Completing a Virtual Herbarium at the University of Connecticut

康涅狄格大学？美国的保存植物收藏是一个有价值的科学信息资源，特别是对美国东北部。通过该项目，研究人员、教育工作者和学生将可以利用电子数据库获得175，000多份植物记录的信息，为每一个植物标本提供书面信息和高质量的数字图像，然后将向世界各地的任何人提供互联网接入。 通过汇编历史和当代植物记录，该项目将允许对从全球气候变化到城市植物地理等主题进行前所未有的研究。 研究生和本科生将参与该项目，获得数据库管理，植物处理程序和植物生物学研究其他要素的经验。该数据库将与全球生物多样性信息机制连接，后者是一个旨在广泛传播科学知识的全球数据共享举措。 标本信息的便捷访问将促进国家机构、保护组织和研究濒危物种、经济重要物种和杂草入侵物种等问题的学术科学家的研究。该数据库还将用于开发康涅狄格州的课程计划？的K-12科学课程，提供科学研究的实践经验，特别是在国家代表性不足的学生？城市地区。

The University of Connecticut?s preserved plant collection is a valuable resource of scientific information, particularly for the Northeastern United States. Through this project, information on the more than 175,000 plant records will be made available to researchers, educators and students using an electronic database to provide written information and high-quality, digital images for each plant specimen, which then will be made available worldwide to anyone with internet access. By compiling historic and contemporary plant records, this project will allow for unprecedented studies of topics ranging from global climate change to urban plant geography. Graduate and undergraduate students will work on the project, gaining experience in database management, specimen-handling procedures and other elements of plant biology research. The database will be linked to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, which is a worldwide data-sharing initiative designed to widely disseminate scientific knowledge. The easy access to specimen information will facilitate research by state agencies, conservation organizations and academic scientists who study such issues as endangered species, economically important species, and weedy, invasive species. The database also will be used to develop lesson plans for Connecticut?s K-12 science curriculum, providing hands-on experience in scientific research, particularly to underrepresented students in the state?s urban areas.