A new floristic atlas for the Southeast based on taxon concept relationships Robert K. Peet 1, Alan S. Weakley 1,2 & Xianhua Liu 1,3 1 The University of.

A new floristic atlas for A new floristic atlas for the Southeast based on the Southeast based on

taxon concept taxon concept relationshipsrelationships

Robert K. PeetRobert K. Peet11, Alan S. , Alan S. WeakleyWeakley1,21,2

& Xianhua Liu & Xianhua Liu1,31,3

1The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill2The North Carolina Botanical Garden

3National Evolutionary Synthesis Center

Radford, Ahles & Bell Radford, Ahles & Bell 19681968

Our History & TraditionOur History & Tradition

Why we need a new AtlasWhy we need a new Atlas

• New names New names • New taxon concepts (lumps & splits)New taxon concepts (lumps & splits)• New discoveriesNew discoveries• Taxa new to scienceTaxa new to science• New collections & overlooked New collections & overlooked collectionscollections• New data sources (Plots, Heritage lists)New data sources (Plots, Heritage lists)• New determinationsNew determinations

Challenges in creating a Challenges in creating a modern Southeastern floristic modern Southeastern floristic

atlasatlas1.1. Regional floras are generally obsolete and Regional floras are generally obsolete and

incomplete.incomplete.

2.2. Local atlases follow idiosyncratic Local atlases follow idiosyncratic taxonomies.taxonomies.

3.3. Few museum collections have been Few museum collections have been databased.databased.

4.4. Museum collections are rarely determined to Museum collections are rarely determined to concept.concept.

5.5. Floristic lists and ecological datasets with Floristic lists and ecological datasets with multiple taxonomic authorities and multiple taxonomic authorities and inconsistent taxonomic concepts have defied inconsistent taxonomic concepts have defied integration.integration.

Abies lasiocarpa

Abies bifolia

Abies lasiocarpa

sec.sec. Little Littlesec.sec. USDA PLANTS USDA PLANTS

sec.sec. Flora North America Flora North America

Three concepts of subalpine Three concepts of subalpine firfir

Splitting one species into two Splitting one species into two illustrates the ambiguity often illustrates the ambiguity often associated with scientific names.associated with scientific names.

USDA Plants & ITIS

Abies lasiocarpa

var. lasiocarpa

var. arizonica

One concept ofAbies lasiocarpa

Flora North America

Abies lasiocarpa

Abies bifolia

A narrow concept of Abies lasiocarpa

Partnership with USDA plants to provide plant concepts for data integration

High-elevation fir trees of High-elevation fir trees of western North Americawestern North America

AZ NM CO WY MT AB eBC wBC WA OR

Abies lasiocarpa

var. arizonica

Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa

Distribution

USDA - ITIS

Flora North America

Abies bifolia Abies lasiocarpa

Minimal concepts

A B C

Andropogon virginicusAndropogon virginicus complex in the complex in the CarolinasCarolinas

9 elemental units; 17 base concepts, 27 scientific names9 elemental units; 17 base concepts, 27 scientific names

The good news:The good news: • Multiple organizations are Multiple organizations are developing tools for concept use developing tools for concept use and integration. and integration.

The challenge:The challenge:• Few large-scale compilations of Few large-scale compilations of concepts and their relationships are concepts and their relationships are available.available.

Massive ImportMassive Import

• Scanned indices -- OCRScanned indices -- OCR

• Spreadsheets for preliminary concept Spreadsheets for preliminary concept documentationdocumentation

• Import into software tool for Import into software tool for managing concepts and relationshipsmanaging concepts and relationships

Concept mapper

SE floristic works mapped SE floristic works mapped

1.1. Weakley 2005. Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and Weakley 2005. Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and Surrounding AreasSurrounding Areas

2.2. Small 1933. Manual of the southeastern flora Small 1933. Manual of the southeastern flora 3.3. Fernald 1950. Gray's manual of botanyFernald 1950. Gray's manual of botany4.4. Gleason 1952. Britton and Brown illustrated flora Gleason 1952. Britton and Brown illustrated flora 5.5. Radford, Ahles & Bell 1968. Manual of the vascular flora of Radford, Ahles & Bell 1968. Manual of the vascular flora of

the Carolinasthe Carolinas6.6. Gleason & Cronquist 1991. Manual of vascular plants of Gleason & Cronquist 1991. Manual of vascular plants of

northeastern United States and adjacent Canadanortheastern United States and adjacent Canada7.7. 1993-2005. Flora of North America north of Mexico1993-2005. Flora of North America north of Mexico8.8. Kartesz 1999. A synonymized checklist for the vascular flora Kartesz 1999. A synonymized checklist for the vascular flora

of the United States, Canada, and Greenlandof the United States, Canada, and Greenland9.9. Wofford 1989. Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge Wofford 1989. Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge 10.10.Godfrey & Wooton 1979. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Godfrey & Wooton 1979. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of

Southeastern United StatesSoutheastern United States11.11.1980-1990. Vascular Flora of the Southeastern United States1980-1990. Vascular Flora of the Southeastern United States12.12. Recent monographs and revisions (>2000)Recent monographs and revisions (>2000)

Concept mapping progressConcept mapping progress

• ~ 65000 relationships of taxon ~ 65000 relationships of taxon concepts to Weakley 2005 conceptsconcepts to Weakley 2005 concepts

• Based on ~ 800 taxonomic Based on ~ 800 taxonomic references.references.

Toward a new AtlasToward a new Atlas

Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis, Radford et al. 1968, Radford et al. 1968

How to How to integrate integrate new new sources of sources of data??data??

http://herbarium.unc.edu/seflora/firstviewer.htm

Add dynamic access to NCU Add dynamic access to NCU collectioncollection

Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis

NCUNCU

RABRAB

Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis

NCUNCU

RABRAB

USDAUSDA

CVSCVS

Add USDA PLANTS records & Add USDA PLANTS records & CVS vegetation plot dataCVS vegetation plot data

But wait !!But wait !!There is a concept issueThere is a concept issue

• According to Radford 1968, USDA According to Radford 1968, USDA PLANTS v 4.0, & Weakley 2005PLANTS v 4.0, & Weakley 2005– Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis– Carya ovataCarya ovata

• According to Stone 1997 in FNAAccording to Stone 1997 in FNA– Carya ovata var australisCarya ovata var australis– Carya ovata var. ovataCarya ovata var. ovata

Carya carolinae-septentrionalisCarya carolinae-septentrionalis

Some nominal occurrences might Some nominal occurrences might or or might notmight not represent the taxon represent the taxon

All specimens of All specimens of Carya ovataCarya ovata must must be identified to nominal conceptsbe identified to nominal concepts

Consider Consider CleistesCleistes• Cleistes bifariaCleistes bifaria was split off was split off C. divaricataC. divaricata

after Radford et al. was published. after Radford et al. was published.

• Radford et al. records must be mapped Radford et al. records must be mapped as ambiguous.as ambiguous.

• Kartesz incorrectly maps all Kartesz incorrectly maps all CleistesCleistes in the Carolinas as in the Carolinas as C. divaricataC. divaricata owing to uncritical owing to uncritical import of records from Radford.import of records from Radford.

Data layersData layers• SpecimensSpecimens

– NCU (~8,0000 - nominal)NCU (~8,0000 - nominal)– NCSU (nominal)NCSU (nominal)– Weymouth Woods (~2000 - Weakley)Weymouth Woods (~2000 - Weakley)– UNCC (in process, ~43,000 - Weakley)UNCC (in process, ~43,000 - Weakley)

• High-quality databasesHigh-quality databases– Sorrie’s SE Costal Plain endemics Sorrie’s SE Costal Plain endemics

(Weakley)(Weakley)– NC Natural Heritage Program (Weakley)NC Natural Heritage Program (Weakley)– Harmon et al. 2006 West Virginia atlas (US)Harmon et al. 2006 West Virginia atlas (US)– Selected literature records (idiosyncratic)Selected literature records (idiosyncratic)

Data layers – 2 Data layers – 2 • Other databasesOther databases

– Radford et al. (Radford)Radford et al. (Radford)– USDA PLANTS (US) USDA PLANTS (US)

• Site recordsSite records– Carolina Vegetation Survey (~300,000)Carolina Vegetation Survey (~300,000)

• Total county records in database Total county records in database ~1,500,000~1,500,000

Specimens matching the nameSpecimens matching the name

• ..\..\New Folder\Snap32.jpg

Images matching the name

Community types with the concept

Link to Vegetation plots with the taxon

Design:Design:• Allow user to select date-specific Allow user to select date-specific

version of Weakley.version of Weakley.• Allow user to select a Weakley, Allow user to select a Weakley,

PLANTS, or FNA perspective (or PLANTS, or FNA perspective (or others?).others?).

Data needs:Data needs:• Map relationships to PLANTS v 4.0Map relationships to PLANTS v 4.0• Map relationships between PLANTS Map relationships between PLANTS

and FNAand FNA• Date-stamp changes in Weakley Date-stamp changes in Weakley • More distribution layers More distribution layers

Next steps?Next steps?

LinksLinksConceptMapperConceptMapper

http://152.2.14.231/conceptmapper/

Weakley floraWeakley florahttp://herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm

NCU Atlas of the SE floraNCU Atlas of the SE florahttp://herbarium.unc.edu/seflora/firstviewer.htm

ThanksThanks NSF (SEEK, VegBank), NC Bot. GardenNSF (SEEK, VegBank), NC Bot. Garden