Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Become a Citizen Scientist - Contribute to Science and Learn About the Environment


The William and Linda Steere Herbarium at The New York Botanical Garden is one of the largest plant collections in the world. It is consulted daily by scientists, conservationists and land managers investigating the incredible diversity of plants and their effect on the world we live in.

Concerns about the world's environmental challenges have dramatically increased the demand for botanical information.


As an Herbarium Citizen Scientist, you can help with the crucial mission of providing data or studies that guide the successful management of the earth's ecosystems.Join our science staff and students digitizing the Garden's famous and historical plant collection.


New York Botanical Garden Citizen Scientists
  • Get hands on experience with plant specimens
  • Learn digital photography
  • Work in a beautiful and stimulating environment
  • Meet scientists and learn about plant research
  • Enjoy excellent volunteer benefits


To become a Citizen Scientist call us at (718)-817-8564 or email us at citizenscientist@nybg.org

To learn more, visit www.nybg.org/volunteer




Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Save the Bees - Tell the EPA to Cancel the Approval of Clothianidin



"Scientists have been scrambling to understand the crisis - termed Colony Collapse Disorder - but have yet to find a single, definitive cause. There are likely multiple interacting causes, and mounting evidence suggests that one widely used class of pesticides may be a critical factor.

One such chemical, called clothianidin, is produced by the German corporation Bayer CropScience. It is used as a treatment on crop seeds, including corn and canola, and works by expressing itself in the plants' pollen and nectar. Not coincidentally, these are some of honey bees' favorite sources of food.
Last year, CREDO delivered more than 200,000 petition signatures urging the EPA to ban clothianidin. Now that its approval is up for review, this is a crucial opportunity to protect bees.

Friday, February 17, 2012

NYBG Herbarium Image Editing Workflow

Click below to view the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium Image Editing Guidelines - documentation of our post-capture image processing workflow using Adobe Lightroom.


The preview in Google Docs is low resolution. Once in Google Docs, click the Download Original button to save a more legible copy.


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Nikon D800 Announced - 36 Megapixel DSLR

According to Popular Photograhy, Nikon has announced that it will begin shipping the 36.3 megapixel D800 in March, 2012.


It will run about $3000. So are the megapixels worth it?

At the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium, we are digitizing Herbarium specimens that average 11.5 x 16" using the 21 megapixel Canon EOS 5D Mark II. At 21 megapixels, the Canon produces images that are 3722 x 5616 pixels. Using a simple formula, we can determine that the image will be about 52 x 78" when viewed on screen. That's about 4.5 magnification of the actual specimen.

So, the new 36.3 megapixel Nikon D800 will produce an image that is 4912 x 7360 pixels - which will result in an onscreen image that is 68 x 102" inches. That's about 6.3 times magnification of the actual specimen.

More magnification equals more detail. Here is a detail taken from an Epson Scanner, re-sized to simulate a 21 megapixel image and a 36 megapixel image. Click the image to enlarge and compare the difference in detail.

21 megapixel

36 megapixel

Considering that the Canon EOS 5d Mark II currently goes for $2,250, I would say that $3000 is not too much more to pay for significantly more detail. I have no brand loyalty to either Canon or Nikon, but our imaging lab has over $3000 of Canon lenses - so I am not jumping ship to Nikon just yet. I am sure Canon will come up with a counter strike in the megapixel war soon.

And yes, you guessed it. That's the Solenaceae Holotype, Cestrum acutifolium Alain.

Earth at Night from the International Space Station

This is worth watching in HD.

Monday, February 6, 2012

New Mushroom Eats Styrofoam - Yale University

Pestalotiopsis microspora, a fungus found by a Yale University student on a plant collecting expedition to the rain forest in Ecuador, eats polyurethane




At least theoretically, it should be able to devour landfill from the bottom up. Make sure to look for the article in your next issue of the Applied and Environmental Microbiology Journal.