Biological and Environmental Research
Use this subject search engine developed by the office of Biological and Environmental Research to find academnic, scientific sources by keywords, or browse by topic.
This environmental science portal consists of the following sections: EcoEarth, Climate Ark, Rain Forests, Water Conserve, Forests, Ocean Conserve, and EcoEarth. This is an excellent search engine for rigorous research in ecological sustainability.
Use Google Earth to search for specific locations worldwide via satellite imagery, topographical or geographical maps.
Atlas of Our Changing Environment: "This interactive atlas from the United Nations Environment Programme provides useful information to all interested in both natural and human-made changes in our planet over the last 30-40 years."
Biosciences: "The Virtual Library Project specializes in reviewing Internet information sources pertaining to ecology and biodiversity based on their educational value."
Center for Environmental Philosophy: This portal provides access to Internet resources throughout the world which pertain to or focus on environmental ethics and environmental philosophy.
Climate and Environmental Science Division: "The CESD includes process research and modeling efforts to (1) improve understanding of factors affecting the Earth's radiant-energy balance; (2) predict accurately any global and regional climate change induced by increasing atmospheric concentrations of aerosols and greenhouse gases; (3) quantify sources and sinks of energy-related greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide; and (4) improve the scientific basis for assessing both the potential consequences of climatic changes, including the potential ecological, social, and economic implications of human-induced climatic changes caused by increases in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the benefits and costs of alternative response options."
Digital Library for Earth System Education: "DLESE supports Earth system science education by providing access to high-quality collections of educational resources, eEarth data sets and imagery, including the tools and interfaces that enable their effective use in educational settings. Support services are intended to help educators and learners effectively create, use, and share educational resources. Communication networks are provided to facilitate interactions and collaborations across all dimensions of Earth system education."
Directory of Environmental Websites: "The online abridged verson providing a sample of the approximately 3000 Web sites listed in the parent publication, “The Directory of Environmental Websites", Thirteenth Edition - a directory of the Environmental Movement on the Internet."
Earth and Ocean Sciences: "This site is a gateway to government science information and research results and provides a search of over 36 scientific databases and 200 million pages of science information with just one query, and is a gateway to 1,850+ scientific websites. Two major types of information are included—selected authoritative science websites and databases of technical reports, journal articles, conference proceedings, and other published materials."
Earth Sciences & Map Library:This site offers a collection of maps, aerial photographs, a geography collection and internet resources provided by the Data Observation Network for Earth (DataONE), a portal for environmental science data exploration, supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation. "DataONE will ensure the preservation, access, use and reuse of multi-scale, multi-discipline, and multi-national science data via three principle cyberinfrastucture elements and a broad education and outreach program."
Earth System Research Laboratory: "The Physical Sciences Division conducts weather and climate research to observe and understand Earth's physical environment, and to improve weather and climate predictions on global-to-local scales." Use the subject guides available under "Research Groups".
Energy and the Environment: Links to sources having to do with environmental issues. Categories include Energy and Environment, Fossil Fuels, Greenhouse Effect and Acid Rain.
EnviroFacts: Retrieve environmental information from multiple sources on a variety of topics such as radiation, toxics, land, water and air. Provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
EnviroLink: Founded in 1991 by Josh Knauer, the EnviroLink Network is a non-profit organization that maintains a database of thousands of environmental resources and provides internet services to non-profit organizations.
Global Environment: Professor Wayne A. Selcher is maintaining this environmental index in the WWW Virtual Libary. This extensive directory provides access to major limited area search engines, directories, portals, and bibliographic articles. The selection of these sites is kept up-to-date.
Global Warming & Climate Change: The Science and Technology division of the Library of Congress has compiled an extensive list of links and other resources on Global Warming and Climate Change.
Groundwater Biology: A list of recommended websites researched by Giuseppe L. Pesce, professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Italy.
IDRC Books Online: IDRC Books is the publishing arm of Canada's International Development Research Centre. Many of the online books are free in full-text; other in-print books are available for purchase. The title selection of IRDC is supported research on global and regional issues related to sustainable and equitable development.
Linkages: A multimedia resource for environment and development policy makers, Linkages has provided this page of links to organizations involved in sustainable development, biodiversity and wildlife, chemicals management and climate change.
Maps - World, Space, Weather: USA.gov has provided an index to topical maps on environmental and geological subjects.
Monitoring the Environment in Real-Time: Real-time Educational Monitoring Of The Environment (REMOTE) is a new interdisciplinary project that will provide students with real-time access through a web site to data on environmental conditions at UC-Davis field sites. Use these links to related sites. Managed by Guillermo Jimenez, Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources at University of California, Davis.
Science.Gov: "Resources selected by various U.S. government agencies as their best science information. Two major types of information are included—selected authoritative science websites and databases of technical reports, journal articles, conference proceedings, and other published materials."
Science Reference Services: The science reference section lists relevant subject guides which include selected scholarly resources on the Internet.
