HISCOM

An Australian Virtual Herbarium

Jim Croft

Australian National Herbarium

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Panel

HISCOM members AD - Bill Barker BRI - Peter Bostock CANB - Greg Whitbread DNA - Anne Fuchs HO - MEL - Marco Duretto, Paul Cholodniuk NSW - Barry Conn PERTH - Alex Chapman

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This Presentation

Description of an AVH Need for an AVH Preparedness for a AVH Options for an AVH

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AVH - Keywords

Herbarium– Collections of botanical specimens– Sources of botanical knowledge and

expertise– Sources of botanical information

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AVH - Keywords

Virtual– Appearing as– Computer dependent– Graphic, visual– High Tech– On-line

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AVH - Keywords

Australian– Implies national in coverage and view– States and territories– Government, educational– Distributed

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Name Options

Australian Virtual Herbarium Australian Herbarium Virtuality Virtual Herbarium of Australia Virtual Australian Herbarium

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What is an AVH like?

Conceptual parallels in the:– Australian National Rare and Endangered

Plant Collection– Australian National Fungi Collection– Australian National Plant Collection

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Foci of the AVH

Past (and current) foci– data– database design– technology– networks

Focus for an AVH– Information

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Why do we need an AVH?

Increasing expectations and demands on herbaria

Increasing costs of using duplicated data Decreasing staff resources for herbaria Gaps in individual data coverage Competition from other sources Demonstrable relevance of herbaria

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Cost of Specimen Data

Excluding computing & herbarium support $ 4 (- 5) per collection

– c. $ 2 data entry

– c. $ 2 geocode calculation/verification Each duplicate redone by recipients Maybe 4 - 6 duplicates per collection 6 million herbarium specimens in Australia Less than 50% databased

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Costs of Other Data

Each herbarium maintains census Each herbarium maintains taxonomy Each taxonomist maintains a taxonomy ? 5-6 x duplication of effort

(Total curation costs: $ 25-50 / specimen)

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Australian Herbarium Collections

Herbaria completely databased– BRI - 600 k– QRS - 100 k– DNA - 170 k– PERTH - 400 k

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Australian Herbarium Collections

Herbaria partially databased– AD - 800 k (13 %)– CANB - 900 k (45 %)– HO - 350 k (20 %)– MEL - 1 M (6 %)– NSW - 900 k (25%)

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Australian Herbarium Collections

Summary estimates from State Herbaria– November 1996

c. 5.3 million collections c. 2.2 million databased c. 42 % databased

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Australian Herbarium Collections

c. $ 12 M to complete the job! c. $ 1.5 M if we share the task! Divided views in the past:

– High priority - do it now– Collect more - do it later

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Benefits of an AVH

Shared and common data Common standards Common authority files Shared data entry and curation Access to a larger database Access to larger body of expertise

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Where have we come from?

Printed books, articles Ledgers and cards (‘60s) Simple databases (‘70s) Complex databases (‘80s/90s) Network connection (‘90s) Exchange of and sharing data (‘90s)

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Are we ready for an AVH?

Computerized collections data Compatible database design Common data standards Agreed data interchange format (HISPID) Increased technical understanding Common purpose Goodwill

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Elements of an AVH

– Plant name information– Specimen information– Observational information– Taxon information– Mapping and distributional information– Expanding botanical knowledge– Dissemination of knowledge– Linking with other programs

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Plant name information– Nomenclatural– Taxonomic– Systematic– Typification– Bibliographic– Common names

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Specimen information– Collections information– Transactions (accessions, loans)– Taxonomically authenticated point locality

information– Images

live material, morphological, anatomical

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Observational information– Surveys– Sightings– Anecdotal reports

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Taxon information– Descriptive

Monographs, revisions, Floras, etc.

– Images live material, morphological, anatomical

– Expert Identification systems Intkey, Lucid, Meka, etc.

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Mapping and distributional information– checklists, censuses– Electronic gazetteers– GIS output– Modeling– Predictive output

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Expanding botanical knowledge– phylogenetic analysis– genetic studies– taxonomic research

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Dissemination of knowledge– Basic data– Derived information– Published floras– Educational information– Biological information systems

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Linking with other programs– Regional biodiversity, environmental,

resource surveys State and Territory surveys Local Surveys

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Linking with other programs (cont.)– National biodiversity, environmental,

resource surveys ABRS TSCS (ESU) NHT (Landcare, RFA, CRA, etc.) ERIN NRIC

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Linking with other programs (cont.)– International projects

Plant Names Project IOPI Species 2000 NSF/ASC collections projects World Bank / GEF Data repatriation

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Elements of an AVH (cont.)

Tools and Technology– Network Connectivity: Internet, WWW– Database functionality– Applications

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Can we build an AVH?

We have the technology We have the ability We have the data We have the protocols and standards Do we have the will?

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Where to start?

We are exchanging data Taxonomic and census data Specimen data Build a virtual type herbarium? ?

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Principles for an AVH

– Shared– Collaborative– Distributed– Dynamic– Accessible– Authoritative– Strategic and proactive– Relevant

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