Ocean Biogeographic Information System
http://www.iobis.org/
Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) is "a user-friendly, web-based provider of global geo-referenced information on accurately identified marine species" developed by the international research program Census of Marine Life. OBIS can be used to integrate information from a host of stand-alone databases including biological, physical, and chemical oceanographic data on a selected species and geographic range of interest. A couple of the sections are still under construction, but this does not affect the ability to use the database. This Web site may provide an important source of accurate information for scientists researching a particular species or location. This site is also reviewed in the July 26, 2002 Scout Report. [AL]
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Net Center for Plant Genomics
http://plantgenome.sdsc.edu/
A collaborative effort between the National Science Foundation (NSF), the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and the Plant Genome Research Program has resulted in this online resource for sharing plant genome information. Users can perform a more general Web literature search, or search a group of databases for nucleotide sequences. The site provides additional information such as other related NSF projects and job openings in plant genomics. The entire site is directed toward a specific and advanced audience. [AL]
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Molecular Information Agent
http://mia.sdsc.edu/
This Web search tool from the San Diego Supercomputer Center allows users to "search the internet to find all current information for a molecule of interest." Molecular Information Agent (MIA) thoroughly searches several online biological databases and removes invalid links from the search results. In order to complete a search, users must complete a brief registration. Because the search function takes a few minutes to generate results, the registration allows users to choose to either save the query and return later to view the results, or have the results emailed to them. This site may prove to be a time saving tool for those users who desire up-to-date information on molecules of interest. [AL]
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World List of Cycads
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.gov.au/PlantNet/cycad/wlist.html
Although the group of plants known as cycads were "once abundant across the globe, the cycads are not greatly reduced in both numbers and distribution." The group of about 250 species has undergone "rapid recent changes in taxonomy," which makes this online version of the World List of Cycads from the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney even more useful, especially considering its ability to be updated frequently. The World List may be searched or browsed, is well referenced, and provides a brief but informative report on each species. The site is easy to navigate and should prove helpful to most users. [AL]
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Bibliography of References Related to Seed Dormancy and/or Germination in Higher Plants
http://library.usask.ca/dbs/seed.html
This online bibliography is an extensive resource with a particular focus on early seed dormancy literature. Professor G.M. Simpson from the University of Saskatchewan has compiled this bibliography of 12,000 sources dating back to the 1890's. The bibliography has a user friendly search function and help page, and a history list of each session is available until the user exits the database. [AL]
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Physiome Project
http://www.physiome.org/index.htm
The Physiome Project seeks to facilitate the exchange of information among the research community and to "speed up the discovery of how biological systems work." By acting as a central repository for data and computational models, the project hopes to advance the study of the physiome for the benefit of the scientific community. Along with a description of the physiome and the project, the Web site will include various databases and models organized into categories based on body systems. The site is still under construction, so many of the categories are not yet active. There are also opportunities for researchers to contribute to the project in a variety of ways. [AL]
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The tmRNA Website
http://www.indiana.edu/%7Etmrna/
The tmRNA Web site is maintained by Kelly Williams of the Department of Biology at Indiana University. Because the site has so many viewing options, it may appear a bit overwhelming, but the amount of information available may make it a worthwhile resource for those interested in bacterial tmRNA. The site uses three separate frames, which are all controlled from the navigational bar at the top of the page. There are currently tmRNA sequences from 239 different species that can be viewed alphabetically or phylogenetically, or selected through a search engine. Although this site is directed at a very specific audience, a bibliography with hypertext links and a tmRNA Minireview are features that may broaden the scope somewhat. [AL]
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Two on Deformed Frogs
Deformed Frogs Form when Parasites and Pesticides Combine
http://www.science.psu.edu/alert/Kiesecker7-2002.htm
Deformed Frogs in Minnesota [.pdf]
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/hot/frogs.html
The first Web site is a recent news release from the Eberly College of Science at Penn State University. Researchers at Penn State have published findings linking both the trematode larvae parasite and pesticide exposure to increased incidence of deformities. The article includes high resolution images and a description of the field and laboratory experiments. The second Web site includes background information on the problem and exploration of deformed frogs in Minnesota, where deformed frogs were first discovered by a group of school children in 1995. The site includes several Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) downloadable reports and fact sheets on deformed frogs and the investigation of them, along with a live frog cam where visitors can observe an aquarium of deformed frogs. [AL]
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