SciTech Connect: "The Energy Citations Database (ECD) provides free access to over 2.3 million science research citations from 1948 through the present, with continued growth through regular updates. There are over 179,000 electronic documents, primarily from 1994 forward, available via the database. Citations and documents are made publicly available by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)."
Specialized Information Services: " The Specialized Information Services (SIS) Division of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) is responsible for information resources and services in toxicology, environmental health, chemistry, HIV/AIDS, and specialized topics in minority health."
Terms of Environment: A glossary of abbreviations and acronyms used in Environmental Science applications, provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
ToxTown: "Tox Town uses color, graphics, sounds and animation to add interest to learning about connections between chemicals, the environment, and the public's health. Tox Town's target audience is students above elementary-school level, educators, and the general public. It is a companion to the extensive information in the TOXNET collection of databases that are typically used by toxicologists and health professionals."
UNEP Global Resources Information Database: The United Nations Environment Programme has provided various links of interest categorized under the following topics: Clearinghouse & Metadata, El Nino, Forest Fires, GIS Sites, GIS Tools, Population & Environment, Remote Sensing.
USGS Library: "Materials within the library system include books and maps dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Other materials include a nearly complete set of the various State Geological Survey publications and a virtually complete set of USGS topographic maps."
World Database On Protected Areas: The WDPA is a comprehensive global spatial dataset on marine and terrestrial protected areas, internationally recognised as major tools in conserving species and ecosystems. Up to date information on protected areas is essential to enable a wide range of conservation and development activities. Since 1981 UNEP-WCMC, through its Protected Areas Programme, has been compiling this information and making it available to the global community. The WDPA is a joint project of UNEP and IUCN, produced by UNEP-WCMC and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas working with governments and collaborating NGOs.
American River Conservancy: "Headquartered at the historic Kane House in Marshall Gold Discovery Park, in Coloma, California, the American River Conservancy (ARC) has been preserving rivers and land for over 20 years. As a non-profit community organization in the central Sierra Nevada foothills, we work to preserve natural areas and cultural resources and build an enduring ethic of care, building a sustainable future for humans in harmony with nature. The is conveniently located next to the South Fork of the American River and a brief stroll away from where the Gold Rush began and where over 400,000 visitors and more than 70,000 school children visit annually."
American River Flood Control District: "The American River Flood Control District has been providing flood protection to the citizens of the Sacramento community for over 75 years. Formed by an act of the State Legislature in 1927 our mission is to protect the citizens in our District by maintaining the 40 miles of levees along the American River and portions of Steelhead, Arcade, Dry and Magpie Creeks."
Arctic Portal: "This site provides a comprehensive gateway to the Arctic on the internet, increases co-operation between both public and private parties across the Arctic and grants exposure to Arctic related information.The non-profit company Nordurslodagattin ses – Arcticportal, has been established as the operator of the Arctic Portal, based in Akureyri, Iceland."
ARKive: A comprehensive audio-visual record of some 12,000 endangered species that can be browsed by common or scientific names. The Globally Endangered section includes around 375 species which are represented by ten minute video clips and still images. Background textual information for each species includes status, description, range, habitat, biology, threats, and conservation.
California Energy Policy: Information on Energy Policies from the California Energy Commission. Links in the left-hand column will take you to previous Inegrated Energy Policy Reports (IEPRs). Refer to the latest-adopted IEPR listed in the left-hand column for full information and materials on energy policies. The calendar links in the right-hand column will take you activities under the current IEPR proceeding.
California Environmental Resources Evaluation System: "CERES is an information system developed by the California Natural Resources Agency to facilitate access to a variety of electronic data describing California's rich and diverse environments. The goal of CERES is to improve environmental analysis and planning by integrating natural and cultural resource information from multiple contributors and by making it available and useful to a wide variety of users."
Center for Biological Diversity: This site is dedicated to providing information concerning various scientific methods to protect endangered species worldwide and provide solutions to global problems of overpopulation, climate change and other biodiversity issues.
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions: A great site for accessing full-text reports about global warming, global climate policy, climate change, greenhouse effects, and climate-friendly energy policy. The successor to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to advance strong policy and action to address the twin challenges of energy and climate change.
Center for International Earth Science Information Network: "The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) was established in 1989 as an independent non-governmental organization to provide information that would help scientists, decision-makers, and the public better understand the changing relationship between human beings and the environment."
Center for Research on Environmental Decisions: "CRED is an interdisciplinary center that studies individual and group decision making under climate uncertainty and decision making in the face of environmental risk. Their objectives address the human responses to climate change and climate variability as well as improved communication and increased use of scientific information on climate variability and change. Located at Columbia University, CRED is affiliated with The Earth Institute and the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy."
Climate Change Reconsidered: This PDF was published for the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) in 2009. The NIPCC is "not predisposed" to believe climate change is caused by human greenhouse gas emissions, and so provides an independent "second opinion" on topics related to climate change.
