The NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences -- Volume 3, Number 15

July 23, 2004

A Publication of the Internet Scout Project
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison




Research

Education

General

Topic In Depth




Research

Hopkins Marine Station/Monterey Bay Aquarium: Tuna Research and Conservation Center [pdf, Macromedia Flash Player]

http://www.tunaresearch.org/

A joint venture between the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Stanford Universitys Hopkins Marine Station, the Tuna Research and Conservation Center (TRCC) focuses on research that advances "knowledge of the basic biology and captive husbandry of tunas." The TRCC website contains information about various research projects including studies on the North Pacific pelagic ecosystem, bluefin tuna, billfish, and sharks. The site links to PDF files for numerous journal articles published between 1994 and 2004. The site also contains an extensive list of Conference Presentions / Abstracts as well as a number of technical reports, book chapters, and Ph.D. Theses. The website provides contact information for TRCC members as well. [NL]



Entomological Society of America

http://www.entsoc.org/

Founded in 1889, the "Entomological Society of America (ESA) is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines." The ESA website provides comprehensive information about the organization including brief sections on Governance, Branches, Constitution and Bylaws, Standing Committees, Strategic Plan, and more. The site also links to information about ESA awards, honors, and grants. In addition, the website offers information about job opportunities, membership, annual meetings, the ESA newsletter, and publishing with ESA. For members, the site links to online journals and other publications. [NL]



BC Cancer Research Centre

http://www.bccrc.ca/index.html

Located in Vancouver, the BC Cancer Research Centre (BCCRC) provides a place for scientists and researchers to "perform basic, epidemiologic, and clinical research on cancer prevention, early diagnosis of cancer, the molecular and genetic characteristics of the cancer process, and basic research related to new treatments of cancer." The BCCRC website connects visitors to information about various departments including Cancer Endocrinology, Cancer Imaging, Medical Biophysics, and Cancer Control Research -- to name a few. Site visitors can also locate BCCRC staff publications through specific researchers or by using the site search engine. Contact information for members of the large BCCRC research team is provided as well. Additionally, the site links to information about Job Posting, Training Opportunities, Donating, Partners, and more. [NL]



Cyanosite: CyBib v5 Cyanobacteria Bibliography

http://www-cyanosite.bio.purdue.edu/cybib/cybibhome.html

Part of Cyanosite (last reported on in the NSDL Scout Report for the Life Sciences, May 17, 2002), CyBib v5 is the seventh generation of "a bibliographic database exclusively for scientific literature about cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)." The database was developed by Dr. Mark A. Schneegurt of Wichita State University -- with the help of many contributors -- to provide researchers and students with a free cyanobacteria resource. The database currently houses close to 25,000 references (many of which were collected by CyanoNews founder Jeff Elhai). Site users can access the references through a Simple Keyword Search or an Advanced Boolean Search. This site also contains links for submissions, downloading CyBib v5, CyanoNews, a bio page for Dr. Schneegurt, and Cyanosite. [NL]



Boston University: Climate and Vegetation Research Group [pdf]

http://cybele.bu.edu/

Hosted by Boston University, this website presents Geography Professor Ranga B. Mynenis Climate and Vegetation Research Group. The website links to publications about various research projects in the areas of Climate and Vegetation, and Remote Sensing of Vegetation. Some of the Groups specific research areas include Terrestrial Carbon Cycle, Global Vegetation Mapping, Clouds & Atmospheric Radiation, Modeling, and more. The site also offers downloadable files for many research publications from 1997 to the present. In addition, the site provides a page of related links as well as information about Research Group members, grants, resources, and MODIS and MISR research. [NL]



National Institutes of Health: National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine

http://nccam.nci.nih.gov/research/

Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) "is dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science, training complementary and alternative (CAM) researchers, and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals." Some of the many NCCAM research priorities for this year are arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, immunology, digestive diseases, and mental health. The research section of the NCCAM website provides information sections for Funding Opportunities, Research Tools, Applying for Research Grants, Research Across the Country, and more. The site also has a Plans and Priorities section that covers research priorities, strategic plans, and funding strategy. Research tools available from the site include the NCCAM Grantee Publications Database, NCCAM Staff Bibliography, NIH CRISP Database, and CAM on PubMed. [NL]



Education

University of Pennsylvania - Center for Bioethics: High School Bioethics Project [QuickTime]

http://highschool.bioethics.net/

Hosted by the University of Pennsylvanias Center for Bioethics (reported on in the NSDL Scout Report for the Life Sciences, June 25, 2004), this website presents the High School Bioethics Project. The site offers high school teachers and students with a variety of resources for exploring the field of bioethics. For example, the website provides brief coverage of many bioethics subjects including history, gene therapy, stem cell research, prescription drugs, and more. The site also contains video clips, information about a Web Fair, and access to an online forum through the American Journal of Bioethics. After completing the free registration, teachers can access curriculum resources and receive updates. The site also provides an online tutor who will answer bioethics-related questions. [NL]



Southern Kings Consolidated School: Animals of the World [RealOne Player]

http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/animal.htm

This colorful website about the animals of the world was developed by a group of 7th grade students at Southern Kings Consolidated School in Canada. The site provides images and basic information for selected animals under the categories of Wild Cats, Marsupials, Primates, Reptiles, and Large and Small Mammals. Featured animals include: elephants, jaguars, kangaroos, komodo dragons, and more. Each animal profile contains basic information about appearance, habitat, food, life cycle, and behavior. Many animal pages also offer short audio clips. In addition, the site links to a trivia game, two quizzes, and a short glossary. [NL]



University of Iowa Health Care, Virtual Hospital: Anatomy of the Pelvis and Perineum

http://www.vh.org/adult/provider/radiology/pelvis/pelvis.home.html#TOC

Hosted by University of Iowas Virtual Hospital (reported on in the Scout Report on August 27, 1999), this recently revised multimedia textbook and teaching module offers introductory information and diagrams regarding the anatomy of the pelvis and perineum. Edited by radiologists Eric Brandser, M.D., and Natisha Busick, B.S., the main sections of the text include: Osseous Anatomy; Ligamentous Anatomy; Functions of the Pelvis; Muscular Anatomy; and Defecation. The text is not extensive but it does provide straightforward, concise information that is supported by many clear diagrams. The website contains links to related textbooks, topics, and other Virtual Hospital sites. [NL]



Chipper Woods Bird Observatory [pdf]

http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/

The Chipper Woods Bird Observatory (CWBO) is a non-profit organization committed to bringing "good science to the conservation of birds and their habitats through scientific research, scientific training and educational programs designed for all age groups." The CWBO website contains a nice variety of bird information and images for budding birders. The sites Bird Photos section provides good quality images and information for an extensive selection of birds including the Peregrine Falcon, Barn Swallow, Tufted Titmouse, Scarlet Tanager, and many more. Various bird-related topics - such as migrating geese, owl pellets, West Nile Virus, and Bald Eagle Restoration - are covered as well. The CWBO website contains checklists for Indiana birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The site also offers a banding summary, newsletter, list of publications, and short quiz for kids. The CWBO site is available in Spanish and English. [NL]



Bone Biology for Kids [pdf, rtf]

http://depts.washington.edu/bonebio/index.html

Bone Biology for Kids was created by University of Washington professor Dr. Susan Ott as an educational website for 4th - 8th grade students and as a resource for science and biology teachers. The main sections of the site include All About Bones, Bone Diseases, and How to Build Your Bone Strength. The site also offers an interactive Index & Definitions section, a Bone-quiz Yahtzee game, and a question / answer page. The Teachers Corner section currently contains two supplementary worksheets, and may offer more educational resources in the future. Some of the sites sections are still in progress, but overall the website contains great images and a good amount of information to explore. The site also links to high school and college curriculum from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. [NL]



Kalispell Public Schools: Glacier National Park Electronic Field Trip [RealOne Player, Quicktime]

http://www.sd5.k12.mt.us/glaciereft/

Hosted by the a collaboration of organizations including Kalispell Public Schools and Glacier National Park, this website offers students several electronic field trips of Glacier National Park in Montana. The field trips provide photos and the recorded voices of guides introducing topics like Grizzlies in Glacier, Fish and Amphibians, Glaciers Botanical Diversity, and Surviving Winter in Glacier -- to name a few. The site also contains basic lesson plans for multiple grade levels in the areas of Botany, Aquatics, Wildlife, Ecosystems, and more. In addition, the site links to ideas about wilderness and wilderness preservation, park information, and an historic timeline for management of U.S. public lands. [NL]



General

University of Illinois-Chicago: Lightning Injury Research Program [pdf]

http://www.uic.edu/labs/lightninginjury/index.htm

This Lightning Injury Research Program website was developed by Dr. Mary Ann Cooper of the University of Illinois to serve as an educational resource for physicians, lightning strike survivors, teachers, outdoor activities organizers, and other interested parties. In addition to a lightning injury overview, this site provides information sections on Acute Treatment, Lightning Injury Distribution, Psychological Impact, Safety Guidelines, and more. The website also links to downloadable publications, related websites, and a Lightning Injury Support Group. Site visitors can link to the National Weather Services Lightning Safety website as well. [NL]



Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses

http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/

This great online field guide for the wildflowers and grasses of Kansas was created by Professor Mike Haddock, Science Libraries Web Coordinator and Agriculture Librarian at Kansas State University. The site utilizes "more than 1600 identification photos for some 380 species of forbs, grasses, sedges, rushes, and woody plants that are found growing in Kansas." Professor Haddocks well-organized site offers sections that list plants by common and scientific name, grasses and wildflowers by time of flowering, and wildflowers by color. There are also separate sections for the grasses, the sedge and rush families, and drawings that depict morphological features of different plants. The site photos are excellent and the accompanying information is clear and concise. A bibliography, glossary, and list of related links are included as well. [NL]



