Small Collections Grant
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Enhancing collection management and clearing specimen backlog in the endangered Iranian Cryptogamic Herbarium
Iran
Database, Digitally image, Process backlog, Conserve
Cost (USD):
2000
ICH
Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST)
Objective:
Iranian Cryptogamic Herbarium is one of the important collections with valuable material from the species-rich Hyrcanian region and the Transcaucasus biodiversity hotspot. It is by far the largest lichen collection in Iran and in the Middle East, holding valuable reference collections. Due to insufficient funding, the collection is at risk of damage and needs immediate curation. To make the collection available for the wide research community, the main project objectives are to improve the collection preservation, database and digitize the collection, and process specimen backlog.
Timetable:
1- Specimen assortment, mounting (3 months)
2- Specimen databasing in Access file format (2 months)
3- Preparation of the labels and envelopes (2 months)
4- Specific curation of TYPEs and reference material (1 month)
5- Duplicates preparation for other herbaria (1 months)
6- Digitization (3 months)
Total: 12 months
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 ICH Herbarium is the most important collection of lichens and wood fungi in the Middle East region, and contains valuable specimens from the post glacial refugia in the Hyrcanian forests. The Herbarium contains ca. 20K lichens and macrofungi from Iran and other countries, and holds numerous TYPEs and exsiccates.
The ICH herbarium is located at the Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, but unfortunately, the collections are not prioritized at all. The samples have been subject to several relocations. Access to the specimens or specific groups is difficult because they are stacked, unordered, and are without envelopes. ICH lacks camera-microscopy and digitization facilities. Moreover, it suffers from the unordered specimens and unsuitable preservation of TYPE/reference material. Clearing backlog of specimens awaiting mounting is postponed due to lack of funding. This project aims to improve the situation with specimen backlog in ICH and to develop the preservation of specimens. We also aim to prepare duplicates of specimens for other herbaria, to enhance their preservation and usage.
The specimens need to be ordered, mounted, numbered, databased, and digitized. In this project, specimens are targeted to be sorted within a one-year schedule, so that they will be easily accessible for research community.
Institution:
IH Code:
Country:
Target areas:
Applicant First Name/s:
email:
"Other" target:
Masoomeh Ghobad-Nejhad
Applicant Last Name/s: