UP Los Baños is racing against time to digitalize century-old plant specimens which are considered to be among the most priceless collections of Philippine plants
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.UPLB Botanical HerbariumUP Los Baños is racing against time to digitalize century-old plant specimens which are considered to be among the most priceless collections of Philippine plants
From endemic species unique to the archipelago to international contributions, the herbarium’s collections serve as a valuable resource for botanical research and conservation efforts.Michelle San Pascual, a university researcher who is part of the herbarium’s lean staff, said that there could have been more than 75,000 preserved plants if not for World War II, when the then-Bureau of Forestry and parts of the UPLB campus were bombed.
“Many researchers, mostly from western countries, visit here to study our collection. There are challenges in preserving the plants, but despite that, we have the most priceless collection when it comes to Philippine plants,” San Pascual said. By comparing physical characteristics and analyzing DNA extracted from these samples, researchers can trace the lineage of various plant species and understand how they have adapted to different environments over time.
“There have always been rats here. But when there are people, they tend to hide. But during the pandemic, they were able to nibble at our gymnosperms,” San Pascual said.Maintaining specific environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and pressure control is also crucial for long-term specimen preservation. The herbarium employs multiple hygrometers to monitor these conditions, and dedicated personnel are assigned to keep track of them meticulously.
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