View source for The Key to the Cabinets: Building and Sustaining a Research Database for a Global Biodiversity Hotspot

[[Category:TCN]]
== Digitization TCN: The Key to the Cabinets: Building and Sustaining a Research Database for a Global Biodiversity Hotspot  ==

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px;"
! colspan="2" style="background:#D58B28;width:200px;font-size:10pt" | The Key to the Cabinets (SERNEC - TCN)
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| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;font-size:7pt" | [[File:SERNEC.jpg|center|300px]]
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!colspan="2" style="background:#D58B28;text-align:center;font-size:9pt" | Quick Links
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|[[The Key to the Cabinets: Building and Sustaining a Research Database for a Global Biodiversity Hotspot#Project Summary|Project Summary]]
|- 
|[[The Key to the Cabinets: Building and Sustaining a Research Database for a Global Biodiversity Hotspot#Current Research|Current Research]]
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|[[The Key to the Cabinets: Building and Sustaining a Research Database for a Global Biodiversity Hotspot#Project Websites & Social Media|Project Websites]]
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|[https://www.idigbio.org/content/digitization-tcn-sernec-collaborator-map Network Map]
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|[[The Key to the Cabinets: Building and Sustaining a Research Database for a Global Biodiversity Hotspot#Publications|Publications]]
|}

=== Project Summary  ===

The southeastern USA is botanically rich, with areas of high global biodiversity in both the Appalachians and the coastal plain. Millions of plant specimens have been collected from this region over the past four centuries, and these specimens and the information they contain currently reside in museums, or herbaria, at universities across the area. Scientists study these specimens intently; however, it is difficult to retrieve information at broad geographic and taxonomic scales without pipelines to move the information electronically from the specimen to an accessible pool of data. SERNEC, or the SouthEast Regional Network of Expertise and Collections, is a large regional network of botanical experts and collections that has, through an NSF-sponsored research coordination network (RCN) project, developed critical skills in biodiversity informatics. The current project will allow the SERNEC group to make data available for over 3 million specimens using the latest photography and information capture tools and to engage citizen scientists and students to assist in transcribing and georeferencing this large dataset. The research generated through this project can help regional planners, land managers and communities to manage their natural resources in our ever-changing environment. 

The interaction of scientists, citizen scientists, and students will provide a synergy to build a research tool of an unparalleled scale and scope. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop an imaged and databased set of over 3 million specimens from over 100 herbaria in one of the most floristically diverse regions in North America and a global hotspot of plant diversity. This will represent a valuable data source for research on the response of vegetation to climate change, human development, and rapid migrations of introduced species. This region has been a biodiversity hotspot for 100 million years and this project should encourage research on changes over time to develop better predictive models as areas of biodiversity change. By partnering with Symbiota, Notes from Nature, GEOLocate, Adler Planetarium, iPlant/TACC, and Specify, the project will develop ways to best integrate various efforts for data accessibility. This award is made as part of the National Resource for Digitization of Biological Collections through the Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections program, and all data resulting from this award will be available through the national resource ([http://www.idigbio.org iDigBio.org]).

=== Current Research  ===

This project proposes to utilize plant collection data to determine the threats to the native biota of the southeastern region of North America, including:
*climate change
*invasive species
*human population growth
*species extinction.
Compare geographic distributions and habitat requirements of endemic species with non-endemics.<br />
Determine the origins of biogeographic richness of the region and maintenance of diversity over geologic time.<br />
Ecological niche or species distribution modeling of current and future distributions of rare and endemic species.<br />

=== Project Websites & Social Media ===
[http://sernec.org '''SERNEC Website''' http://sernec.org]<br >
[http://sernecportal.org/ '''SERNEC Portal''' http://sernecportal.org]

Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1502386220082404/ Key to the Cabinets: Herbaria of North Carolina Facebook Group]

=== Citizen Science & Outreach Projects ===
This project will utilize [http://www.notesfromnature.org Notes From Nature (http://www.notesfromnature.org)] which will serve to engage citizen scientists in museum related science activities. 

The project has developed Notes From Nature-based lesson plans to target state-based standards of learning (SOLs) for grades 6-12.
These along with other educational resources can be found at http://sernec.appstate.edu/education-outreach

FSU's Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium hosted a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2014, raising more than $2000 to provision six 1-day citizen science events in 2015.  100+ citizen scientists from the Tallahassee region were brought onto campus to learn about local biodiversity and the role of biodiversity specimens in research and education.  The longer-term, bigger-picture goal is to develop a new model for sustaining biodiversity data creation by providing resources to the nation's 1500 museums, universities, field stations, and other institutions with similar collections so that they find it easier to do something similar.  Those collections together house about a billion specimens—plants, fossils, birds, mammals, sponges, insects, etc.  The plan is to establish a virtuous circle in which, as the collections engage more people in their local communities in the events, the crowdfunding support for those events grows.  Visit [http://spark.fsu.edu/Projects/121/Blazing-a-New-Trail-for-Sustainability-with-Citizen-Science http://spark.fsu.edu/Projects/121/Blazing-a-New-Trail-for-Sustainability-with-Citizen-Science] for more information.

=== Project Leadership  ===
''Project Sponsor'': Appalachian State University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410069 (NSF Award 1410069)]

''Principal Investigator (PI):'' [mailto:murrellze@appstate.edu Zack Murrell]

''Project Manager:'' [mailto:md68135@appstate.edu Michael Denslow]

''Data Manager:'' [mailto:herrick.brown@gmail.com Herrick Brown]

''Collaboratoring Award PIs:''<br >  
Alan Harvey, Georgia Southern University; 
Alan Weakley, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill; 
Alexander Krings, North Carolina State University; 
Allen Risk, Morehead State University; 
Andrea Weeks, George Mason University; 
Ashley Morris, Middle Tennessee State University; 
Austin Mast, Florida State University; 
Ben Montgomery, University of South Carolina Upstate; 
Brad Ruhfel, Eastern Kentucky University; 
Charles Horn, Newberry College; 
Daniel Stanzione, iPlant, University of Texas; 
Dayle Saar, Murray State University; 
Dixie Damrel, Clemson University; 
Donna Ford-Werntz, West Virginia University; 
Douglas Jensen, Converse College; 
Ed Gilbert, Arizona State University; 
Emily Gillespie, Marshall University; 
Eran Kilpatrick, University of South Carolina - Salkehatchie; 
Erika Gonzalez, Longwood College; 
George Johnson, Arkansas Tech University; 
Gerald Long, Francis Marion University; 
Hank Bart, Tulane University; 
James Carter, Valdosta State University; 
Joe Pollard, Furman University; 
Joey Shaw, University of Tennessee - Chattanooga; 
John Clark, University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa; 
John Nelson, University of South Carolina - Columbia; 
Jon Evans, University of the South; 
Katherine Mathews, Western Carolina University; 
Kelly Major, University of South Alabama; 
Kunsiri Grubbs, Winthrop University; 
L. D. Estes, Botanical Research Institute of Texas; 
Laura Trouille, Adler Plantarium; 
Leslie Goertzen, Auburn University; 
Lisa Krueger, University of Tennessee - Martin; 
Lisa Wallace, Mississippi State University; 
Mary (Maggie) Whitson, Northern Kentucky University; 
Mary Priestley, University of the South; 
Michael Windham, Duke University; 
Nelson Rios, Tulane University; 
Nico Franz, Arizona State University; 
Norris Williams, University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History; 
Rachel Jabaily, Rhodes College; 
Robert Guralnick, University of Florida; 
Shawn Krosnick, Tennessee Technological University; 
Thomas Sasek, University of Louisiana – Monroe; 
Timothy McDowell, East Tennessee State University; 
Travis Marsico, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro; 
Wendy Zomlefer, University of Georgia

=== Project Collaborators  ===

[https://www.idigbio.org/content/digitization-tcn-sernec-collaborator-map Map of Collaborating Institutions]

