Small Collections Grant
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IAPT 2020 SCG to PSUB: Taking care of legacy plant collection specimens for future ecological reference material on the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
Botswana
Process backlog, Conserve
Cost (USD):
1957
PSUB
Peter Smith University of Botswana Herbarium at Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana.
Objective:
To prepare herbarium sheets from specific collectors at the core of PSUB’s legacy collection. Targeting families of Cyperaceae and Poaceae which include environmentally significant species in the Okavango Delta’s flood-pulsed wetland.
To assimilate, from our archive of original documentation and online resources, all information relevant to create comprehensive specimen labels. The data will be imported into PSUB’s tailor-made BRAHMS database. Each selected specimen will be repaired or mounted to international standards.
Timetable:
• We intend to use IAPT SCG funds over a six-month period. Work would start once funds have been cleared at ORI.
• Month one: Preliminary selection of herbarium sheets, background taxonomic research begun, A short synopsis/Inception report written on the status and outline the work to be done.
• Next four months: Focus on sorting selected legacy collection herbarium sheets for repairing, mounting and compilation of data to create full labels for those specimens without. Sheets grouped according to needs of specimens. Duplicate sheets of labelled specimens will take lower priority. Most will need information to be transcribed from PSUB archive files and folders plus research into duplicates held at other herbaria with data available online.
• The last month will be dedicated to importing newly acquired data into PSUB’s BRAHMS, extending taxa, people and geographical lists. All fully prepared sheets from this project will held aside for scanning. A final status report on the project’s success and plans for the future will be submitted to IAPT SCG committee.
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:
The IAPT SCG will help address PSUB’s lack of resources (money, time & expertise) to thoroughly investigate and assimilate all information available about the targeted legacy collection specimens.
Your funds will employ two local resident experts knowledgeable about PSUB’s collection and BRAHMS. Using original P.A. Smith records and files as a guide, herbarium sheets of Cyperaceae and Poaceae from core legacy collectors will be selected.
Then, within genera, the specimens of each species will have their current taxonomic status checked and updated. As reference for taxonomic treatments of the selected monocots of this project we will consult: World Flora on Line, The African Plants Database, IPNI, Kew’s Plants of the World Online; SANBI’s New Plants of Southern Africa, a reliable, essential source of information on duplicates for PSUB and The Plant List (not updated since 2012 but provides easy access to taxa and authors for label making and data entry).
Since we share and compare taxonomic protocols and exchange data on duplicates of PSUB specimens with other Botswana and regional herbaria, we also use a listing, provided by SANBI, as taxonomic guideline to genera level.
After updating the determination, labels will be generated for each specimen with mention of IAPT SCG support. Thus, when scanned, the value of these herbarium specimens is maximised as they will have been prepared correctly and have all known information on a legible, permanent label.
Institution:
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Applicant First Name/s:
email:
"Other" target:
Frances Murray-Hudson
Applicant Last Name/s: