From lists to individual-tree records
Foster and Hubbell initiated a 50-hectare forest-dynamics plot in Panama in 1980. Mapping, tagging and remeasuring trees allowed researchers to follow individuals and populations, test explanations of tropical diversity and provide shared spatial records for other biological studies.
References: [1]
A selected specimen reference
Foster helped found Rapid Reference, which selects a small number of representative specimens, generally one to three per species, from extensive collections. Preference is given to reliably identified material with useful leaves, flowers or fruits, helping users compare diagnostic features without searching thousands of unfiltered records.
References: [2]
Living plants as identification evidence
He also founded and long developed the Live Plant Photos project. Specialists curate field images for identification guides and online tools. Living-plant photographs complement preserved specimens and help field teams communicate which organisms they encounter.
References: [3]
Complementary kinds of records
Rapid Reference draws heavily on museum specimens but is a selected subset rather than the complete herbarium. The photograph project also notes that many images lack voucher specimens. Connecting field images, verifiable specimens and long-term plot records makes these tools useful for botanical research.