CSBR: Natural History: Restructuring the Shirley C. Tucker Herbarium into a central hub for Louisiana botany via the consolidation of multiple herbaria

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA

Investigators

Abstract

Herbaria serve as crucial documentation of the natural world. Their dried, pressed specimens are of multidimensional importance: they are documentation of plant occurrence through space and time; markers of taxonomic and nomenclatural identity; evidence of plant-animal interactions; and sources of DNA for molecular studies. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in the acknowledgement of the importance of natural history specimens to modern biological research. Despite this resurgence and broad application of specimens in research a number of herbaria in Louisiana have recently closed and the collections orphaned. The Shirley C. Tucker Herbarium at Louisiana State University (LSU) has been the recipient of a large portion of these orphaned collections. This has resulted in a near doubling in the size of the collection, from 207,500 specimens in 2015 to an estimated 400,000. This project will result in the integration and consolidation of these specimens into the Tucker Herbarium's infrastructure, as well as completion of prior digitization efforts. This project will not only ensure that Louisiana's botanical heritage is available to interested researchers, but also foster an understanding of the importance of plants and natural history collections via outreach projects aimed at the broader public, undergraduate students, and the academic community. The incorporation of multiple orphaned herbaria at LSU presents an opportunity to restructure the Tucker Herbarium into a regional hub for Louisiana botany. This project will integrate the recently acquired herbarium specimens into LSU's compacted herbarium infrastructure, as well as consolidate multiple digital data sources. Both of these steps are crucial for the maintenance and maximum utility of the much larger collection that will be housed at the Tucker Herbarium by 2020. Challenges related to the integration of different filing schemes and database structures will be addressed by project personnel and their solutions will be presented at national conferences. Additionally, continued digitization efforts will result in a nearly complete online database with image records of the Louisiana flora. All associated data will be publicly accessible and linked to multiple consortium and data aggregation efforts, including SERNEC, iDigBio, and GBIF. Integration and digitization activities will be coupled with the development of a rotating public exhibit to feature Tucker Herbarium research and activities, the inauguration of an annual plant biology seminar at LSU, and the establishment of a stronger presence, both online via social media campaigns and on campus via participation in outreach activities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.