| Abstract Detail
Systematics Section/ASPT Jeffers, Stephany [1], Ickert-Bond, Stefanie [2]. A digital approach to morphological analysis using the genus Claytonia. The University of Alaska Museum herbarium (ALA) currently houses over 230,000 collections of vascular and non-vascular plants, including the largest collection of Alaskan plants in the world. In 2007 we began the process of digitizing specimens allowing for high resolutions images as well as label information to be accessed on our museum database ARCTOS (http://arctos.database.museum/home.cfm). Digitization not only cuts down on the physical handling of the specimens, but it allows for automation of measurements, significantly increasing the number of measurements and the time required for data collection. This project explores the use of digital images for morphometric analysis using the genus Claytonia L. (Spring Beauty), represented in the state of Alaska by 13 species. These species cover a wide range of habitats throughout the state. While some species, such as Claytonia sarmentosa, appear morphologically similar regardless of collection site, many specimens recognized as Claytonia scammaniana show huge morphological plasticity. Using the ARCTOS images of Claytonia and the image processing software ImageJ we quantify morphological variation across 800+ collections of Claytonia at ALA. Fifteen characters, including quantitative morphological data and label data (including latitude, longitude, altitude, and date of collection) were coded for these specimens. All data were used to calculate a dissimilarity matrix and subsequently used to run a cluster analysis in R.  Our findings show more or less well-separated groups within the genus that enhance our understanding of morphological diversity and geographical variation within Claytonia.
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Related Links:
ARCTOS digital database - ALA Herbarium specimens
1 - University of Alaska Fairbanks, Herbarium/Biology and Wildlife, 907 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99775, USA
2 - University Of Alaska Museum Of The North, Herbarium (ALA) And Dept. Of Biology And Wildlife, University Of Alaska Fairbanks, 907 Yukon Dr., Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
Keywords:
Claytonia
Montiaceae
morphometrics
Digitization.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Eyrie/Boise Centre
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2014
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PSY018
Abstract ID:810
Candidate for Awards:None |
