How to Collect a Herbarium Specimen and Tissue Sample

00:04:36
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6bsxQjNvuo

Summary

TLDRThe video presented by Rick Levy from Denver Botanic Gardens outlines the process for collecting herbarium specimens and tissue samples for genomic repositories under the GGI Gardens initiative. It provides a step-by-step guide, starting with recording the specimen's data, including assigning a collector number, and noting geographic and plant characteristics. The goal is to have quality specimens with necessary structures for proper identification. Tissue samples for genetic research are then prepared. These steps ensure the specimens meet preservation requirements to be included in the global genomic biorepositories.

Takeaways

  • 🌱 Understand the GGI Gardens initiative.
  • ✍️ Record precise specimen data.
  • 📦 Choose quality specimens with necessary structures.
  • ✂️ Prepare tissue samples for genomic research.
  • 📋 Ensure proper labeling and preservation.
  • 🔍 Use appropriate tools for specimen collection.
  • 📄 Follow steps to press and dry specimens.
  • 🌐 Aim for inclusion in genomic repositories.
  • 🧪 Balance tissue removal for research and integrity.
  • 💼 Contribute to global genome biorepositories.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:04:36

    Rick Levy from Denver Botanic Gardens introduces the process of collecting an herbarium specimen and a corresponding tissue sample for a genomic repository, highlighting the Global Genome Initiative (GGI) Gardens' aim to preserve genetic biodiversity. He explains that these repositories can range from advanced facilities to simple cabinets and emphasizes the importance of associating each sample with a voucher specimen in a museum. The first step in collection is to record detailed information about the specimen, including geographic data and plant characteristics. A quality specimen should have necessary structures for identification and enough material for an herbarium sheet. After collection, tissue samples are swiftly preserved in silica to maintain genetic integrity. Specimens are then pressed, dried in a herbarium oven, and checked for moisture before preparing data for the Global Genome Biodiversity Network.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What is the GGI Gardens project?

    It's a branch of the Global Genome Initiative aimed at collecting and preserving plant genomic material from every plant family and half of all genera.

  • What qualifies as a genomic repository?

    A collection that preserves tissue or DNA with sufficient quality to allow for genomic level information analysis.

  • How do you record information about a specimen?

    Assign a collector number and record date, location, geographic coordinates, elevation, and habitat type.

  • What should a quality specimen include?

    Structures necessary for identification, such as flowers, fruits, and some root system for vascular plants.

  • How much tissue should be removed for genetic samples?

    Typically, four to five quarter-sized pieces without structures needed for identification.

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  • 00:00:00
    [Music]
  • 00:00:06
    hi I'm Rick levy from Denver Botanic
  • 00:00:08
    Gardens Department of research and
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    conservation here in colorful Colorado
  • 00:00:13
    in this video you will learn the process
  • 00:00:15
    of how to collect an herbarium specimen
  • 00:00:17
    and the corresponding tissue sample to
  • 00:00:19
    be deposited in a genomic repository
  • 00:00:21
    this will result in the collection with
  • 00:00:24
    both the sufficient data and
  • 00:00:25
    preservation requirements for inclusion
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    in the GGI Gardens project you might be
  • 00:00:30
    asking what is GGI Gardens the global
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    genome initiative or GGI
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    is a collaborative endeavor to collect
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    the earth's genomic biodiversity
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    preserving biorepositories and make it
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    available for scientists everywhere to
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    use in their research GGI Gardens is the
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    branch the aims to collect and preserve
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    plant genomic material with at least one
  • 00:00:50
    species from each family and half of all
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    general so what qualifies as a genomic
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    repository a biodiversity or genomic
  • 00:00:59
    repository is any collection that
  • 00:01:01
    preserves tissue or DNA with high enough
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    quality the genomic level information
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    can be analyzed this can be as elaborate
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    as a state-of-the-art facility complete
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    with liquid nitrogen freezers or as
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    simple as a cabinet containing a tissue
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    sample preserved in silica importantly
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    however each tissue or DNA sample is
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    associated with an underlying Voucher
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    specimen that is deposited in a museum
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    here's what you will need to make
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    collections
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    [Music]
  • 00:01:38
    ok let's get started the first thing to
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    do is record information about the
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    specimen that will be collected assign a
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    collector number a field number to the
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    notebook entry this links the data and
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    specimen to the collector and allows it
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    to be tracked through all subsequent
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    steps of processing also include the
  • 00:01:56
    date location geographic coordinates
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    geographic descriptors such as elevation
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    and information about the plant
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    community in habitat type you may also
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    know characteristics of the plant that
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    might be lost over time for example
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    petal color or whether the plan is
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    producing pollen once you are done
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    taking notes you're ready to collect
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    choose a quality specimen
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    quality specimens have the structures
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    necessary for identification which for
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    vascular plants ideally includes flowers
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    fruits and some of the root system when
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    applicable the specimen should also have
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    enough material to fill in her areum's
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    sheet record the corresponding collector
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    field number on the sheet of newspaper
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    in your field press use pruning shears
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    to trim the portion of the plant to be
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    taken as a specimen in the case of
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    taking a whole plant use your Hori Hori
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    to dig out the specimen making sure to
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    get some of the root system once the
  • 00:02:50
    plant has been collected you can remove
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    tissue for genetic sample this step
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    strikes a balance between removing
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    enough tissue to serve the needs of
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    multiple researchers while preserving
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    the scientific and aesthetic integrity
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    of the specimen
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    it is typical to remove four to five
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    quarter sized pieces of tissue
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    collections will usually be a vegetative
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    parts and should not include structures
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    needed for identification purposes place
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    the tissue in a small envelope label
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    with the date the initials of the
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    collector and the collection number
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    place the envelopes in silica as soon as
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    possible and no later than the end of
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    the day of collection once the tissue
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    sample has been removed arrange a
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    specimen in the field press so that it
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    fits completely onto the newspaper and
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    all structures are visible bend the
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    plant to fit the page if necessary turn
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    some of the leaves over arrange flowers
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    for optimal visualization and be sure to
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    clear soil from the root system once the
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    plan is arranged close the newspaper
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    sheaf and place it between two pieces of
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    cardboard within the field press once
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    out of the field transfer specimens to a
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    wooden press for further pressing and
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    drying place each specimen between
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    bhatta paper to wick moisture from the
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    sample and place each sample between
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    cardboard for stability during pressing
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    and drying in the herbarium put the
  • 00:04:06
    press into a drying oven and check daily
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    removing the specimens when they have no
  • 00:04:10
    moisture when touched check to be sure
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    that each voucher specimen has an
  • 00:04:14
    Associated tissue sample that is
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    correctly labeled place the tissue
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    envelopes in a sealable bin with fresh
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    silica leave samples in the silica for
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    several days until they are dry now
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    you're ready to start preparing your
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    data for dissemination on GG BN from all
  • 00:04:30
    of us at Denver Botanic Gardens thanks
  • 00:04:32
    for watching and happy collecting
Tags
  • Herbarium
  • Tissue Sample
  • GGI Gardens
  • Genomic Repository
  • Specimen Collection
  • Genomic Biodiversity
  • Research
  • Botanic Gardens