UAM Herbarium (ALA), Algae Collection (Arctos)

The Herbarium at the University of Alaska Museum (ALA) is the major regional herbarium in Alaska and part of a network of similar collections with an interest in the origin and evolution of the circumpolar flora. ALA contains more than 260,000 specimens of vascular and non-vascular plants. We have a small collection of macroalgae. Macroalgae are the foundation of marine, estuarine and freshwater benthic ecosystems. A number of macroalgal species, including kelp, nori, and others are grown extensively via aquaculture or harvested from the wild for human food and for extraction of colloids used in cosmetics, food products, and pharmaceuticals. Digitization of macroalgae has been supported by NSF grant 1304924 entitled: Collaborative Research: Digitization TCN: The Macroalgal Herbarium Consortium: Accessing 150 Years of Specimen Data to Understand Changes in the Marine/Aquatic Environment lead by PI Christopher Neefus (University of New Hampshire).