Small Collections Grant
This page is used to provide assessment scores for each grant application assigned to you. Please use the rubric below the grant details to enter your assessment scores and any notes you wish to include.
Please note that all scores entered must be whole numbers (no decimals), or you will be unable to save this form.
The value of MEN Herbarium collections in teaching and understanding the diversity of Mendoza plants, Argentina.
Argentina
Database, Process backlog, Conserve, Other
Cost (USD):
2000
MEN
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, National University of Cuyo, Mendoza
Objective:
Mendoza Herbarium, MEN in Index Herbarriorum, was founded in 1940 by Guillermo Covas, is the oldest in the province and belongs to Agricultural Botany of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, National University of Cuyo, Argentina. Since its origins, MEN's objectives were focussed on education, research and conservation of Flora of Mendoza and Argentina valuable collections, including approximately 40.000 specimens mainly of vascular plants.
Objetives for IAPT grant:
1. Collection improvements: specimen mounting, digitalization and data base advancement.
2. Student education in plant systemat
Timetable:
Month Activities description
March Field studies in the Andes piedemont: collection of representative species in different habitats. Project Flora and Vegetation of Chacras de Coria.
April Specimen mounting, digitalization and data base advance (1.500 specimens).
May Specimen mounting, digitalization and data base advance (1.500 specimens).
June Specimen mounting, digitalization and data base advance (1.500 specimens).
August Specimen mounting, digitalization and data base advance (1.500 specimens).
September Field studies in the Andes piedemont: collection of representative species in different habitats. Project Flora and Vegetation of Chacras de Coria.
October Data Analysis.
November Report.
December Final Seminar
Scoring Rubric
Reviewer's name:
Collection Improvement (max. 120 points)
-
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.
-
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.
-
Curating specimens (e.g., updating families, species identification, identifying types) – up to 20 points.
-
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.
-
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)
-
Match between the proposed budget and methods for the aims described – up to 10 points.
-
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.
-
Sharing duplicate specimens with other herbaria – up to 10 points.
This proposal scores:
/40
Broader Impacts (max. 40 points)
-
Degree of regional importance of the collection or the taxonomic importance of the targeted collection – up to 10 points.
-
The project will yield durable benefits (specimens, digitized metadata, databases, websites) – up to 15 points.
-
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:
MEN collections are of great importance for teaching plant diversity in local communities and at different educational levels. Students from different careers of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences attend every year to Botany and Plant Diversity courses, and as part of the teaching process, they collaborate with MEN to improve the Herbarium collection´s. One of the main objectives is to create enthusiasm for botanical studies among students, who can understand better our plant richness working with MEN specimen’s.
MEN preserves valuable collections of western Argentina Flora, build up by important botanists and former professors: Adrián Ruiz Leal, Fidel Antonio Roig, José Ambrosetti, and Eduardo Méndez. Lichen specimens collected in Antarctica by Ruiz Leal in 1950, and high mountain plants are examples of unique plants.
It is important to highlight that MEN belong to the Argentinean Herbarium Network (RedHAr) sharing common interest, knowledge and methodologies to improve collection digitalization and specimen´s databases. In 2019, a collaboration with Darwinion Herbarium (SI) was initiated to include MEN specimen information in the same database system.
In order to accomplish the first two objectives, four advanced students will collaborate in MEN during 4 month (10 hours per week). The curator and co-curators will supervise student activities with special collections (6.000 specimens).
Regarding the third objective, students will also participate in the project Flora and
Institution:
IH Code:
Country:
Target areas:
Applicant First Name/s:
email:
Teach te value of Herbarium collections in education and plant diversity research
"Other" target:
Iris Edith Peralta
Applicant Last Name/s: