BERAU HERBARIUM

DATA PROCESSING
Data processing is performed with the database “BRAHMS” (Botanical Research and
Herbarium Management System), which supports three overlapping categories of project:
Management and curation of herbarium collections
Production of taxonomically oriented outputs
Production of geographically oriented outputs
In the Berau Herbarium the first and the third category will mainly be used for the
production of labels, determination slips and lists, geographic checklists, and biodiversity
survey results.
The key advantage provided by a database such as BRAHMS is improved access to data.
For example, as well as assembling data by species, they can be assembled and ordered by
collector name, geographical area, ecological area, altitude range, determination status,
species group.
Figure 21: Data processing of specimen information
RAPID DATA ENTRY (RDE)
Field data are first entered into
spreadsheet like files external to and
independent from BRAHMS. RDE files
can be optimised for any particular task
(figure 21). In Berau we select the
fields, which are used either in
Wanariset (WAN) or in Leiden (L) to
make exchange of data as easy as
possible.
Rapid Data Entry is easy to learn,
flexible and allows data entry to proceed
on multiple workstations without access to a network. RDE provides an extra layer of
database security as RDE data files are easily checked and importing can be centrally
controlled.
DATA EXTRACTION
Data queries – leading to the generation of outputs – are initiated by selecting the “Extract”
data option on the main BRAHMS menu.
OUTPUT
Data in extract files can be processed and formatted directly by BRAHMS or passed to
other spreadsheets or databases such as Excel.
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