| Abstract Detail
Systematics Rehman, Tiana F. [1], Best, Jason H. [1], Fritsch, Peter W [1]. A Deeper Understanding of Collection Scope Through a Rapid Collection Inventory. Since its inception in 1987, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) has been a repository for orphaned herbaria—including the collections from Southern Methodist University, Vanderbilt University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and Dartmouth College, to name a few—and today reports more than one million specimens. Accompanying each acquisition is an approximation for the number of specimens, geographic concentration, and the legacy of many important botanists, together forming a rich but imprecise patchwork. The lack of an accurate account of the collections has hindered the prioritization of research, digitization, and curatorial projects, and limited the exposure of BRIT’s specimens for scientific research. To address these issues, in 2015 BRIT conducted an inventory of its herbarium, recording every species name, a sheet count for each species, and the geographic region of each collection. The resulting dataset is queried weekly to respond to holdings inquiries, grant proposal requests, and to prioritize digitization. We describe both the methods used to complete the inventory and the resulting dataset used to characterize the taxonomic and geographic scope of the BRIT herbarium. Additionally, we present an analysis of the taxonomic names encountered through this inventory, with implications for curatorial needs of herbarium collections.
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1 - Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, Texas, 76107-3400, United States
Keywords:
herbarium
Collections Management
Inventory.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 47, Systematic Methods, Herbarium Digitization & Floristics
Location: 203/Savannah International Trade and Convention Center
Date: Wednesday, August 3rd, 2016
Time: 4:30 PM
Number: 47012
Abstract ID:885
Candidate for Awards:None |
