Small Collections Grant
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Herbarium of the Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology ZRC SAZU (LJS): Making the content visible
Slovenia
Database, Digitally image, Process backlog, Conserve
Cost (USD):
2000
LJS
Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU), Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology
Objective:
LJS herbarium comprises 12250 herbarium sheets included in publicly available database, however, there is a several times higher number of backlog specimens waiting to be included. Our herbarium has been founded in 1995, and comprises mainly specimens from Slovenia and the Balkan countries. With the grant, we would like to lower the amount of backlog by adding specimens into the database and LJS collection, prepare the software connected with the scanning device for its use, scan a selection of specimens and make the records visible publicly, and purchase certain herbarium material.
Timetable:
After the approval of our grant application, we plan to execute the proposed activities in the following no more than six months. Due to several other project activities, we cannot perform the activities concisely in one package but rather extend to the proposed period.
In the first month, we will purchase cover herbarium sheets that are compatible with our currently used ones. At the same time, we will start the process of scanning device software implementation.
In the second part (after the first month until the finalization of the target activities), we will concurrently digitize backlog specimens by including them in our official herbarium database, scan the specimens and make the scans and the associated metadata publicly available.
We believe the whole process will contribute to the visibility of herbarium LJS and atract more experts to use our material in their research, either live or virtually.
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:
With the grant, we would like to firstly resupply the essential material for specimen storage, namely cover herbarium sheets that we use to combine specimen herbarium sheets with specimens belonging to the same species. We do not have yet all the regional flora stored in the official collection, however, many additional species are in the backlog material and will now be added to the collection.
Further, we will digitize at least 200 backlog specimens in a database FloVegSi, developed by and hosted at our institute. The attributes of the specimens are immediately made visible at the herbarium's website. We will focus on already identified taxa (e.g. Hieracium spp., Carex spp. etc.), which are underrepresented in the collection.
Recently, we have purchased a device for scanning herbarium specimens (Microtek ObjectScan1600) with the aim of making material visible to scientific public. The scanning device enables us to record high-resolution images. With the grant, we will prepare/implement the software associated with the device, including constructing a taxonomic backbone, and establishment of the secure direct webpage accessibility.
We will scan 200 specimen mentioned above+additional 500 from LJS collection with this device using the software package ScanWizard-Botany+MiVapp-Botany, and make the scans with the associated metadata publicly visible and available for research. Beside the herbarium curator, two younger colleagues will collaborate (Filip Küzmič, Sanja Behrič).
Institution:
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Applicant First Name/s:
email:
"Other" target:
Branko Vreš
Applicant Last Name/s: