Abstract Detail

Biodiversity Informatics & Herbarium Digitization

Yaseen, Ghulam [1], Ahmad, Mushtaq [1], Zafar, Muhammad [1], Sultana, Shazia [1].

Digitization of Pakistani Herbaria and Botanic Gardens: An Approach for Data Mobilization.

Pakistan being endowed with variety of climates, ecological precincts and topographical regions is gifted with inimitable biodiversity encompassing wide range of species. Pakistan has 17 -18 registered and several unregistered herbaria that range in size from 1,000 to 180,000 specimens. There are more than 15 functional botanical gardens in Pakistan where conservation is carried out to protect threatened plant species, but such gardens are not established to protect the threatened species of deserts in Pakistan. Several active plant taxonomists, many of whom have, or are working on documented checklists for different parts of the country. In addition, Flora of Pakistan, which has been written almost entirely within Pakistan, which is almost complete, includes over 30,000 specimen citations. All these herbaria and botanic gardens either not digitized or have very limited number of digitized specimens. The digitization of herbaria and Botanic gardens can be done using very basic equipment including barcodes and barcode scanners and can be expressed interest in working together on increasing access to records in their collections. None are currently providing data to data mobilization organization and networks such as GBIF. Despite this wealth of floristic activity, Pakistan is poorly represented in many biodiversity organizations such as GBIF, with most specimen records coming from in the northern mountains. The digitization of Herbaria and Botanic Gardens can focus on persuading Pakistani taxonomists, those who evaluate their work, and additional Pakistani herbaria and botanic gardens that integrating biodiversity data mobilization into their research and teaching is not just beneficial but, increasingly, essential. As part of this component, we shall engage representatives of additional herbaria and botanic gardens in data mobilization, creation of new resources, and formation of collaborative projects. This engagement is an important aspect of our sustainability strategy.

1 -
2 - Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan, Plant Sciences, Islamabad

Keywords:
Biodiversity
digitization
herbaria
Pakistan.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: BI&HD I014
Abstract ID:1018
Candidate for Awards:None