Destructive sampling of herbarium specimens

Museum of Evolution, Botany Section (Fytoteket), Uppsala University

(UPS)
Policy Statement and Authorization Form
ThisistoacknowledgeyourrequestfordestructivesamplingofherbariumspecimensofUppsalaUniversityHerbaria.
Weaskthatyoureadthispolicystatementandcompletetheagreementoutlinedbelow.
ThecollectionsofUppsalaUniversityHerbaria(UPS)aremaintainedwiththegoalofbalancingpreservationofthe
integrity of herbarium specimens with utilization for scientific research. While every effort will be made to
accomodateresearchers,decisionsconcerningdestructivesamplingofcollectionsaremadeonacasebycase
basis.
Asarule,nomaterialmayberemovedfromspecimenswithoutpriorconsentoftheDirectororanappropriate
memberofthecuratorialstaff.Permissionforremovalofmaterialfollowtheguidelinesbelow:
1. Leafmaterial,pollen,spores,etc.mayberemovedfromspecimensonlywhenthereisadequatematerialavailable.
Caremustbetakennottodamagethespecimen.
2. Materialmaynotberemovedfromtypecollections.
3. Eachspecimenmustbeannotatedindicatingthematerialremoved,thenatureofthestudy,theresearchersname
andinstitutionalaffiliation,andthedate.TheBotanical Museum,UppsalaUniversityshouldbecitedinany
resultingpublication,acopyofwhichshouldbesenthere.Theannotationlabelsshouldbediscreteandnotglued.
4. Materialmaynotberemovedfromaherbariumsheetforasecondtime,ifthenatureofthestudyisthesame(i.c.,
pollenmaterialforSEM,leafmaterialforDNAanalysis,etc.).
5. Dependingonthepurposeofthematerial removed,theresearchermustreturntotheBotanical Museumthe
following:aduplicatepermanentpollen,sporeorleafslide,aSEMphotographetc.Suchmaterialwillbehoused
atUPSinasuitableplace.
6. RequestsforremovalofmaterialforDNAstudies.Anextractionprotocolmustbesubmitted,alongwithan
estimateoftheamountofmaterial needed.Results(bothpositiveandnegative)mustbereportedinwriting;
specimensmustbeannotated;GenBankaccessionnumbersmustbeincluded;andasampleoftheDNAmustbe
senttotheBotanicalMuseum(UPS).Samplesobtainedinthiswaywillbeproperlystoredandcurated,and
materialmaybeprovidedtoothersforfurtherstudy.
7. For large or complicated requests for material for DNA extractions or other studies, researchers will be
encouragedtocometoUppsalaUniversity,usingtheirownfunds,andselectspecimensforsamplingthemselves.
Specimenswillbeselectedandsetasidebytheresearcher;removalofmaterialwillbemadewithsupervisionand
approvalofappropriatestaff.Notonlydoesthisreducetheworkrequiredofthecuratorialstaff,butitallowsthe
investigatortomakemorepreciseselectionsbasedonspecimenage,materialinpackets,etc.
Ifyouagreetoacceptthematerialsundertheaboveconditions,pleasesignbelowandreturnthisformtotheDirector,
MuseumofEvolution,BotanySection(Fytoteket),EvolutionaryBiologyCenter,UppsalaUniversity,Norbyvgen
16,SE75236Uppsala(Sweden).Uponreceiptofconfirmation,wewillcontactyouconcerningthedispatchof
thematerial.

Accepted:.........................................................................................................................................................
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ResearchInvestigator:..................................................................
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