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Developing a Species and Specimens Database for the UKOTs Programme

Photo: RBG Kew

Herbscan of Acacia anegadensis (Leguminosae) collected in 1919 on Anegada, BVI

The UKOTs species and specimens database project has developed to meet targets of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). This is an on-going project with work plans set on an annual basis to ensure progress. Activities are outlined in meetings with the project team and partners both formally and informally. The overall goals of the project are: 1) to database all the historical UKOT specimens in the Kew Herbarium; 2) to populate the database with new information from specimens as they are accessioned into the herbarium as a result of fieldwork in UKOTs; 3) to incorporate species level data to enable red listing and production of field guides and other conservation related outputs (e.g. BVI Conservation Poster Series - Annex 1); and 4) to incorporate species level information from seed collections held at the MSB and DNA collections held in the Jodrell.

The project has involved partners from many UKOTs (e.g. Cayman Islands [CI], Turks and Caicos Islands [TCI], British Virgin Islands [BVI], Montserrat), increased internal networks at Kew (e.g. Jodrell, MSBP, HPE), and allowed training for several students and staff at Kew (e.g. Volunteers Programme). Overall, the database links multiple types of specimen records and images to species data that can be easily sorted, extracted, and disseminated.

GSPC Target 1: The database currently holds 1,434 specimen records from eight of the UKOTs and geographically related islands. Our best estimate of historical UKOT representation is approximately 4,000 specimens.  The database also holds species data from four UKOTs (e.g. checklists, species dossiers, and Red Data Lists).  These data will be shared with the larger Kew database, HerbCat, and also BRAHMS online, both of which are accessible through the World Wide Web.  Our target is to database 700 field and historical specimens per year.

GSPC Target 2: The database provides species data for conservation status evaluation (e.g.  Status Report for the British Virgin Islands’ Plant Species Red List - Annex 2).

GSPC Target 16: International plant conservation networks have been developed and strengthened to address plant conservation.  Between Kew and many UKOTs (e.g. BVI, TCI, Montserrat, CI) the database is used to exchange information, especially relating to threatened species (e.g. Acacia anegadensis, Zanthoxylum punctatum ssp. thomasianum, Leptocereus quadricostatus, Senna polyphylla var. neglecta, Cordia rupicola, Malpighia woodburyana, Metastelma anegadense, Calyptranthes kiaerskovii, C. thomasiana, Machaonia woodburyana, Epidendrum montserratense, Rondeletia buxifolia, Xylosma serratum).  The database is also used within the network to provide up-to-date information for lectures to relevant project staff and students in the UKOTs (e.g. BVI, TCI).