Scott's Botanical Links--September 1998

September 18, 1998 - Cartographic Links for Botanists

This one page site lists all of the sites with species distribution maps and support for making such maps. The site is alphabetically organized and complements the geographically-listed site "Checklist of Online Vegetation and Plant Distribution Maps" at Stanford Library that was featured July 31, 1998. This site is maintained by Raino Lampinen, Finnish Museum of Natural History. (***1/2) SR

September 17, 1998 - TerraServer: The World's Largest Database

Satellite photos of much of the United States and Western Europe are cataloged on this site, which currently contains 4.3 terabytes of information. Images can be viewed in three different browser formats and at three different magnifications. Cities and numerous famous landmarks (from Il Duomo in Florence, Italy, to Wrigley Park in Chicago) are linked for quick examination as well as map overlays. If you are lucky, you may even find your house, field site or some natural areas you have never seen before. This site is constructed and sponsored by Microsoft. (****) SR

September 16, 1998 - National Atlas of the United States of America

Hosted by the US Geological Survey, this site has maps of counties, federal lands, states, seismic events, volcanoes, airports, parkways & scenic rivers, railroads, roads, principal aquifers, (future: real-time streamflow stations), streams and waterbodies, cities and towns, latitude/longitude and urban areas--each available as Shapefile-formatted layers that can be downloaded independented or viewed on a conventional map. Relief maps and increasingly interactive formats for interaction are planned. CD-ROM and old printed copies of maps from previous editions are available online. Multimedia maps of Terrain Relief & Elevation and an Animation of Vegetation Growth in 1995 are available for those who have installed Shockwave. (***1/2) SR

September 15, 1998 - The Swiss Web Knife

The Swiss Web Knife cuts through "anything and (almost) everything." It includes links for science, medicine, bu$ine$$, careers & jobs, computers, government, images, languages, law, learning, math, 'Net, news, organizations, people, places, reading & writing, science, time, and weather. For any of these, you must "select a blade" and it will connect the link that you light up. The SWK is produced by Alan Levine of the Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction (MCLI), Maricopa Community College, Phoenix AZ. (****) SR

September 14, 1998 - Families: Classification of Plants & Animals

This is a one page K-12 level page that talks about "families" as taxonomic groups. It is innovatively constructed, eye-catching and may even deserve a link for beginning college courses. It is just one page, but scientifically correct, fun and lots of links. For the overview, see URL: http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/. Site by The Franklin Institute Science Museum, Philadelphia PA. (****) SR

September 11, 1998 - Thomas - U.S. Congress on the Internet

With today's release of the "Report of the Independent Counsel to the U.S. Congress" due at this site, it seems appropriate to reflect on how the availability of information on the Internet has dramatically changed the volume, quality, availability and immediacy of data in this new information age. This site has information on the day-to-day operation of Congress, links to your representatives, information on activities in the various committees, and the Congressional Record. For botanists, it is where decisions about research and educational support are made and one that we should not ignore. Thomas is named after Thomas Jefferson, in the spirit of an informed electorate. Site by Library of Congress. (****) SR

September 10, 1998 - Mediterranean Climate Gardening Around the World

This site will have information about the specific climates of some of the regions, European, Australian and American with Mediterranean climates, gardens, societies and groups, books in print, people, plants and resources. This is also the home to an active listserv focused on this unique climate. Currently still under construction, this is a promising site by Seán A. O'Hara in cooperation with The Mediterranean Garden Society. We will be watching. (***) SR

September 9, 1998 - MyxoWeb

Traditionally, botany courses have covered a wide diversity of creatures, including the mysterious Myxomycetes -- slime molds -- with characteristics of plants, fungi AND animals. This is an interesting site, featuring introductory, geographical, ecological, systematic/taxonomic and information on how to culture myxos, as well as "myxo links" to other sites about myxomycetes, dictyostelids and protostelids. More is planned, but it looks like a long time schedule. Although many of the links are outdated, there is still some useful material here. Site hosted by West Virginia Online. (***) SR

September 8, 1998 - Andean Botanical Information System

The Andean Botanical Information System is an encyclopedic site on the floristics and systematics of flowering plants of the Andes. Major headings include Andean environments, plant families, databases, publications, ABIS News, and pages on one of the first influential collectors in the region, J. Francis MacBride. Although many of the photographs are off-site, this is an excellent site to access the diversity of South America. Constructed and maintained by Michael O. Dillon and Nancy Hensold, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. (****) SR

September 4, 1998 - The Wild Flower News

This monthly e-publication highlights a wide variety of plant articles. The September issue features stories on trees heading for extinction, concerns with the transfer of herbicide resistent genes to weeds, eco-terrorism, bioremediation of radioactive chemicals using plants, and a variety of other conservation, evolution and plant related topics. The "News" also gleans top journal articles from the formal refereed literature, makes the stories interesting, and features website links to the source. Well worth a bookmark, Wild Flower News is assembled and maintained by David Brear. (****) SR

September 3, 1998 - National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)

"The NBII is an electronic gateway to biological data and information maintained by federal, state, and local government agencies; private sector organizations; and other partners around the nation and the world." Currently, links from the home page point to hot topics, education, invasive alien species, biodiversity, systematics & collections, US and world biological information, programs and organizations, amphibians, and allow searchs of the metadata clearinghouse of information. Available tools include: downloadable tools for creating and managing metadata, online analytical tools, vegetation mapping "Plots" database tool, tool for collecting field data from vegetation mapping, and the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Site by NBII. (****)SR

September 2, 1998 - Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Part of the Species 2000 project, this database is irreplaceable in checking the validity of a scientific name in all of the five recognized kingdoms. Formed through a partnership of U.S., Canadian, and Mexican agencies, other organizations, and cooperating taxonomic specialists, this list focuses on the biota of North America. Queries can be made using scientific name, vernacular name, or the TSN (Taxonomic Serial Number). It also features software links to upload or download data or to process it. Site by ITIS. (****)SR

September 1, 1998 - Trees and Shrubs of Iowa State University

Inspired by a short but popular ISU Botany Club pamphlet, "Trees of Central Campus" printed in 1971, this site includes detailed information on leaves flowers, fruits, bark, ecology and uses of 100 species of trees found on the ISU campus. Linked by colorful icons, there is a paragraph or more on each item and on horticulture, care, and maps to the location of the trees. Even if you do not visit campus, this is still a great guide to the common midwest species -- also available with a pamphlet on CD-ROM! By Susan J. Aldworth, an MA student in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies at Iowa State University. (****)

Past, past links (by date):

2006: January

2005: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2003: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2002: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2001: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2000: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

1999: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

1998: January*, February*, March*, April*, May*, June*, July, August, September, October, November, December   (*Leigh's links)

1997: January, February, March, April, May, June, September*, October*, November*, December*    (*Leigh's links)

1996: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Or search by: Subject Index

http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/bot-linx/sep98.shtml