Temperatura y humedad relativa en el herbario SGO: análisis preliminar y consideraciones preventivas para la conservación de las colecciones botánicas del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural

Abstract

In order to know the environmental conditions in the deposits that house the collections of plants, algae and fungi of the SGO Herbarium during the seasons of the year, the distribution and variation of a first series of temperature (T°C) and relative humidity records (HR%) were analyzed, from the estimation of measures of central trend (X), variation (s, s2) and correlation (r). In addition, a percentage comparison was made of the series of records in reference to the ranges of values of T°C and HR% recommended by the literature as optimal for the conservation of biological collections. The results indicate an annual variation in the deposits during the seasons of the year, with greater variability in the records of relative humidity with respect to temperature. The most of the relative humidity values were below the recommended range, even in winter, and summer temperatures always exceeded the optimum range. The present preliminary analysis shows that the deposits that house the botanical collections of the Museum are in general cold-dry and hot-dry, conditions that although they are not optimal in reference to the recommended ranges, allow a safe environment for the conservation of the specimens. Thus, as a consequence need to monitor and intervene those deposits to control the predominant environmental dryness and high summer temperatures, as a preventive conservation measure in the care of the heritage collections that the SGO Herbarium houses.