Organic Consumers Association [pdf]

http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Formed in 1998 to protect organic food standards, the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) "is a grassroots non-profit public interest organization which deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, corporate accountability, and environmental sustainability." The OCA website links to information about a wide variety of issues including Bovine Growth Hormone-rBGH vs. Organic Dairy, organic food, cloning, food irradiation, fair trade coffee, and more. The site also provides information about OCA campaigns such as Safeguard Organic Standards (SOS), Appetite for a Change-School Food Campaign, Mad Cow USA-Stop the Madness, and Coming Clean-Organic Bodycare Campaign. Additionally, the OCA website offers site visitors information about internship opportunities, membership, publications, upcoming events, and free subscription to bi-weekly news briefs. [NL]



New England Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology

http://www.nescb.org/

The New England Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology (NESCB) is composed of conservation researchers, students, and educators working to promote environmental planning and the conservation of species and habitats. The NESCB website contains an updated News page, and copies of the NESCB tri-annual online publication, Conservation Perspectives, from 1999 to the present. The site is currently inviting contributions for its next issue. The NESCB site also offers job listings, contacts and bios for the executive board, information about membership, and related links and resources. [NL]



University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Butterfly and Moth Lifecycles

http://cse.unl.edu/~scotth/leps/

This website on Butterfly and Moth Lifecycles was created by Lepidoptera enthusiast and Computer Science Professor Scott R. Henninger. The site features beautiful photos of, and information about, members of several butterfly families including Saturniidae (Silk Moths), Sphingidae (Hawk and Sphinx Moths), Papilionidae (Swallowtails), Nymphalidae, and more. Separate species pages generally contain several annotated photos depicting different lifecycle stages. In addition, the site contains a nice list of hyperlinked updates, an annotated list of Lepidoptera links, and a few tips on raising butterflies and moths. [NL]



Zebra Finch Song Archive

http://wso.williams.edu/~hwilliam/ZFsongs/

The Zebra Finch Song Archive was developed by Biology Professor Heather Williams of Williams College as an informational web resource. The archive currently contains songs and sonograms for 83 male zebra finches that are all descendants from a single pair. Songs can be accessed through a tabular form titled Birds and Clutches or through a well-designed Family Tree. For site visitors that would like more background about the zebra finch (including its song and brain), see the Bird Songs and Bird Brains section. [NL]



Topic In Depth

Fire Ecology

USGS-Western Ecological Research Center: Fire Ecology Research
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/fire/
Texas Tech University: Fire Ecology Center
http://www.rw.ttu.edu/fec/
USGS-Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Fire in North American Wetland Ecosystems and Fire-Wildlife Relations: An Annotated Bibliography
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/literatr/firewild/firewild.htm
Yellowstone National Park: Wildland Fires in Yellowstone
http://www.nps.gov/yell/technical/fire/index.htm
Canadian Forest Service-Forest Fire in Canada
http://nofc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/fire/index_e.php
Northern Arizona University-Land Use History in North America: Wildfire History and Ecology
http://www.cpluhna.nau.edu/Biota/wildfire.htm
DiscoverySchool.com: Forest Fires
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/forestfires/
The Why Files: Woods Ablaze
http://whyfiles.org/018forest_fire/

Forest fires have become a regular summertime occurrence in North America, sparking debate about the proper role of fire on the land. The following websites examine fires and fire ecology in different ecosystems, regions, and time periods. The first site (1), from the USGS-Western Ecological Research Center shares information about fire ecology research in the California shrublands, Sierra Nevada forests, and Mohave and Sonoran deserts. The second site (2) features the Fire Ecology Center at Texas Tech University. The Fire Ecology Center focuses on the role of fire in grassland ecosystems and their website contains information on current research, publications, managing pastures, managing problem plants, and more. The third site (3), from the USGS-Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center contains "an annotated bibliography on fire in North American wetland ecosystems and a subject index of all fire-related literature that has appeared in Wildlife Review." Hosted by Yellowstone National Park, the fourth site (4) addresses wildland fires in Yellowstone. The Park website presents brief sections on Fire Ecology, Fire Monitoring, Prescribed Fire, and Fire Effects -- to name a few. The fifth (5) site, from the Canadian Forest Service, provides information about forest fires in Canada including weekly fire statistics, fire research, daily fire maps, a fire database, and more. Part of a great site on the land use history of the Colorado Plateau from Northern Arizona University, the sixth site (6) offers a brief overview of wildfire history and ecology on the Plateau with links to information about ponderosa pine fire ecology, reintroduction of fire to forest ecosystems, and fire ecology research studies. The seventh site (7), from DiscoverySchool.com, contains a lesson plan on forest fire ecology for grade levels 9-12. The lesson spans two class periods and the site provides objectives, materials needed, discussion questions, academic standards, and more. The final (8) website, from the Why Files, "examines the role of fire in natural systems, and the role of science in understanding wildfires." The eleven-page website follows a kid-friendly narrative format and includes a bibliography and glossary. [NL]






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From The NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2003. http://www.scout.wisc.edu/

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Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-2003. The Internet Scout Project (http://www.scout.wisc.edu/), located in the Computer Sciences Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides information about the Internet to the U.S. research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the entire Scout Report provided this paragraph, including the copyright notice, are preserved on all copies.

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