CSBR: Natural History Collections: Essential Improvements for the Arthur Fungarium at Purdue University

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

An award is made to Purdue University to support the 125 year-old Arthur Fungarium, which houses ca. 110,000 specimens of plant rust fungi and their hosts. Holdings span more than 250 years and 171 countries and include more than 4,000 type specimens. The collection includes specimens collected during the first around the world voyage of Captain James Cook, as well as specimens collected by famed American scientist George Washington Carver. This project will assist with repatriation of 25,000 recently returned specimens and provide long-term collection security. The project will provide curatorial support for reorganization and damage assessment of the collection, as well as internship opportunities for students interested in herbarium/curatorial/museum sciences. In addition, societal benefits include workshops, exhibits, and improved digital data access for scientists, educators, students, and members of the general public to this important resource. This project seeks to perform critical improvements for the Arthur Fungarium (PUR), which after an 18 year lapse in curatorial activity, is now being revitalized through reinvestments by the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. The Arthur Fungarium is unique as a global resource, and this project will help to return it to its former status as the premier institution in the world for the study of rust fungi (Pucciniales) and their host plants. Not only are the data and specimens at PUR of importance for the study of rust fungi, but they are doubly valuable in that they also preserve material and data for all host specimens (across the breadth of vascular plants), further broadening the use and impact of this collection. This project will address an urgent need for reorganization of the collections within the Arthur, both in keeping with new taxonomic principles, but especially to safeguard and accommodate ca. 25,000 recently repatriated specimens. Specific goals include performing a curatorial upgrade, including repairs and reorganization of the collections; safeguarding, databasing, and reintegrating the repatriated material; complete barcoding and databasing of the entire holdings of PUR (including capture of host data); and increasing public and scientific awareness of the Arthur Fungarium collection. All data resulting from this project will be shared with iDigBio (https://www.idigbio.org/), ensuring accessibility to researchers and the public.