Michael S. Dosmann
Curator of Living Collections
125 Arborway
Boston, MA 02130
Phone: 617.384.5209
Fax: 617.524.1418
Email
Education
PhD Horticulture and Ecology, Cornell University
MS Horticulture, Iowa State University
BS Public Horticulture, Purdue University
As Curator of Living Collections, my primary role is to guide the sound development of this historic and dynamic collection of temperate woody species. This involves reviewing our collections, setting acquisition targets (and acquiring them), as well as determining which discretionary plants are to be deaccessioned to make room for new material. We don’t just curate objects (the plants), we curate associations of objects and information. Thus, the plants in our collection possess unique value due to their robust documentation such as archival records, collection notes from the native habitat, herbarium specimens, photographs, observations over time, taxonomic verifications, and even the results of scientific research conducted upon them. To ensure these and other documentation needs are met at the highest of standards, I oversee a talented team of curatorial staff who are engaged in field checking, mapping, records management, researcher engagement, taxonomic reviews, voucher collection and preparation, and of course, good old-fashioned sleuthing.
In addition to my administrative duties, I am involved in a number of scholarly activities which mainly focus on the curation of living plant collections. One of my objectives in the Curatorial Department is to explore new strategies and tactics that improve collections management in botanical gardens and arboreta. Recent and on-going efforts include initiating new systems for assessing and developing living collections; trialing novel fieldchecking and inventory protocols; improving the management of conservation-status taxa; enhancing access to archival and contemporary documentation; and conducting post hoc analyses to improve germplasm collecting expeditions. Additionally, I continue to conduct research on the physiological ecology of woody plants and participate in floristic efforts through domestic and foreign plant exploration.
Selected Publications
- Dosmann, M. 2012. Climate Change & Collections: Preparing now will give our living collections the best fighting chance. The Public Garden 27(2):28-29. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M. 2012. Dipelta floribunda: A shrub of subtle beauty. Arnoldia 70(1)):32. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M. and A. Groover. 2012. The importance of living botanical collections for plant biology and the “next generation” of evo-devo research. Frontiers in Plant Science 3:137. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2012.00137. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M. 2012. Banking on the future of Fraxinus. Silva (spring/summer):2-3. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M.S. 2011. A venerable hybrid oak: Quercus × sargentii. Arnoldia 69(1):36. [pdf]
- Kramer, A., A. Hird, K. Shaw, M. Dosmann, and R. Mims. 2011. Conserving North America’s threatened plants: Progress report on Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Botanic Gardens Conservation International U.S. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M.S. 2010. Beautybush: Kolkwitzia amabilis. Arnoldia 68(2):51-52. [pdf]
- Aiello, A.S. and M.S. Dosmann. 2010. By the numbers: Twenty years of NACPEC collections. Arnoldia 68(2):20–35. [pdf]
- Hird, A. and M. Dosmann. 2010. Getting the most out of your BGCI Plant Upload. BGjournal 7(1):18–21. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M. 2009. Sustaining our collections: Are we? The Public Garden 23(3/4):7–9. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M.S. 2009. Malus at the Arnold Arboretum: An ongoing legacy. Arnoldia 67(2):14–21. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M.S. 2008. Curatorial notes: An updated Living Collections Policy at the Arnold Arboretum. Arnoldia 66(1):10–21. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M., P. Del Tredici, and E. Hsu. 2007. The Arnold Arboretum Sextet: NAPCC Collection Profile. The Public Garden 21(2):40–43. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M.S. 2008. A golden afternoon. Arnoldia 65(3):28. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M.S. 2007. The Arnold Arboretum’s Living Collections: A Repository for Research. Arnoldia 65(2):30–39. [pdf]
- Dosmann, M.S. 2006. Research in the garden: Averting the collections crisis. Botanical Review 72(3):207–234. [pdf]
- Radford, E., M. Dosmann, and D. Rae. 2003. The management of ‘ad hoc‘ ex situ conservation status species at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: A review of options. Sibbaldia 1:43–80.
- Dosmann, M.S. and P. Del Tredici. 2003. Plant introduction, distribution and survival: a case study of the 1980 Sino-American Botanical Expedition. BioScience 53:588–597. [pdf]
Current Grants
- 2010 Institute of Museum and Library Services, Museums for America: “Integrating archival resources to improve curation of an exceptional woody plant collection”
Collaborators
- Abby Hird and Andrea Kramer (BGCI-North America), and Ray Mims (US Botanic Garden) – “The North American Collections Assessment” to document ex situ conservation collections in North America to address Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity)
- Tony Aiello (The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania) and Kang Wang (Beijing Botanical Garden) – Plant Exploration in the Qinling Mountains of China as part of NACPEC (North America – China Plant Exploration Consortium)