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的储存装置，并为5万多个重要的植物和真菌标本提供适当的博物馆储存。大多数等待纳入和保护的收藏品已被确定，但由于空间不足，没有在主要收藏品中归档，无法用于研究或公共服务。博物馆橱柜外储存的材料不断受到昆虫的威胁，尽管有警惕的冷冻熏蒸。等待纳入的标本包括来自美国西南部和梅西科杰出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）。安装压实机和相关橱柜也将增加公共活动的空间，包括永久和旋转展示以及关于翻译分类学、植物遗传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，包括来自代表性不足群体的学生，以协助研究、公共宣传、重新组织40多万份植物和真菌标本，并将宝贵的积压标本纳入主要收藏。该奖项将使高度活跃的UA植物标本馆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.