This page is designed to help you access resources for coursework in biology, environmental science and other sciences.
The following internet sites are sponsored by professional or scientific organizations. The site listings are divided into categories for convenience, but information on a single topic may be found in all categories. Not all of the links on the sites listed here will lead to sites that are appropriate for your use. Make sure any site you use meets the criteria in the Alverno Guide for Writing in Biology and/or those provided by your instructor.
APA Citation Guide from Purdue
Alverno's Electronic Databases Includes several science databases
Academic Journals Searchable
Biologists talk about their careers
Encyclopedia of Life SciencesEthics Sponsored by the Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science
Highwire Press Free full-text biology journal articles
Integrated Taxonomic Information System All kingdoms included
Links to journal home pages Some have searchable indices
Mill Hill Essays on science
National Agricultural LibraryUSDA Agricultural Database, searchable
National Biological Information Infrastructure Biological data sets (used for meta-analysis)
National Center for Biotechnology Information
PubScience Search many science journals, sponsored by US Government
Second law of thermodynamics Q&A
US Geological Survey Maps of US: many types
Web Elements Information, clips, etc. on all chemical elements
World Biodiversity Database over 200,000 species, mostly marine
Animal Behaviour Journal, Search index
Behavioral Ecology Journal, Search index
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Journal, Search index
National PLANTS Database Sponsored by the USDA
Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Phytochemicals and ethnobotany Plants in chemistry, medicine and culture
eNature Field guides to trees and flowers
Tree of Life Phylogeny and biodiversity
UW-Madison Botany site Photos, information, resources
Royal Society of Chemistry Journals Searchable
Ecoregions National Geographic Society
National Interagency Fire Center
Terra Server USGS Aerial photos of anywhere in the USA
Biodiversity links Sustainable Communities Network
Committee for the National Institute of the Environment
Endangered Species Maintained by the US Fish and Wildlife Service
Endangered Species Maintained by the World Conservation Union
Endangered Species Maintained by EE Link
Environmental Career Opportunities
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Sector Notebooks Quick profiles of various industries and potential pollutants
EPA site on Environmental Impact Statements
Electronic Environmental Resources LibraryFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Global system for sustainable development
Global Warming EPA Site
National Council for Science and the Environment
Natural Resources Conservation USDA
NatureServe Association of Biodiversity Information
Oceanographic data NOAA data from over 40 years of research
The Virtual library of ecology and biodiversitySurface Water Data Viewer Map surface water in an area
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
UN Earth Summit Report Includes profiles of countries
USDA Economic Research Economics and Agriculture
The Virtual library of ecology and biodiversity
Watershed Delineation/ Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA)
Web Soil Survey Map the soil in an area
World Biodiversity Database over 200,000 species, mostly marine
Becoming Human Human Evolution
Teaching Evolution National Center for Science Education
Understanding Evolution Berkeley
DNA From the Beginning Great learning tools
AIDS Education Global Information System
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Anatomy Activities (Suggested by Ms. Hayes' Class)
Bad Bug Book Food-borne illnesses, USFDA
Blood cells, photos of normal and diseased
US Centers for Disease Control Extensive information on health
Reports of the US Surgeon General
ConsumerLab Results of testing of dietary supplements
Food and Drug Administration, US
Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
Multidemensional Human Embryo See inside with MRI
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
USDA Food, Nutrition and Health
Oncolink Cancer site, U. of Pennsylvania
Rx List Drug index, side effects, warnings, etc.
Cemetery Demography, Pennsylvania
Cemetery Information, International
US Census Bureau Population data for the US
Population data for the world, US Census Bureau
Population data for the world, United Nations
Population Index, Princeton
Population Pyramids from the US Census Bureau
All About Birds Cornell U.
American Society of Mammalogists
AmphibiaWeb Berkeley
Animal Diversity web Info on animals,U. of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Animal Info Information on endangered species
BirdSource All about birds, Sponsored by Cornell U.
Cephalopods Smithsonian
eNature Field guide to animals
Entomology index of Internet resourcesEntomology Resources All about insects
Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Mammal Species of the World (taxonomic information)
Mouse Atlas Mouse development/embryology
Net Frog Virtual frog dissection
North American Breeding Bird Survey
North American Mammals Smithsonian
NMNH entomology database library
PrimateLit Search for information on primates
Tree of Life Phylogeny and biodiversity
World Biodiversity Database over 200,000 species, mostly marine
Access Excellence Collection of classic discoveries and famous people, searchable
Bug Bios All about insects
The Mad Scientist Network Ask a new question or search for past ones
Net Frog Virtual frog dissection
Thinkfinity (Formerly Marco Polo) Teacher resources
U of Arizona Biology Project Problem sets and tutorials for high school and college (some in Spanish)
UCSB ScienceLine Ask a new question or search for past ones
The Why Files Includes search for past questions
The following periodicals are available in the Alverno College Library. You can browse these materials or use their indices to find information on your topic.
Unless otherwise noted, these periodicals are primary literature, meaning they meet the criteria for technical scientific sources.
If the title is followed by a (2o), meaning it is a secondary source, it contains review articles. If an article lists its references, it may be suitable for use in a formal paper. Ask your instructor if you are unsure.
If the title is followed by a (3o) or (Pop), meaning a tertiary or popular periodical, articles in it can be used to identify issues, but are not likely to meet the criteria for scientific or technical references.
Most of these titles are linked their home page. The services available at the sites range from a description of the journal to searchable tables of contents and full text articles.
American Scientist (2o)
Animal Behaviour (B. Burton has recent volumes)
Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Audubon (Pop)
Behavioral Ecology (B. Burton has)
Ecologist (Pop)
Environmental Health Perspectives
Health (Pop)
Human Ecology Forum (3o)
Interdisciplinary Science Reviews (2o)
International Agricultural Development (3o)
Issues in Science and Technology (3o)
Journal of the American Medical Association-JAMA
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
Journal of Environmental Health
Journal of Experimental Psychology
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Journal of Mammalogy (B. Burton has)
National Geographic (Pop)
New England Journal of Medicine
New Scientist (Pop)
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
Proceedings of the Society of Experimental and Biological Medicine
Quarterly Review of Biology (2o)
Science News (Pop)
Scientific American (2o/3o)
Sierra (Pop)
Smithsonian (Pop)
Wisconsin Natural Resources (Pop)
Last update: 11/12 by Rebecca Burton, Dept. of Biology, Alverno College
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