blow flies have three larval instars, but that count is...
- Parent Sample
- The identified material from which a subsample is taken. Record each subsample’s identity, location, treatment and intended analysis. Without that relationship, a...
- Scene-to-Laboratory Transfer Record
- Documentation of transport times, conditions and relevant handling from collection to laboratory receipt. Record transport, storage, preservation, refrigeration and examination events with...
- Traceability
- A documented relationship between material, identifiers, actions and records. Physical custody and the conditions affecting an analysis should both be recorded. An...
- Voucher Specimen
- Retained material supporting the identification and possible re-examination of an organism. Link it to the case, observations, analytical sampling and storage history....