<b>Data Collaborators:</b><br>
Appalachian State University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410069 (NSF Award 1410069)]<br>
Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission<br>
Arkansas State University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410098 (NSF Award 1410098)]<br>
Arkansas Tech University<br>
Armstrong State University<br>
Auburn University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410200 (NSF Award 1410200)]<br>
Austin Peay State University<br>
Berea College<br>
Bridgewater College<br>
Campbell University<br>
City of Alexandria Herbarium<br>
Clemson University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410094 (NSF Award 1410094)]<br>
Columbus State University<br>
Converse College<br>
Delta State University<br>
Duke University<br>
East Carolina University<br>
East Tennessee State University<br>
Eastern Kentucky University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410077 (NSF Award 1410077)]<br>
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services<br>
Florida Museum of Natural History<br>
Florida State University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410288 (NSF Award 1410288)]<br>
Francis Marion University<br>
Furman University<br>
George Mason University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410086 (NSF Award 1410086)]<br>
Georgia Southern University<br>
Georgia Southwestern State University<br>
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory<br>
Henderson State University<br>
Hendrix College<br>
Institute for Botanical Exploration<br>
James Madison University<br>
Longwood University<br>
Lord Fairfax Community College<br>
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge<br>
Louisiana State University, Shreveport<br>
Louisiana Tech University<br>
Lynchburg College<br>
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens<br>
Marshall University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410143 (NSF Award 1410143)]<br>
McNeese State University<br>
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Herbarium<br>
Middle Tennessee State University<br>
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science<br>
Mississippi State University [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410092 (NSF Award 1410092)]<br>
Morehead State University<br>
Murray State University<br>
Newberry College<br>
Nicholls State University<br>
North Carolina Zoological Park<br>
North Carolina Zoological Park<br>
Northern Kentucky University<br>
Northwestern State University<br>
Rhodes College<br>
Salem College<br>
Southeastern Louisiana University<br>
Southern Research Station<br>
Tennessee Technological University<br>
Tulane University<br>
University of Alabama<br>
University of Arkansas<br>
University of Arkansas at Monticello<br>
University of Central Arkansas<br>
University of Central Florida<br>
University of Georgia [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410081 (NSF Award 1410081)]<br>
University of Louisiana at Monroe [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410445 (NSF Award 1410445)]<br>
University of Louisiana, Lafayette<br>
University of Mississippi<br>
University of New Orleans<br>
University of North Carolina [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410439 (NSF Award 1410439)]<br>
University of North Carolina, Pembroke<br>
University of Richmond<br>
University of South Alabama<br>
University of South Carolina Upstate<br>
University of South Carolina, Columbia<br>
University of South Carolina, Salkehatchie<br>
University of Southern Mississippi<br>
University of Tennessee<br>
University of Tennessee, Chattanooga [http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1410087 (NSF Award 1410087)]<br>
University of Tennessee, Martin<br>
University of the South<br>
University of West Florida<br>
University of West Georgia<br>
Valdosta State University<br>
Vanderbilt University<br>
Virginia Commonwealth University/Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden<br>
Virginia Military Institute<br>
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University<br>
West Virginia University<br>
Western Carolina University<br>
Weymouth Woods<br>
Winthrop University<br>

<b>Non-data Collaborators:</b><br>
Adler Planetarium (Notes from Nature)<br>
Arizona State University ([http://http://symbiota.org/ Symbiota])<br>
[http://www.iplantcollaborative.org/ iPlant (now CyVerse)], University of Texas<br>
Tulane University ([http://www.museum.tulane.edu/geolocate/ GEOLocate])<br>
University of Florida ([http://www.notesfromnature.org Notes From Nature])<br>
University of Kansas ([http://specifyx.specifysoftware.org/ Specify])<br>

<b>Volunteer Collaborators:</b><br>
Emory University Herbarium<br>
St. Andrews University<br>
Wake Forest University<br>

=== Protocols & Workflows ===
The [http://sernec.appstate.edu/resources SERNEC website] has a section with various resources including documentation, tutorials and webinars.

'''Digitization Methods''': Rapid imaging coupled with citizen science based label transcription and collaborative georeferencing.

=== Publications ===
Nelson, G., Sweeney, P., Wallace, L.E., Rabeler, R.K., Allard, D., Brown, H., Carter, J.R., Denslow, M.W., Ellwood, E.R., Germain-Aubrey, C.C., Gilbert, E., Gillespie, E., Goertzen, L.R., Legler, B., Marchant, D.B., Marsico, T.D., Morris, A.B., Murrell, Z., Nazaire, M., Neefus, C., Oberreiter, S., Paul, D., Ruhfel, B.R., Sasek, T., Shaw, J., Soltis, P.S., Watson, K., Weeks, A., Mast, A.R., 2015. Digitization Workflows for Flat Sheets and Packets of Plants, Algae, and Fungi. Applications in Plant Sciences 3(9): 1500065 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3732/apps.1500065 doi:10.3732/apps.1500065].

=== Professional Presentations ===
[https://vimeo.com/146825949 iDigBio Summit V, 2015]

=== Other project documentation ===