Recording Collection Data
From Fieldwiki
This information describes the range of data recorded whilst undertaking fieldwork. The more comprehensive the data recorded the more applications the data may have and the more outcomes the expedition may achieve. In addition, the more thorough the records are for each specimen the lower the probability of specimen confusion. There are basic standards of data collection and these are presented further below.
Something to consider while recording collection data is that it is most important to record the information that cannot be observed from the specimen itself or that will change as the specimen is preserved. Where it is, what it is growing with and its colour are examples of these. In comparison, leaf hairiness and flower merosity should remain apparent if the specimen is collected and preserved properly.
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Collection Number
All specimens must be assigned a collection number. Replicates of a collection are assigned one number (e.g. ABC 125) but could also be given a replicate number (e.g. ABC 125/1, ABC 125/2). This is the number against all the collection data is stored including photographic records etc.
Collection site location
Latitude, longitude and datum
Altitude
Text location
Topography
Plant description
Plant habitat
This is a description of the vegetation type in which the plant is found, in which level or layer of the vegetation it is found, previous or current land use or management, if it is found specifically with other plants/insects/fungi (associations), soil type and underlying substrate, soil moisture, water table information, degree of direct light or lack thereof.
Plant habit
This is a description of the plant (prostrate, sprawling, climbing, upright), its woodiness (herbaceous or not), size (herb, shrub, tree with a measurement in centimetres or metres as appropriate), bark type and texture, wood colour, +/- sap or resin, sap or resin colour and colour sap/resin dries, aromas, texture, size and shape of berries and other fruits, other colours (particularly floral colours).
Abundance
This is an estimation of how frequently the plant occurs within an area or vegetation type. It can be done as simply as scale from rare to dominant or more accurately if density information is being collected and calculated. For small plants, seedlings, bryophytes or fungi, this can be calculated on a square metre basis using a quadrat. Abundance is particularly important information for constructing descriptions of vegetation types and the dominant species within.
Conservation issues
Minimum data standards for plant collections
The minimum data collected should include date, collection number, location, habitat and habit.
