Abstract Detail

Biodiversity Informatics & Herbarium Digitization

Horton, Dasha Marika [1].

A Summation of the Impact of Glue and Other Materials in Herbaria Archival.

This project presents the investigation of various materials used in herbaria for the aim of determining the most archival affixing types available to curators. Herbaria curation benefits many fields of research, that is why the materials and methods used to preserve vouchers should be re-evaluated to suit our progress in technology such as those in DNA extractions. In this project, I inspected relevant articles relating to the developments in curation through history in tandem with compiling photo images of deterioration found on vouchers. To grade the commonly used adhesives I tested vouchers created prior to this research to determine to what extent plants were able to be run through DNA extractions. Through all of these study elements I noted: 1) accessibility levels, 2) preservation (eg. pH change over time, brittleness, and color deterioration), and 3) other risks arising from alternative affixing materials. I found that traditional liquid glues obstruct research reliant on the physical manipulation of the plant specimen. Additionally, the use of paperclips, tape, plastics, and hot-glue must be emphasized as unacceptable in protocol because it damages vouchers against future research. Overall, this research project deters curation protocols from including liquid glue or non-archival materials to create vouchers for the emphasis of preserving plants for future data mining opportunities that come with the development of technology.

1 - Utah Valley University, Biology, 1270 W 1130 S, C 203, Orem, Utah, 84058, USA

Keywords:
curation
herbaria
adhesives
protocols
herbarium
archival .

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Biodiversity Informatics & Herbarium Digitization Posters
Location: Arizona Ballroom/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 6:15 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PBI002
Abstract ID:279
Candidate for Awards:None