This is an introduction to some of the Web, Net, and Library Reference sources available for research in the Biological Sciences. I have subdivided biology into several areas of study some of which may have been, or may be, subdivided further. All comments and contributions are welcome.

• Botany Research Resources

• Cell & Molecular Biology Research Resources

• Ecology & Environmental Biology Research Resources

• Evolution Resources for Research

• Genetics Research Resources

• Invertebrate Zoology Research Resources

• Marine Biology Research Resources

• Microbiology Research Resources

• Vertebrate Zoology Research Resources

Premier databases for research in biology:

• Biological and Medical Sciences
  • Dates covered: 1982-current
  This interdisciplinary database offers abstracts and citations to a wide range of research in biomedicine, biotechnology, zoology and ecology, and some aspects of agriculture and veterinary science. Supporting over two dozen areas of expertise, this CSA database provides access to literature from over 6000 sources including serials, conference proceedings, technical reports, monographs and selected books and patents. Subfiles include ASFA: Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts; Biological Sciences; Biology Digest; Conference Papers Index; MEDLINE; Oceanic Abstracts; and Plant Science

• AGRICOLA (AGRICultural OnLine Access)
  • Dates covered: 1970-current
  A bibliographic database of citations to agricultural literature created by the National Agricultural Library. Encompasses all aspects of agriculture and allied disciplines, including animal and veterinary sciences, entomology, plant sciences, forestry, aquaculture and fisheries, farming and farming systems, agricultural economics, extension and education, food and human nutrition, and earth and environmental sciences. The AGRICOLA database is organized into two bibliographic data sets, which must be searched separately. Both data sets are updated daily with newly cataloged and indexed materials. Online Public Access Catalog, contains citations to books, audiovisual materials, serial publications, and other materials in the NAL collection. AGRICOLA also contains bibliographic records for items cataloged by other libraries and not held in NAL's collection. Journal Article Citation Index, includes citations, many with abstracts, to journal articles (see List of Journals Indexed), book chapters, reports, and reprints.

• Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA)
  • Dates covered: 1978-current
  Aquatic Sciences & Fisheries Indexes and abstracts serial publications, books, reports, conference proceedings, etc., on the aquatic & marine sciences. Site License.

• Biological Abstracts
  • Location: Wilson 5W -Periodicals QH301 .B615
  • Dates covered: 1926-current
  • Check Catalog
  Indexes and abstracts biological and medial research literature from over 6,000 international publications, including journal articles, technical communications, and reviews.

• MEDLINE
  • Dates covered: 1989-current
  Produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, this is the major index of biomedical literature materials. Site License.

• Science Citation Index (Web of Science)
  • Dates covered: 1990-current
  Available via the Web of Science. A multidisciplinary citation index to the literature of science, technology, biomedicine, and related disciplines. Features include citation indexing, related records, and shared references. Consortium (12 Libraries) Share 15 Simultaneous Users.

Access a list of selected journals in the general field of biology, with links to fulltext content. For lists of journals in specific areas of study in the biological sciences, choose from the Research Guides above.

• BioInteractive
  A website and a collection of biology-focused teaching materials created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

• Biodiversity: measuring the variety of nature
  This site is sponsored by researchers at the Biogeography and Conservation Lab of the Natural History Museum, London.

• BiologyBrowser
  Serves as a starting point for anyone seeking biology information on the Internet. Managed by BIOSIS, they maintain a databank of more than 14,000 links to free, high-quality online resources in the life sciences.

• BIOME
  Offers a searchable catalogue of Internet sites and resources covering the health and life sciences. BIOME was created by a core team of information specialists and subject experts based at the University of Nottingham Greenfield Medical Library.

• BioNetBook
  An authoritative directory of web resources. The site is extremely comprehensive, and divided into Resource Type, Organism, and Biological Domain.

• Classification of Living Things
  Sponsored by Palomar College, this site's purpose is to present the fundamentals of modern taxonomy, as well as revisit historical biological classification.

• Discover Life in America
  A volunteer science and education non-profit organization to study, use, conserve, and enjoy the diversity of life. Our first mission is to complete a comprehensive study of all the species in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park--an ATBI of the Great Smokies (seeScience, June 11, 1999).

