Small Collections Grant
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Incorporating 4,000 specimens donated to the small EBCH Herbarium in the Chamela field station
Mexico
Process backlog, Conserve
Cost (USD):
2000
EBCH
Estación de Biología de Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Objective:
The CHAM Herbarium is a small reference collection of 2400 specimens specialized in the flora of the tropical dry forest of western Mexico. The herbarium was created in 1985 as part of the biological collection of the Chamela field station. Recently, Mexican botanist Arturo Solís donated 4,000+ specimens that he collected and identified in the region. Our objective is to process the specimens so that they can be incorporated to the herbarium, more than doubling its current size. We also aim to revise the entire collection, updating names and families according to the APG system.
Timetable:
Our timetable on notification of grant approval is to advertise in the region the opportunity for work experience mounting botanical specimen. We will conduct a local workshop with the staff of the MEXU Herbarium to train/capacitate the young biologists to mount botanical specimens. Our aim is to hire 2 students for 8hs/day each, which would meet the budget given by the IAPT and local average salaries. We expect to have all the plants mounted in 4-6 months. Enrique and I will supervise the entire process, and will update nomenclature of the collection ourselves. This will make the Herbarium EBCH a model of a reference herbarium within an important Biosphere Reserve in the tropical seasonally dry forests.
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:
Together with M.Sc. Enrique Ramirez Garcia, on notification of grant approval we will advertise, hire and train local biology students to mount the backlog of donated specimens so that they can be incorporated to the herbarium. We also aim to revise the entire collection, updating nomenclature according to the APG IV system (or V to be announced in the forthcoming IBC 2024 in Madrid), and change specimen folders that are in bad condition. The support provided by IAPT would ensure that the invaluable botanical information provided by the 4000+ donated specimens is not lost, and is made available to generations of future researchers. Furthermore, the proposal will also provide much needed work experience and biological training to young Mexican students from rural areas within the tropical dry forest biome.
Institution:
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Applicant First Name/s:
email:
"Other" target:
Marcelo Rodrigo Pace
Applicant Last Name/s: