Safe Specimen Storage for Plant and Fungal Collections in Peril at the University of Arizona Herbarium (ARIZ)

在米歇尔·麦克马洪（Michelle McMahon）的指导下，美国国家科学基金会向亚利桑那大学植物标本馆（ARIZ）颁发了一项奖项，该奖项将支持安装移动存储单元，并为超过5万份重要的植物和真菌标本提供适当的博物馆存储。大多数等待合并和保护的藏品都已确定，但由于缺乏空间而没有在主要馆藏中归档，使其无法用于研究或公共服务。尽管有严格的冷冻熏蒸措施，保存在博物馆橱柜外的材料仍经常受到昆虫的威胁。等待合并的标本包括来自美国西南部和墨西哥西北部杰出的植物学和真菌学研究人员的具有科学意义的收藏品，以及全球范围内的独特收藏品（例如，牵牛花和内生真菌）。安装压实机和相关的橱柜也将增加公共活动的空间，包括常设和轮流展览，以及关于翻译分类学、系统发育学和植物区系学等主题的讲习班。植物标本室将继续招收学生，包括那些来自代表性不足群体的学生，以协助研究、公共宣传、重新整理超过40万份植物和真菌标本，并将有价值的积压纳入主要收藏。该奖项将使高度活跃的UA植物标本室在未来几年继续发展。

A National Science Foundation award to the University of Arizona Herbarium (ARIZ) under the direction of Michelle McMahon will support installation of mobile storage units and provide proper museum storage for more than 50,000 important plant and fungal specimens. The majority of collections awaiting incorporation and protection are identified yet are not filed in the main collection due to lack of space, making them unavailable for research or public service. Material stored outside of museum cabinets is under constant threat from insects, despite vigilant freeze-fumigation. Specimens awaiting incorporation include scientifically significant collections from preeminent botanical and mycological researchers in the southwestern US and northwest México, as well as unique collections that are global in scope (e.g., morning glories and endophytic fungi). Installation of compactors and associated cabinets will also increase space for public activities, including permanent and rotating displays and workshops on topics such as translational taxonomy, phylogenetics and floristics. The herbarium will continue to recruit students, including those from underrepresented groups, to assist in research, public outreach, reorganizing over 400,000 plant and fungal specimens, and incorporating the valuable backlog into the main collection. This award will allow the highly active UA Herbarium to continue to grow for years to come.