Aliens in Antarctica - Seed Identifications data

• Other Authors: HUISKES, AD (hasPrincipalInvestigator), HUISKES, AD (processor), LEE, JENNIFER (hasPrincipalInvestigator), GREMMEN, NIEK (hasPrincipalInvestigator), IMURA, SATOSHI (hasPrincipalInvestigator), LEBOUVIER, MARC (hasPrincipalInvestigator), HUGHES, KEVIN (hasPrincipalInvestigator), BERGSTROM, DANA M. (hasPrincipalInvestigator), Australian Antarctic Data Centre (publisher)
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Australian Antarctic Data Centre
• Subjects: biota; environment; EXOTIC VEGETATION; EARTH SCIENCE; BIOSPHERE; VEGETATION; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; HUMAN DIMENSIONS; CONSERVATION; HABITAT CONVERSION/FRAGMENTATION; EXOTIC SPECIES; ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS; SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS; Aliens; Seeds; VISUAL OBSERVATIONS; FIELD SURVEYS; IPY > INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR; EBA > Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic; ALIENS > Aliens in Antarctica; OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN; SOUTHERN OCEAN > MACQUARIE ISLAND; CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA; GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR; Antarctic; Christchurch; Gunn; New Zealand; Southern Ocean; The Antarctic; Webb; Antarc*; Antarctica; Australian Antarctic Division; International Polar Year; Macquarie Island
• Online Access: https://researchdata.ands.org.au/aliens-antarctica-seed-identifications/699279; https://doi.org/10.4225/15/58d468846056a; https://data.aad.gov.au/metadata/records/Aliens_in_Antarctica_seed_identifications; http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-617536

In the 2007/2008 southern summer season a stratified random selection of travellers to the Antarctic were sampled for propagules on their way to Antarctica or sub-Antarctic islands. This file lists the plant seeds that were found in the samples. Identification of the seeds was done mainly by comparing the seeds (or more often photographs of the seeds) with photographs of seeds in seed-atlases and in databases on the web (see the list below). Because often we had only a single specimen of a specific seed morphotype, we did not use any destructive methods (e.g. making cross-sections of the seed). All seeds have been stored, so they are available for further study. For each identification a confidence level was given on a 4-point scale (0 = no identification available; 1 = low confidence in identification: it may be the taxon listed, but it would not be surprising if it was not; 2 = moderate confidence: we think it is the taxon indicated, but we may be wrong; and 3 = high confidence = we are convinced it is the taxon indicated). Sometimes it was not possible to see if something was a seed or not. Whenever we had serious doubts about something being a seed, it was not counted as such. This way we may well have discarded (figuratively: all material has been kept) some seeds, but this will result at most in a somewhat conservative estimate of the propagule load of the samples. Equally we have discounted seeds that were seriously damaged, and thus not viable. Again in general we were fairly conservative in this matter. All seeds were grouped in groups that were morphologically different (morphotypes), and for which we suggest they are different species (or groups of closely related species) . All morphotypes were given a unique number. Most seeds were identified more or less independently by several people. Subsequently differences in identification were checked and discussed, until some consensus was reached. Where no consensus was reached, identification was given at the taxonomic level where we agreed, and lower levels were given as unknown. For quite a number of seeds we did not arrive at an identification even at the family level. Resources used for seed identification Botha C (2001) Common weeds of crops and gardens in South Africa. Ark grain crops institute. Potchefstroom Cappers R T J, Bekker R M, Jans J E A. (2006) Digital seed Atlas of the Netherlands. Barkhuis Publishing. Groningen. Corner, E. J. H. (1976). Seeds of Dicotyledons. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Kirkbride, J.H., Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2006. Family Guide for Fruits and Seeds, version 1.0. URL: https://nt.ars-grin.gov/SeedsFruits/keys/FrSdFam/Index.cfm. Accessed July-November 2009. Martin, A. C., Barkley, W. D. (1961). Seed Identification Manual. University of California Press. Millennium seed bank project (Kew) Seed identification database. URL: http://data.kew.org/sid/. Accessed July-November 2009. Seed ID Workshop. Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University. URL: http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/seedid/ . Accessed July-November 2009. Seeds of Success Collections at the Bend Seed Extractory. URL: unknown - may be: https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/native-plant-and-seed-material-development/collection. Accessed July-November 2009. UBC Botanical Garden Seed Collection. URL: https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/research-collections/plant-collections/. Accessed July-November 2009. Webb C J, Simpson M J A (2001). Seeds of New Zealand gymnosperms and dicotyledons, Christchurch, N.Z. : Manuka Press. The seeds were identified by Dr N.J.M. Gremmen, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands Dr. D.M. Bergstrom, Australian Antarctic Division, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston 7050, Australia. Chris Ware, , Australian Antarctic Division, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston 7050, Australia. Dr. J. Lee, Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa