[SOS-PCA] NOTES: April 7, 2015 Collectors' Call

[Haidet, Margaret (Megan)]

*SOS Collectors' Call Notes*

*April 7, 2015*

There were 33 participants on the call.


*Collecting Voucher Specimens  *

*Meghann Toner, U.S. National Herbarium, Smithsonian Institution *

Herbarium vouchers provide a physical link between your collection and
species identification. Try to make root to tip collections, displaying as
many physical characteristics as possible. Look at your key and make sure
you’re displaying the key characteristics. The Smithsonian prefers to
receive vouchers in flower. For graminoids, you’ll likely collect the
vouchers in seed; feel free to fold them to get to fit on the paper.  The
longer you wait to shape the more difficult it is, with an increasing
chance of breaking the specimen. DO NOT mount SOS specimens. Mounting
techniques differ, Smithsonian sews their specimens on.



Two primary things to keep in mind: size and labels.

Size: Pre-cut paper should measure 11 ½ X 16 ½”. Free newspapers are often
the best size. Make them as flat as possible. It’s ok to fold specimens.

Label: 4x4”, includes location data from big to little (state -> GIS
coordinates), your name, collection data, collection number, include “Seeds
of Success”, habitat description. Ideally labels are printed on archival
paper.



Dry specimens in plant press, check every few days to be sure they’re not
molding. Order of materials in your plant press should be: frame, blotting
paper, newsprint, sample, newsprint, blotting paper, frame. Bundle multiple
specimens in their newspaper packets for shipping. Include transmittal form
and label. Smithsonian will accept non-SOS vouchers, if they are
appropriate for their collection. Please contact Meghann before sending
over non-SOS material.



To view specimens online check out the following resources: Smithsonian (
http://botany.si.edu/), SEINET (http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/index.php),
and Missouri Botanical Garden (http://www.tropicos.org/Home.aspx) or search
other online herbaria.



Contact Meghann Toner (TonerM at si.edu) if you are dealing with a tricky
species. Email is best.



*2014 Collection Summary*

1439 collections, 1173 databased, including 697 taxa, 75 families, 50
ecoregions, 29 states and 70 collectors trained. The SOS 2014 Annual Report
was debuted at the National Native Seed Conference last week in Santa Fe
and will be posted online soon.



*SOS Collection Goals*

The goal of SOS is to establish high quality, accurately identified,
genetically representative and well-documented native plant seed
collections. This material will be used to support the development of
geographically appropriate native plant materials for restoration and
emergency fire rehabilitation, as well as long-term conservation storage.

General Rules:


   - Only collect from wild populations of native species
   - Sample from at least 50 individuals, document the number of
   individuals sampled on the SOS Field Data Form
   - Material collected on multiple dates can be added to the same
   accession throughout an entire growing season, so long as no more than 20%
   of the ripe seed is collected from the population on a single day
   - An ideal collection is 10,000-20,000 pure live seed
   - Different populations should be kept as separate collections
   - Materials collected from the same population during multiple growing
   seasons should be kept as separate accessions

SOS Technical Protocol—SOS guidelines recommend collections to contain a
minimum of 10,000 pure live seed.  If you know that seed will need to be
returned to your office, collect >10,000 seed so there is a balance after
the contribution to ARS is made. Smaller collections (<6,000 PLS) may go
entirely in to ARS long-term storage & none be available for R&D. If
collection is <2500 PLS, seed will be offered back to the original
collector unless they are not otherwise represented in the SOS National
Collection.

*SOS Seed, Data, Photos, Vouchers - What goes where?*

   - Seed: All BLM offices shall send seed to the Bend Seed Extractory for
   cleaning. Please contact Bend to let them know a shipment is coming. Label
   outside of seed bags with seed collection reference number and species. If
   there are multiple bags of a single collection, label bags 1 of 3, 2 of 3,
   etc.  Non-BLM collection teams cleaning their own seed and should send seed
   directly to Mike Cashman at the Western Regional Plant Introduction Station
   in Pullman, WA.
   - Data sheets should be submitted to Megan at the National Coordinating
   Office (mahaidet at blm.gov) and shall accompany all seed.
   - Photos should be submitted via google Drive or email to Megan.
   - Voucher specimens are to be sent to the Smithsonian U.S. National
   Herbarium, a regional herbarium and local herbarium (office), if available.

Senders are responsible for all shipping costs related to seed and voucher
transport. All seed included in the SOS National Collection will have
duplicate long-term storage.


*Q&A*


   - Bend has notices that if you’re taping paper bags so that seed does
   not escape, please tape the outside of the bags. This is new guidance and
   is the result of tape that has peel off on the inside of bags resulting in
   seed sticking to the tape.
   - Where do you take the GIS point? Ideally in the middle of the
   population.
   - Can you combine multiple collection days from into a single
   collection? Yes.


Megan Haidet
Seeds of Success
National Collection Curator
Seeds of Success
202-912-7233

www.blm.gov/sos
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