Small Collections Grant
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Digitization of the botanical samples stored at DBEV Herbarium of the University of Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Mijoro Rakotoarinivo
Madagascar
Database, Digitally image, Conserve
Cost: $
1885
DBEV
Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Antananarivo
Objective:
The project aims to enhance the value of botanical samples conserved at the DBEV herbarium by setting up systems that allow all botanists, researchers and public to easily access information on each specimen.
To achieve this, the following specific objectives will be considered:
- Improvement of the physical conditions of the 13,000 samples stored in the herbarium: new mounted samples, repair of damaged samples and new workspaces for the consultation of specimens.
- DBEV Herbarium Sample Catalogue: an electronic database of all mounted specimens.
Plan:
Miscellaneous activities related to herbarium management will be undertaken:
- Increase by at least 40% in the number of mounted specimens and the fruit and seeds collection DBEV herbarium; new samples are mounted and made physically accessible to researchers and other visitors. It will allow to the local recognition of the scientific interest of the DBEV herbarium collections by the frequentation of confirmed botanists and plant specialists who are not necessarily from the academic world.
- Reduction in the number of degraded specimens due to pests or improper handling by following a sterilization protocol to be implemented in the herbarium. This approach will provide more training to students on the required attention for the sustainability and proper management of herbarium specimens.
- Establishment of an image-based database and a complete electronic dataset of all herbarium specimens by using the standard format and techniques of BRAHMS software (Botanical Research And Herbarium Management Systems). Existence of these tools is fundamental for future development of the virtual herbarium by including supplementary botanical information for each species such as the floral formula, fruits and seeds morphology as well on economic botany details. Materials for performing this activities such as camera, bench copy stand, barcoder and trinocular microscope are already acquired by the DBEV herbarium.
Timetable:
The project is planned for 10 months, from April 2020 to January 2021:
- April - September 2020: mounting of specimens on herbarium plates, remediation of damaged specimens, re-arranging the herbarium and reclassifying the specimens according to taxonomic ranks.
- June 2020: redaction of the new protocol for the right use of the herbarium, raising awareness among students and researchers and visitors
- July 2020: disinfecting and fumigation of the herbarium.
- May – October 2020: Implementation and completion of a herbarium database in the BRAHMS software.
- September 2020 – December 2020: digitization and barcoding of each herbarium specimen. Pictures of each specimen consist of an overview of the collections as well as some focus on particular organ, all captured in high resolution images.
- January 2021: Electronic data of the herbarium specimens available to visitors of the University of Antananarivo.
Referee 1:
Solo Hery Rapanarivo
Referee 2:
Lauren Gardiner
Scoring Rubric
Your name:
Collection Improvement/Maintenance
1. Contribution to the generation of digital herbarium data (digitization: data entry, setting up database structure, purchasing equipment).
2. Contribution to enhancing our understanding of the flora by making new herbarium specimens available (processing of backlog).
3. Contribution to enhancing our understanding of the flora by making new herbarium specimens available (shipping endangered collection to another herbarium).
4. Contribution towards improving conservation status of specimens in herbarium (better folders, protecting covers, mounting paper, labeling, etc.).
This proposal scores:
/120
IAPT community building
5. Herbarium's potential for success.
6. Perceived need, extent to which the project will benefit from IAPT funding.
7. Sharing specimens with other herbaria.
This proposal scores:
/40
Broader Impacts
8. The project will yield durable benefits (specimens, digitized metadata, databases, websites).
9. The proposed project involves outreach/mentoring and broad dissemination.
This proposal scores:
/40
61
Proposal number: