Next-generation specimen digitization: capturing reflectance spectra from the world's herbaria for modeling plant biology across time, space, and taxa

Jeannine Cavender-Bares; Dawson M. White; Natalie Iwanycki Ahlstrand; Matthew W. Austin; Denis Bastianelli; Samantha Bazan; Khalil Boughalmi; Warren Cardinal-McTeague; Eduardo Chacón-Madrigal; Thomas L.P. Couvreur; Charles Davis; Flávia M. Durgante; Olwen M. Grace; J. Antonio Guzmán Q.; Kimberly Hansen; Mariana S. Hernández-Leal; Michael John Gilbert Hopkins; Rykkar Jackson; Shan Kothari; Aaron K. Lee; Étienne Léveillé-Bourret; Jesús Pinto-Ledezma; Natalia L. Quinteros Casaverde; Jose Eduardo Meireles; Barbara Neto-Bradley; Cornelius Onyedikachi Nichodemus; Richard H. Ree; Michaela Schmull; Douglas E. Soltis; Pamela S. Soltis; Hanna Tuomisto; Susan L. Ustin; Caroline C. Vasconcelos

doi:10.1111/nph.70645

Next-generation specimen digitization: capturing reflectance spectra from the world's herbaria for modeling plant biology across time, space, and taxa

Jeannine Cavender-Bares^*
, Dawson M. White
, Natalie Iwanycki Ahlstrand
, Matthew W. Austin
, Denis Bastianelli
, Samantha Bazan
, Khalil Boughalmi
, Warren Cardinal-McTeague
, Eduardo Chacón-Madrigal
, Thomas L.P. Couvreur
, Charles Davis
, Flávia M. Durgante
, Olwen M. Grace
, J. Antonio Guzmán Q.
, Kimberly Hansen
, Mariana S. Hernández-Leal
, Michael John Gilbert Hopkins
, Rykkar Jackson
, Shan Kothari
, Aaron K. Lee

Étienne Léveillé-Bourret, Jesús Pinto-Ledezma, Natalia L. Quinteros Casaverde, Jose Eduardo Meireles, Barbara Neto-Bradley, Cornelius Onyedikachi Nichodemus, Richard H. Ree, Michaela Schmull, Douglas E. Soltis, Pamela S. Soltis, Hanna Tuomisto, Susan L. Ustin, Caroline C. Vasconcelos

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Biology - Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Review › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Spectral reflectance measured from herbarium specimens represents a potentially vast source of information relevant to plant taxon identification and functional traits, which has inspired many laboratories world-wide to initiate next-generation spectral digitization from specimens. Combining these datasets into a coordinated global database would generate new capacity to model plant traits globally, enabling connection with remote sensing and ecological and biosphere models, as well as reconstruction of trait evolution. However, coordination is needed to avoid downstream problems in data aggregation due to variation in data standards and technical specifications of the instruments, optical setups, or measurement protocols. The International Herbarium Spectral Digitization (IHerbSpec) working group has initiated a globally collaborative program, outlining the central issues to address in establishing protocols, standards, and best practices, and proposing next steps. This collaborative effort will allow generation of replicable spectral reflectance data from plant specimens housed in herbaria around the world within ongoing digitization programs following community-defined standards and Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles.

Original language	English
Journal	New Phytologist
ISSN	0028-646X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70645
Publication status	E-pub / Early view - 2025

Keywords

collection management
global herbarium
methodological standards
next-generation digitization
plant functional traits
spectral reflectance

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10.1111/nph.70645

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Cavender-Bares, J., White, D. M., Ahlstrand, N. I., Austin, M. W., Bastianelli, D., Bazan, S., Boughalmi, K., Cardinal-McTeague, W., Chacón-Madrigal, E., Couvreur, T. L. P., Davis, C., Durgante, F. M., Grace, O. M., Guzmán Q., J. A., Hansen, K., Hernández-Leal, M. S., Hopkins, M. J. G., Jackson, R., Kothari, S., ... Vasconcelos, C. C. (2025). Next-generation specimen digitization: capturing reflectance spectra from the world's herbaria for modeling plant biology across time, space, and taxa. New Phytologist. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70645

@article{b1a098e2126f47c4aa71fb063d130e4a,

title = "Next-generation specimen digitization: capturing reflectance spectra from the world's herbaria for modeling plant biology across time, space, and taxa",

abstract = "Spectral reflectance measured from herbarium specimens represents a potentially vast source of information relevant to plant taxon identification and functional traits, which has inspired many laboratories world-wide to initiate next-generation spectral digitization from specimens. Combining these datasets into a coordinated global database would generate new capacity to model plant traits globally, enabling connection with remote sensing and ecological and biosphere models, as well as reconstruction of trait evolution. However, coordination is needed to avoid downstream problems in data aggregation due to variation in data standards and technical specifications of the instruments, optical setups, or measurement protocols. The International Herbarium Spectral Digitization (IHerbSpec) working group has initiated a globally collaborative program, outlining the central issues to address in establishing protocols, standards, and best practices, and proposing next steps. This collaborative effort will allow generation of replicable spectral reflectance data from plant specimens housed in herbaria around the world within ongoing digitization programs following community-defined standards and Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles.",

keywords = "collection management, global herbarium, methodological standards, next-generation digitization, plant functional traits, spectral reflectance",

author = "Jeannine Cavender-Bares and White, \{Dawson M.\} and Ahlstrand, \{Natalie Iwanycki\} and Austin, \{Matthew W.\} and Denis Bastianelli and Samantha Bazan and Khalil Boughalmi and Warren Cardinal-McTeague and Eduardo Chac{\'o}n-Madrigal and Couvreur, \{Thomas L.P.\} and Charles Davis and Durgante, \{Fl{\'a}via M.\} and Grace, \{Olwen M.\} and \{Guzm{\'a}n Q.\}, \{J. Antonio\} and Kimberly Hansen and Hern{\'a}ndez-Leal, \{Mariana S.\} and Hopkins, \{Michael John Gilbert\} and Rykkar Jackson and Shan Kothari and Lee, \{Aaron K.\} and {\'E}tienne L{\'e}veill{\'e}-Bourret and Jes{\'u}s Pinto-Ledezma and \{Quinteros Casaverde\}, \{Natalia L.\} and Meireles, \{Jose Eduardo\} and Barbara Neto-Bradley and Nichodemus, \{Cornelius Onyedikachi\} and Ree, \{Richard H.\} and Michaela Schmull and Soltis, \{Douglas E.\} and Soltis, \{Pamela S.\} and Hanna Tuomisto and Ustin, \{Susan L.\} and Vasconcelos, \{Caroline C.\}",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1111/nph.70645",

language = "English",

journal = "New Phytologist",

issn = "0028-646X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

}

Cavender-Bares, J, White, DM, Ahlstrand, NI, Austin, MW, Bastianelli, D, Bazan, S, Boughalmi, K, Cardinal-McTeague, W, Chacón-Madrigal, E, Couvreur, TLP, Davis, C, Durgante, FM, Grace, OM, Guzmán Q., JA, Hansen, K, Hernández-Leal, MS, Hopkins, MJG, Jackson, R, Kothari, S, Lee, AK, Léveillé-Bourret, É, Pinto-Ledezma, J, Quinteros Casaverde, NL, Meireles, JE, Neto-Bradley, B, Nichodemus, CO, Ree, RH, Schmull, M, Soltis, DE, Soltis, PS, Tuomisto, H, Ustin, SL & Vasconcelos, CC 2025, 'Next-generation specimen digitization: capturing reflectance spectra from the world's herbaria for modeling plant biology across time, space, and taxa', New Phytologist. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70645

Next-generation specimen digitization: capturing reflectance spectra from the world's herbaria for modeling plant biology across time, space, and taxa. / Cavender-Bares, Jeannine; White, Dawson M.; Ahlstrand, Natalie Iwanycki et al.
In: New Phytologist, 2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Review › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Next-generation specimen digitization

T2 - capturing reflectance spectra from the world's herbaria for modeling plant biology across time, space, and taxa

AU - Cavender-Bares, Jeannine

AU - White, Dawson M.

