People
Heller, Thomas M.
| Job Title | Botanical Information Researcher |
|---|---|
| Department | Seed Conservation |
| Section | Information |
| Science Teams |
Madagascar Millennium Seed Bank Project |
| Joined Kew | 2004 |
| Foreign Language(s) |
Qualifications & Appointments
BSc (Hons), Botany, University of Bristol, 2000.
MSc, Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants, Edinburgh University, 2003.
Role
Literature research for information on species targeted for collection by the MSBP and project partners.
As part of the MSBP Species Targeting Team literature is gathered for taxa with high conservation priorities and information is entered into a database which is used to compile collection guides designed to facilitate the work of seed collectors in the field. Such information includes plant descriptions, habitat, distribution and phenology data; checking that the nomenclature of the targeted taxa is up-to-date. Other responsibilities include dealing with taxonomic and nomenclatural queries from the specimen digitizers and other members of the team; training colleagues and visiting project partners in research and databasing of taxonomic information; and geo-referencing location data taken from the literature using appropriate tools such as gazetteers, maps, etc. Time also spent, on a volunteer basis, in identifying specimens of Rutaceae and Cucurbitaceae for the Wet Tropics Africa team, in the Kew Herbarium, as a contribution towards a checklist of the plants of the Bakossi mountains and Mefou in Cameroon.
Projects
MSB Enhancement Project Part 1A – Species Targeting
Theme: Climate and Reproductive Biology
Selected Publications 2001-2005
Heller, T.M. & Cheek, M. (2004). Rutaceae. In Cheek, M., Pollard, B.J., Darbyshire, I., Onana, J-M., & Wild C. (eds) The Plants of Kupe, Mwanenguba and the Bakossi Mountains, Cameroon: a Conservation Checklist. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 395-397.