Small Collections Grant
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Enhancing the specimens preservation conditions at DBEV, a herbarium dedicated to teaching and research at University of Antananarivo
Madagascar
Database, Digitally image, Conserve
Cost (USD):
1950
DBEV
University of Antananarivo
Objective:
This project aims to improve the role of the DBEV herbarium, University of Antananarivo, in support the development of a next generation of botanists and taxonomists in Madagascar. Because specimens at DBEV are currently stacked inside unprotected open cases, so they need to be better stored for long-term for both teaching materials and for promoting these specimens as important tool for research. Currently, DBEV houses ca; 9000 specimens, with part of the collection available online (https://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/swioorchids).
Timetable:
The project is planned for a 6 months, February –July 2022:
- February – March : damaged specimens will be restored (e.g. replacing mounting paper, glueing or placing loose fragments in envelops), for February-March).
- February – July : families arrangement of the specmines will be updated to APG IV, as well as any necessary nomenclatural change; all specimens placed inside new boxes (February-July). A total of 300 boxes (50 x 30 x 25 cm) would be necessary for the 9000 specimens. F
- April – July : specimens not yet barcoded or digitized will be added to the database. At least half of the 9000 imaged specimens and their data are expected to be uplodaded at the Madagascar GBIF data portal (https://www.gbif.org/country/MG/summary), during the second semester of 2022.
It is expected that the DBEV herbarium will be full reorganized by July 2022, and ready to receive students or researchers interested in its specimens.
Project report will be delivered in September 2022
Scoring Rubric
Reviewer's name:
Collection Improvement (max. 120 points)
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Facilitating access to the physical collections by digitization (e.g., data entry, setting up database structure with an outline of the platform to be used, purchasing equipment, and imaging specimens) – up to 30 points.
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Enhancing physical collections by improving the conservation status of specimens in the herbarium (e.g., better folders, protecting covers, mounting paper, labeling, etc.) – up to 30 points.
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Curating specimens (e.g., updating families, species identification, identifying types) – up to 20 points.
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Increasing our understanding of the flora or funga by making new herbarium specimens available, such as processing of backlog or collecting and mounting of new specimens from understudied sites – up to 20 points.
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Securing collections by distribution of duplicates (or orphan collections) to other regional or international herbaria or shipping endangered collections to another herbarium – up to 20 points.
This proposal scores:
/120
Methods & Funding (max. 40 points)
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Match between the proposed budget and methods for the aims described – up to 10 points.
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Perceived need, the extent to which the project will benefit from IAPT funding: e.g., due to active floristic work or contribution to poorly collected sites, due to threatened conditions of collections, and for the degree of involvement of others (outreach and education). We give more points for herbaria in low- and middle-income countries – up to 20 points.
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Sharing duplicate specimens with other herbaria – up to 10 points.
This proposal scores:
/40
Broader Impacts (max. 40 points)
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Degree of regional importance of the collection or the taxonomic importance of the targeted collection – up to 10 points.
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The project will yield durable benefits (specimens, digitized metadata, databases, websites) – up to 15 points.
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The project involves outreach/mentoring and broad dissemination – up to 15 points.
This proposal scores:
/40
Year of last successful SCG application:
Has applicant applied for SCG before?:
Plan:
Herbarium samples are an important tool for teaching plant taxonomy and ecology at the University of Antananarivo. At DBEV, mounted samples are accumulated in open metallic compartment making their conservation challenging against dust and pest outbreaks.
Instead of storing in expensive metallic cabinets, an alternative is the use of individual closed boxes to protect the specimens. This technique is valuable to prevent specimens from frequent and careless handlings as users have to take the box before accessing to particular specimen, and much fewer specimens are store per box .
With time, some specimens become weak and pieces detach from the mounting paper. During this project, we planned to fix such problems. Any loose part of samples will be glue backed or stored inside envelope in the mounted specimens.
To prevent further deterioration and information loss, the DBEV has been working on developing an electronic database using the herbarium software BRAHMS v.7, including specimens imaging and barcoding (necessary equipment was made available under a project financed by the Commission of Indian Ocean). Hence, users can first locate and visualize specimens they are interested in computer before accessing the physical specimens.
two assistants are necessary to help with these activities, they will benefit a training on herbarium techniques and plants collections management, contributing thus to the country commitment on biodiversity protection and data sharing.
Institution:
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Applicant First Name/s:
email:
"Other" target:
Mijoro Rakotoarinivo
Applicant Last Name/s: