GBIF is the world’s largest open database on the occurrence of organisms. It is used by scientists, nature conservation institutions and public authorities, among other things, to analyse species distribution, assess threats and plan conservation measures. Being present in GBIF means that data collected at the University will be visible and available to researchers around the world, while its use in publications can be tracked through the citation system.
The principal source of data that the University will make available through GBIF is the Fungarium and Herbarium of Bialystok University of Technology, registered in the international Index Herbariorum under the acronym BLS. The collection was established in 1986 and is housed at the Science and Research Centre of the Institute of Forest Sciences in Hajnówka.
Marek Wołkowycki, a mycologist and science and technology specialist at the Department of Silviculture and Forest Utilization, is the curator of the Herbarium and Fungarium. The collections are also overseen by mycologist Eugene Yurchenko, PhD and botanist Daniel Skowron, MSc Eng.
The collections currently comprise approximately 23,500 specimens, including around 12,000 specimens of fungi and lichens, 9,500 vascular plants, 2,000 bryophytes and a small collection of algae. They are dominated by material of regional origin documenting the biodiversity of north-eastern Poland.
In the first stage, data on more than 2,600 digitised specimens from the BLS Fungarium will be published in GBIF. The collection is currently being systematically expanded through the BIO4FUTURE – Podlasie Centre for the Conservation of Fungal and Plant Diversity task, carried out as part of the project “Protection and restoration of biological and landscape diversity and ecosystem functions in the Podlaskie Voivodeship”.
During fieldwork, material is collected in the form of fungal and plant specimens, which are added to the Fungarium and Herbarium collections. Data on these specimens will also be made available progressively in GBIF. In the coming years, further parts of the collection are also planned for publication, as are datasets generated by research conducted at the Institute of Forest Sciences.
The entire procedure for registering Bialystok University of Technology with GBIF was carried out by Michał Gorczak, PhD, a mycologist and assistant professor at the Department of Forest Environment.
Bialystok University of Technology’s profile in GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/publisher/06680661-3ce0-4678-8aa2-f28043dba525
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