AU - Ahlstrand, Natalie Iwanycki

AU - Austin, Matthew W.

AU - Bastianelli, Denis

AU - Bazan, Samantha

AU - Boughalmi, Khalil

AU - Cardinal-McTeague, Warren

AU - Chacón-Madrigal, Eduardo

AU - Couvreur, Thomas L.P.

AU - Davis, Charles

AU - Durgante, Flávia M.

AU - Grace, Olwen M.

AU - Guzmán Q., J. Antonio

AU - Hansen, Kimberly

AU - Hernández-Leal, Mariana S.

AU - Hopkins, Michael John Gilbert

AU - Jackson, Rykkar

AU - Kothari, Shan

AU - Lee, Aaron K.

AU - Léveillé-Bourret, Étienne

AU - Pinto-Ledezma, Jesús

AU - Quinteros Casaverde, Natalia L.

AU - Meireles, Jose Eduardo

AU - Neto-Bradley, Barbara

AU - Nichodemus, Cornelius Onyedikachi

AU - Ree, Richard H.

AU - Schmull, Michaela

AU - Soltis, Douglas E.

AU - Soltis, Pamela S.

AU - Tuomisto, Hanna

AU - Ustin, Susan L.

AU - Vasconcelos, Caroline C.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Spectral reflectance measured from herbarium specimens represents a potentially vast source of information relevant to plant taxon identification and functional traits, which has inspired many laboratories world-wide to initiate next-generation spectral digitization from specimens. Combining these datasets into a coordinated global database would generate new capacity to model plant traits globally, enabling connection with remote sensing and ecological and biosphere models, as well as reconstruction of trait evolution. However, coordination is needed to avoid downstream problems in data aggregation due to variation in data standards and technical specifications of the instruments, optical setups, or measurement protocols. The International Herbarium Spectral Digitization (IHerbSpec) working group has initiated a globally collaborative program, outlining the central issues to address in establishing protocols, standards, and best practices, and proposing next steps. This collaborative effort will allow generation of replicable spectral reflectance data from plant specimens housed in herbaria around the world within ongoing digitization programs following community-defined standards and Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles.

AB - Spectral reflectance measured from herbarium specimens represents a potentially vast source of information relevant to plant taxon identification and functional traits, which has inspired many laboratories world-wide to initiate next-generation spectral digitization from specimens. Combining these datasets into a coordinated global database would generate new capacity to model plant traits globally, enabling connection with remote sensing and ecological and biosphere models, as well as reconstruction of trait evolution. However, coordination is needed to avoid downstream problems in data aggregation due to variation in data standards and technical specifications of the instruments, optical setups, or measurement protocols. The International Herbarium Spectral Digitization (IHerbSpec) working group has initiated a globally collaborative program, outlining the central issues to address in establishing protocols, standards, and best practices, and proposing next steps. This collaborative effort will allow generation of replicable spectral reflectance data from plant specimens housed in herbaria around the world within ongoing digitization programs following community-defined standards and Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles.

KW - collection management

KW - global herbarium

KW - methodological standards

KW - next-generation digitization

KW - plant functional traits

KW - spectral reflectance

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105020639949

U2 - 10.1111/nph.70645

DO - 10.1111/nph.70645

M3 - Review

C2 - 41174827

AN - SCOPUS:105020639949

SN - 0028-646X

JO - New Phytologist

JF - New Phytologist

ER -

Next-generation specimen digitization: capturing reflectance spectra from the world's herbaria for modeling plant biology across time, space, and taxa

Abstract

Keywords

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