Collaborative Research: The Online Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria Expanded to Include Taxonomically Diverse Specimens from Large and Small Regional Collections

该项目的目的是将爱达荷州、蒙大拿州、俄勒冈州和华盛顿州近20所大学、学院和联邦机构植物标本馆的植物研究标本数字化（即图像和数据库）。维管植物、苔藓、地衣和真菌标本将包括在该项目中。一旦数字化，这些记录将通过现有的门户网站（http://www.pnwherbaria.org）在线提供。调查人员正在利用几所大型大学可用的网络基础设施（例如，以太网、服务器、技术人员）与较小的机构建立伙伴关系，否则这些机构将没有资源进行这项活动。该项目为公众、本科生和研究界提供了切实的利益。将标本数字化并在网上提供，使公众能够访问部分通过先前的联邦资金收集的藏品。样本数据将从网站上下载，因此任何人都可以使用这些信息来追求独特的兴趣和问题。本科学生将广泛参与成像和数据基础活动，为他们提供适用于未来专业追求的技能和培训。近200万太平洋西北地区植物标本馆标本的在线可用性将增加使用这些标本的研究界的访问和效率。

The purpose of this project is to digitize (i.e., image and database) botanical research specimens at nearly twenty university, college, and federal agency herbaria in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Vascular plant, moss, lichen, and fungal specimens will be included in the project. Once digitized, the records will be available online through an existing Web portal (http://www.pnwherbaria.org). The investigators are leveraging the cyberinfrastructure (e.g., Ethernet, servers, technical staff) available at several large universities to build partnerships with smaller institutions that otherwise would not have the resources to undertake this activity.This project provides tangible benefits to the general public, undergraduate students, and the research community. Digitizing specimens and making them available online creates public access to collections that have been assembled in part through prior federal funding. The specimen data will be downloadable from the Web site, so anyone can use the information to pursue unique interests and questions. Undergraduate students will be involved extensively with imaging and data basing activities, providing them with skills and training applicable to future professional pursuits. Online availability of nearly 2 million Pacific Northwest herbarium specimens will increase access and efficiency for the research community using these collections.