Virtual Herbarium ALTB

Virtual Herbarium ALTB provides a digital repository of plant specimens from the Altai Mountain Country (Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China) to support botanical research, conservation, and biodiversity data sharing.

Key Features:

• Specimen repository: Contains a collection of over 450,000 plant specimens representing the Altai Mountain Country (AMC).
• Geographic scope: Covers flora from Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China within the Altai Mountain Country.
• Taxonomic content: Includes vascular plant records, with 22,466 vascular plant specimens exported to GBIF.
• Specimen images and metadata: Provides digitized specimen images and associated collection information.
• Georeferenced records: Approximately 67% of the exported specimens are georeferenced (as of March 30, 2021).
• Data interoperability: Exports datasets to GBIF and adheres to the Darwin Core standard for metadata compatibility.

Scientific Applications:

• Conservation: Supports conservation assessments and monitoring of rare and endangered species in the AMC.
• Ecology and vegetation studies: Enables regional flora and vegetation research and ecological analyses.
• Floristic compilation: Contributes specimen data to the Flora Altaica multi-volume project documenting the region's plant life.
• Global biodiversity research: Facilitates multinational analyses and data sharing through GBIF integration and Darwin Core compliance.

Methodology:

Datasets include digitized specimen images and metadata for 22,466 vascular plants, approximately 67% of which are georeferenced (as of March 30, 2021), and are exported to GBIF using the Darwin Core standard.