Plant Systematics, Collections, and Me

A major concept that Dr. Sweeney focuses on in the research he does, and collections that he manages, is plant systematics. While the concept of 'systematics' has its roots in biology, it can also be applied to plants. Plant systematics refers to the classification of plants. Researchers can use certain similarities between species to answer questions about their evolution and how it has adapted to the Earth's ever changing climate. In Dr. Sweeney's research on Vibernum (shrubs) and Mangosteens, he works with others to answer how these species have adapted to their changing locations and the new climates that they are introduced to. 

When I think about my contribution in this internship, or even to the Herbarium, I think about the small steps that have to be taken before getting to the 'big picture'. From conserving specimens, to mounting them for the collection, to adding information in an online database that has information for over 3,000 specimens-- I have come to realize that these tasks that I am given contribute to a collection that contains plant specimens that are used by researchers globally. Without completing them, researchers would not have a way to specify certain traits that they need to confirm about a specimen that they found.