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HERBARIUM NEWS

Reorganization underway!

With thanks to UA students and assistants Brittany Wohl, Courtney Klopper, Brett Baxter, and Kayla Arendt, we are in the final phases of our reorganization effort. After completing our database and relocating thousands of unaccessioned specimens, our team is reboxing, relabeling, and repairing damaged materials, relaxing the collection in our new cabinets, and organizing the specimens for easy access. Stay tuned for updates later in spring 2012!

Photographic slide collection scanned

Through the efforts of UA students Courtney Klopper and Emily Hendershot, our thousands of photographic slides -- including images of fungi, hosts, collecting localities, and generations of mycologists are now scanned into high-quality formats and will be available online starting in 2012.

Welcome, new Herbarium staff!

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Jana U'Ren and Kayla Arendt as new members of our Herbarium team. Check out 'Herbarium Personnel' to learn more about Jana and Kayla.

Herbarium collaboration in NSF Dimensions of Biodiversity award

With thanks to the National Science Foundation we are delighted to collaborate with a multi-institution award to evaluate biodiversity of endophytic fungi in boreal biomes. Linking genetic, genomic, taxonomic, and functional diversity, the circumboreal study brings together the expertise of colleagues at Duke University, the University of Minnesota, and NC State. ARIZ will serve as a depository for lichen and plant specimens, and will host the anticipated 7000 cultures that we hope to obtain in surveys across six countries. Learn more about the project at www.endobiodiversity.org.

New cabinets and compactors installed!

With support from the National Science Foundation and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, our new cabinets and compactors are now installed in the Mycological Herbarium! Our storage capacity for specimens has nearly doubled and we are moving back in after a very exciting few months. You can see images of the process here. Many thanks are due to our army of volunteers and staff: Brittany Wohl, Dustin Sandberg, Darren Stensrud, Max Xiong, Nandi Devan, Erika Untch, Phornpoj Intarakamhang, Mali Gunatilaka, and members of the Arnold lab who pitched in to move things to and from the Herbarium and our storage facilities! (Spring 2010)

NSF BRC grant will bring new cabinets, compactors, and outreach to ARIZ!

With PI Shelley McMahon and co-PI Phil Jenkins, I'm delighted to report that we have received support from the National Science Foundation through the Biological Research Collections program to protect fungal and plant collections in peril at the University of Arizona Campus Herbarium. Insect abatement, relaxation of the collection, puchase and installation of cabinets and compactors...all will be underway in the next three years! The goal is to protect, maintain, and expand our world-class and priceless collections of fungi, lichens, vascular plants, and bryophytes. Updates to follow as this massive undertaking gets underway! (2009-2011)

Herbarium use statistics

Data regarding the activities of the Mycological Herbarium (2005-September, 2007), including tours, facilities use by visiting researchers, loans, and other activities, can be dowloaded here. (Spring 2008)

New teaching resources available!

We are delighted to announce the posting of two new teaching resources: our teaching collection (specimens) and our photographic collection (available as slides or as digital files). Both can be accessed via our new Teaching Resources page. (Fall 2007)

Welcome, Fabiola Santos!

We are delighted to welcome our part-time curatorial assistant, Fabiola Santos, who joined the Herbarium in 2006. Fabiola will coordinate development of our teaching collection, assist with curatorial maintenance and new accessions, and continue our efforts to repackage and update specimens in need of attention. Welcome, Fabiola! (Fall 2006)

Move to Herring Hall

During the summer of 2005, the Mycological Herbarium moved to Herring Hall, the second-oldest building on the UA campus. The new setting provides excellent space for viewing and working with specimens. To learn more about Herring and the Herbarium's move there, please see...

Herring Hall

Mycological Herbarium featured in Agricultural Experiment Station Research Report

Susan McGinley wrote a terrific piece about ARIZ, the UA Campus Herbarium (including both the vascular plant and mycological herbaria). The article highlights our collections, the importance of herbaria, and the ways in which our herbaria are used. To read Susan's article, please see...

Herbarium Article ("Archiving Ecosystems")

Mycological Herbarium dedicated to Dr. Robert L. Gilbertson

The Robert L. Gilbertson Mycological Herbarium was formally dedicated by mycologists, plant pathologists, and our friends and colleagues on Friday, March 11, 2005, as a prelude to the Deep Hypha meeting. Read the press release by Mari Jensen at...

Herbarium Dedication