The Bolus Herbarium (1865-) Oldest functioning and currently 3 rd - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

▶

Mar 03, 2024 242 likes •386 views

The Bolus Herbarium (1865-) Oldest functioning and currently 3 rd largest herbarium in South Africa, 5 th largest in Africa. Established 1865 = 152 years old this year Boluss first homestead in Cape Town, where the herbarium was once housed

SLIDE 1

The Bolus Herbarium (1865-)

SLIDE 2

Bolus Herbarium and Library had humble beginnings: consisted of rooms in a private home before being bequeathed to UCT in 1911 Bolus’s first homestead in Cape Town, where the herbarium was once housed Herbarium Library Oldest functioning and currently 3rd largest herbarium in South Africa, 5th largest in

Africa. Established 1865 = 152 years old this

year

SLIDE 3

Herbarium and associated library moved 10 times: now housed in modern facilities in the Dept. of Biological Sciences

SLIDE 4

± 90% of collections are from Cape Floral Kingdom (CFR) = regional herbarium Proteaceae 333 spp., 96% endemic Restionaceae 342 spp.,92% Ericaceae 680 spp., 97%

SLIDE 5

One of the herbarium’s oldest collections is of Agathosma

vata made on 11/07/1814

Currently houses more than 380 000 collections - over 11 300 Types. These 16 taxa very well represented Aizoaceae (Mesembryanthemaceae) Asclepiadaceae Asteraceae Bryophyta & Hepatophyta Cyperaceae Ericaceae Fabaceae Geraniaceae Iridaceae Orchidaceae Oxalidaceae Poaceae Proteaceae Pterydophyta Rutaceae Scrophulariaceae

SLIDE 6

STATS:

Average 2014-2016 Visitor usage: 358 p/a 60% UCT staff and students, 40% visitors from outside UCT Sheets handled: 7900 p/a (loans in and out, gifts in and out, new specimens accessioned) Staff, students, visitor conducting research ↑ ↗ Material loaned from other ↑ herbaria for research purposes New acquisition ↓

SLIDE 7

1. Curator: PSO/Curator
2. Curator: Succulent Families
3. Herbarium Assistant

Staff shortage our most pressing concern

STAFF

1986 2001 - 2017 A number of important aspects of effective Herbarium management are affected and compromised, particularly:

Curatorial duties – both physical

sheets and the metadata require curation.

Pressure on loan management system.
Administration.

SLIDE 8

200000 400000 600000 800000 1000000 1200000 1400000 National Herbarium, Pretoria Compton Herbarium Bolus Herbarium Selmar Schonland Herbarium Bews Herbarium KZN Herbarium Accessioned specimens / samples-Value Specimen to scientific staff ratio

Are these herbaria at high risk due to limited staff capacity? *Data obtained from national collections review undertaken by NRF in 2010

SLIDE 9

DIGITIZATION

Current Situation:

Own system started 1993 – as a loan management system - continually

developed/upgraded to meet most current needs - effective - now migrated to BRAHMS system.

Ad hoc data capturing (encoding): specimen loans, systematists providing

funds, student projects, specific projects - Mellon Foundation (all Type collections scanned + metadata for API), OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) project (all marine algae databased), FBIP.

Databased to date: Non-types: 173 800 Types: 11 300
TOTAL: ± 185 000 (± 50% of collections)
Geo-referenced: 50 000 (27% of databased records)
Images of 3 500 scanned Mesemb “Vygie” illustrations - housed by UCT

Libraries’ Digital Repository Unit

Karoo BioGaps Project, targeting 6 major families, when done, over

200 000 records will be captured and 80 000 geo-referenced.

SLIDE 10

MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS

All funds to ensure both data capturing and specimen mounting

(fundamental functions) continually need to be externally sourced – almost all funds are dedicated to paying salaries of ad hoc personnel.

Succession - no “in-house” training for future leadership – a Herbarium

Curator requires at least 5 years of shadow-training should successful transition be required. Each herbarium, particularly non-SANBI herbaria, has its own unique set of conditions under which it operates.

Problem of expansion – expensive, yet required for collections to

constantly grow and for collection to consistently be of increasing value to science.

Though three University Herbaria list amongst the top six in the

country in terms of number of specimens housed, they are probably most at threat due to being under-resourced w.r.t. human capital. Dedicated staff members have kept these in the loop regarding scientific

relevance. Could be problem in future.

SLIDE 11

FUTURE

Investigating the possibility of expansion within the next three years – increase potential

to continue accessioning new material.

To digitise the entire collection as soon as possible – result - having all the data at hand

as well as an image of each specimen.

Have all these data in a centralised repository for use by all who might require the
information. NSCF to play a pivotal role.
Recruit volunteers, interns, temporary staff to try and alleviate staffing shortfall.

SLIDE 12

Take home message: Herbaria play a critical role - preserve the results of diligent fieldwork for future generations, and are an essential part of the biodiversity infrastructure of any country

SLIDE 13

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SANBI, particularly Prof. Michelle Hamer for ensuring the establishment of the NSCF has been brought to fruition

Organisations and individuals

Certain Slides: Peter Linder: