Creating a Reference Collection

Reference collections are vital components of biological research.  In museums all over the world, you can find natural history collections.  At older museums such as the Smithsonian or the Field Museum in Chicago, some specimens were collected over 200 years ago, but are still being used to support biological research.  At SGS-LTER,  we have a natural history collection of plants, arthropods, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.  We use the specimens in our collection to help us identify species that we see in the field.  Museum specimens are also used as the primary subjects for research.  For example, lizards from the collection can be dissected to look at the anatomy of tail vertebrae or DNA can be taken from plant specimens to answer genetic questions.  You can create a reference collection for your school's science department.  This collection can be used to teach students about the anatomy of plants, about taxonomy, and much more.  Plant specimens are easy to collect, so we suggest you start with those.  Let us know if you would like to collect other organisms and we can help you with protocols and permits.  

Timetable  
The good thing about collecting specimens for a reference collection is that you can do it anytime.  How many specimens you collect is really up to you and can be based on how much time you have and how much room you have to store specimens.  It is good to collect specimens at different times of the year because plants and animals go through morphological changes with the seasons.  

Equipment Needed
For a Plant Collection (AKA - Herbarium)
- shovel or trowel
- plant press 
- newspaper
- Elmer's glue
- Herbarium paper or other high quality paper used for archiving
- high quality, waterproof pens for labeling specimens

SGS-LTER will provide these supplies to our Schoolyard LTER students.  They can also be purchased from a reputable supplier such as Bioquip 

Methods
- To make a herbarium specimen, collect the plant from the field.  Be sure to include both the above and below ground parts.  Place the specimen in your plant press between two pieces of newspaper.  Place a label in with the specimen that tells you when, where, and by whom the plant was collected.  You can add additional information such as the habitat area where you collected the plant (ex. riparian area or prairie dog town).   In science, it is never a bad thing to record observations.  Once the plant has dried out in the plant press (about a week), you can affix it to the herbarium paper.  Mix Elmer's glue and water together in a shallow pan (cafeteria trays work great for this).  Dip the plant in the glue mixture and press it onto the paper.  Label the paper with the Genus species name of the plant, the common name of the plant, the date it was collected, the location it was collected, and the names of the collectors.  You can use field guides, SGS-LTER staff, or the CSU herbarium to help you identify the Genus species names of your specimens.  Be careful to let the glue dry on the paper before putting the specimen away.

- Museums are very careful about storing and organizing their collections.  Specimens should be kept in a dark, dry space where the temperature doesn't vary too much.  Specimens are usually organized using the Linnean system of hierarchy (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species).  This exercise is a great way to introduce your students to this system.  

Discussion Questions
- When you think of a museum, what kind of a museum do you think of first?  Did you realize that there are all sorts of museums - art, history, science etc.?
- Why do you think it important for institutions to archive specimens of plants and animals?
- Did you know that only a portion of a museum's collection is actually on public display?  What do you think goes on with the rest of the collection?
- What is the Linnean system for classifying organisms?
- Why is it important to have a Genus species name for an organism in addition to having a common name?  

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