Computerization of Fungal and Vascular Plant Collections at Washington State University

一笔赠款已授予华盛顿州立大学，由拉里D。Hufford从WSU植物标本馆收集的维管植物和真菌中计算信息。植物收藏品遍布世界各地，但重点是北美西部的植物群，这是该项目的重点。科学家和学生助理将把物种识别、分布、栖息地和采集时间的标签信息转录到计算机数据库中。总的来说，该项目将采集155，000份维管植物标本和近53，000份真菌标本的数据。这些数据将作为一个可供研究人员、学生和自然资源管理人员使用的可搜索的数字信息目录在互联网上提供给全世界。这些现成的信息将加快研究速度，并为研究人员节省时间和差旅费用，他们可以从自己的机构访问植物标本馆数据。除了作为植物界研究和教育工具的首要作用外，该数据库还将为农业害虫控制和粮食安全提供有用的数据。Hufford博士和其他高级研究人员将监督该项目，该项目还将利用具有维管植物和真菌专业知识的研究生来培训和监督本科生作为数据输入专家。此外，Hufford博士计划将该数据库纳入中学基于互联网的教育计划。

A grant has been awarded to Washington State University under the direction of Dr. Larry D. Hufford to computerize information from collections of vascular plants and fungi in the herbarium of WSU. The plant collection has worldwide holdings but has an emphasis on the flora of western North America, and it is this region that is the focus of the project. The scientists and student assistants will transcribe information from labels on species identification, distribution, habitat, and time of collection into a computer database. Altogether, the project will capture data for 155,000 specimens of vascular plants and nearly 53,000 specimens of fungi. The data will be available worldwide on the Internet as a searchable digital catalog of information that will be used by researchers, students, and natural resource managers. This ready availability of information will expedite studies and save time and travel costs for researchers who can access the herbarium data from their home institutions. In addition to its primary importance as a research and educational tool for the botanical community, the database will provide data useful for control of agricultural pests and food security. Dr. Hufford and other senior investigators will oversee the project, which will also utilize graduate students with expertise in vascular plants and fungi to train and supervise undergraduate students as data entry specialists. In addition, Dr. Hufford plans to incorporate the database into middle school Internet-based educational programs.