Bryological collection YSU

The major part of bryological specimens were collected during the geobotanical surveys in the area. Well recognizable species were collected from a few sites within a key area, while cryptic species were collected more scrutinely. Special attention was paid to river and stream coasts, lake banks, disturbed and rocky habitats, where the specimens were collected without vegetation relevés. This approach provided the most complete list of species being revealed and collected in each key area.

The samples of moss were examined in the field witha hand lens for prior field identification. The сomposite turfts were extracted and dryed in a herbarium press with the accompanied field label. During the laboratory processing, the turfts were transferred in individual paper envelopes with a corresponding label. In case when a turft has several species in admixture, this information was reported in notes.

Identification of the most specimens was made in the laboratory using standard microscopical techniques for mosses and liverworths.

The digitization of the Brylogical collection YSU started during the last several of years. The label information was manually put in the MS Excel and later imported in Specify database. No images of specimensin situ or in storage were made up to date. The imaging of dried specimens is not obligatory for Bryological collections, as the main identification features remain microscopical. To date, most of the specimens of the Bryological collection have been digitized and accessible through Specify Web Portal, GBIF and Moss Flora of Russia portals.

Bryological collection and Herbarium YSU storage conditions (only bryological specimens are shown). The specimens in envelopes are arranged in trays in vertical order. The trays are stored in metal filing cabinets with corresponding shelf size.

Vascular plants collection YSU

The collection of herbarium specimens was made according to a standard procedure. The plants were collected in a herbarium press, and dried under room temperature in newspapers. The montage of herbarium sheets was made later in the laboratory, the standard herbarium technique was followed (Skvortsov 1977).

The herbarium is stored in metal filing cabinets with corresponding shelf size.

The digitization of this collection started in 2021, we used a hand-made imaging system for small-scale collections digitization, which included a camera, a tripod and a couple of softboxes. The herbarium sheets were imaged using a Canon 60D camera with the final resolution about 300 dpi, with a mounted black/white and color scales, and a barcode. The digitization protocol, including images and videos, was published on the web site (https://nwsbios.org/herbarium/).

The Herbarium YSU database with images of herbarium sheets is acccessible through GBIF.

Herbarium YSU imaging protocol, including an imaging system and a resulting image of a herbarium sheet.

Last update: 16.02.2024