• Dr. Duke's phytochemical and ethonobotanical databases
  Provides technical information on the chemicals found in plants and their ethnobotanical uses. Its organization is largely thematic, with options to search by plant name, chemical, activity, or ethnobotany.

• Ecoport
  Established in 2000 by the University of Florida to help write the "Great encyclopedia of life" as envisioned by E.O. Wilson, its central purpose is to document the biodiversity of our planet and the factors that affect ecological balance. Additional project sponsors are The Smithsonian and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. This work is international in scope and still very much in progress.

• Forest Conservation Portal
  An excellent starting place for information on forests and forest issues.

• Forest History Society archival collections guide
  This guide contains descriptions of over 7,000 groups of records located in more than 450 repositories all across North America. The collections represent individuals, organizations, and associations involved in land use or natural resource issues.

• HERPFAUN
  A taxon and faunal unit cross-referenced bibliography of publications concerning the geographical distribution of reptiles and amphibians. It includes faunal monographs, checklists, determination keys, taxonomic revisions, bibliographies, conservation status reports, field guides, etc. It has been converted to a TAB-delimited text file that can be easily imported into a database program or reformatted with a text program.

• History of Biomedicine
  An excellent site sponsored by the Karolinska Institutet of Sweden and featuring information in the following areas: General, Museums, Libraries & Special Collections, Indigenous Cultures, Mesopotamian Medicine, Ancient Egyptian Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Traditional Indian Medicine, Classical Islamic Biomedicine, Western Biomedicine, Ancient Period, - 499 A.D., Medieval Period, 500 - 1450, Early Modern Period, 1451 - 1600, Modern Period, 1601 -, History of Diseases.

• LUMEN: structure of the human body
  Sponsored by Loyola University Medical Center, this is an excellent basic human anatomy site. Features the LUMEN Dissector, which allows one to isolate and identify body parts.

• Mammal Species of the World
  Contains the names of the 4,629 currently recognized species of mammals, in a taxonomic hierarchy that includes Order, Family, Subfamily, and Genus. Also includes distribution maps. The information was taken from: Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (eds). 1993. Mammal Species of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press

• National Biological Information Infrastructure
  This site, intended to provide an electronic gateway to biological data is a cooperative endeavor between government agencies, universities, museums, private organizations, and foreign governments.

• National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)
  Provides a single-point access to a vast store of widely distributed biotechnology data including approximately 7,000 links to biotechnology resources. The NCBI encourages information sharing between researchers in Academia, Industry, Government, and the Department of Defense.

• National Human Genome Research Institute
  Home to the Human Genome Project, Mapping and Sequence Databases, and numerous evaluated links to other genome/genetic research sites, centers and project partners (such as CHGS at Los Alamos Lab).

• NatureServe
  A new site created by the Association of Biodiversity Information which focuses on the distribution and conservation status of plants and animals in the US and Canada. It contains information on over 50,000 plant and animal species.

• Noble Foundation Plant Image Gallery
  An ongoing project which currently includes over 600 species of vascular plants and is designed to assist botanists, ecologists, and natural resource managers with identification.

• North American Fossil Mammal Systematics Database
  Along with Paleobiology Database, these are designed to provide fossil mammal researchers with ready reference to specific mammalian taxa and reported fossil localities. They are searchable by genus and species.

• Patuxent Bird Identification and InfoCenter
  This superb site is sponsored by the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel MD. It features photographs, descriptions, life histories, ranges, and songs of virtually every bird in North America.

• Research Link 2000
  An outgrowth of a project sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research and funded by the NSF, this site brings together field-tested experimental systems and instructional materials for use in labs and classrooms.

• Transgenetic Crops
  An introduction and resource guide. The goal of this web site is to provide balanced information and links to other resources on the technology and issues surrounding transgenic crops (also known as genetically modified or GM crops). The site's authors are engaged in plant genetics research and teaching at Colorado State University.

• University of Florida Book of Insect Records
  A book that names insect champions and documents their achievements. Each chapter deals with a different category of record.

• Selected U.S. Government Environmental Webpages
  An excellent compendium of government information selected by Western's Government Documents librarian, Rob Lopresti.