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences: "CIRES is committed to collaboration, that is, to working with other environmental scientists, researchers, and educators as well as students, industry leaders, and policy and decision makers, to produce scientific results in service to society. We count discovery, including idenfication of the "Nuclear Winter" theory, discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole, and detection of the disintegration of Antarctic ice shelves among our many accomplishments and awards."
Discovery of Global Warming: "This Website created by Spencer Weart supplements his much shorter book, which tells the history of climate change research as a single story. On this Website you will find a more complete history in dozens of essays on separate topics, occasioally updated. For basic facts about climate change, or detailed current technical information, use the links page."
EarthPortal: "The Earth Portal is a comprehensive resource for timely, objective, science-based information about the environment. The EarthPortal has three components: The Encyclopedia of Earth, with over 2,000 articles, is produced and reviewed by 700 scholars from 46 countries. The EarthForum provides commentary from scholars and discussions with the general public. The EarthNews offers news stories on environmental issues drawn from many sources."
Earth Science World: Earth Science World offers information geoscience, and provides acces to it's image bank, which contains photographs of all aspects of Earth Science, available to the public, educators, and the geoscience community free of charge.
Earth System Science Center: The climate can be viewed as a complex interacting set of components including the oceans, atmosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere. The Earth System Science Center (ESSC) maintains a mission to describe, model, and understand the Earth's climate system.
EELinked Networks: EE Link is a project of the North American Association for Environmental Education. It provides a variety of resources for students, teachers, and professionals."
Encyclopedia of Earth: The "EoE is a new electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society. The Encyclopedia is a free, fully searchable collection of articles written by scholars, professionals, educators, and experts who collaborate and review each other's work. The articles are written in non-technical language and will be useful to students, educators, scholars, professionals, as well as to the general public."
Energy Analysis: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's financial policy analysis team examines the effects that policy has on renewable energy project financing and development. They look at how policies such as feed-in tariffs, clean renewable energy bonds, and power purchase agreements can shape the pace and structure of financing.
Energy Explained: This site, provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: "The EERE Office of the U.S. Department of Energy invests in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and protect the environment. EERE leverages partnerships with the private sector, state and local governments, DOE national laboratories, and universities to transform the nation's economic engine to one powered by clean energy."
Energy.gov: "The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions."
Energy Policy Information Center: EPIC provides reliable, topical news, analysis, and insights for policymakers, opinion leaders, stakeholders, and all individuals involved in our nation’s energy policy debate.
Environmental Change Institute: "The ECI's Biodiversity research, part of the OUCE Biodiversity research cluster, is at the forefront of integrating and improving techniques for observation and prediction of the environmental change of ecosystems and species. They are using increasingly sophisticated satellite, photographic and modelling techniques to observe changes in distributions of species and ecosystems at local, regional and global scales." Use this site to view detailed project information.
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center: The FRESC at the USGS provides scientific understanding and the technology needed to support sound management and conservation of our nation's natural resources, with emphasis on western ecosystems.
Forest Protection Portal: This site works to end deforestation, preserve primary and old-growth forests, conserve and sustainably manage other forests, and to commence the age of ecological restoration.
Fuel Cell Vehicles: This page on the FuelEconomy.gov site outlines the emerging technology of fuel cell vehicles, which have "the potential to significantly reduce energy use and harmful emissions. Although FCVs are not expected to reach the mass market before 2010, they may someday revolutionize on-road transportation." The site is maintained jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Global Change Data and Information: This web site is a gateway to global change data information provided by the U.S. Global Change Data and Information System(GCDIS).
Green Innovation Index: Next 10's fifth edition of the 2013 California Green Innovation Index reveals new data about clean tech patents, investment levels, energy productivity levels, state GDP relative to greenhouse gas emissions, California's clean economy jobs and more.
GreenSource: This magazine of sustainable design features daily news, articles, projects, books and continuing education on the subject of green building.
Grist Magazine: Grist is an online environmental magazine produced by Earth Day Network. "Grist tackles environmental topics with irreverence, intelligence, and a fresh perspective. Grist's goal is to inform, entertain, provoke, and encourage creative thinking about environmental problems and solutions."
Harvard Museum of Natural History - Harvard University: Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH) is the public museum of three renowned institutions at Harvard University: the Botanical Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum. These museums have exhibits on dinosaurs, paleontology, natural history, botany, minerals, meteorites, geology, mineralogy, zoology, biology, and mammals.
Institute of Global Environment and Society: The Institutes web site is dedicated to basic research on the Earth's current climate. "Through scientific research on climate variability and climate predictability, and to share both the fruits of this research and the tools necessary to carry out this research with society as a whole. The staff of IGES includes a dedicated group of scientists uniquely qualified to conduct basic research in these areas."
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: "The role of the IPCC is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change." Use this site to access PDF reports, presentations and press information. The IPCC is a scientific intergovernmental body set up by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Use this site to access the latest "Climate Change Report" in PDF.
International Institute for Sustainable Development: "The International Institute for Sustainable Development - Reporting Services Division - provides a variety of multimedia informational resources for environment and sustainable development policymakers, including daily coverage of international negotiations, analyses and photos."
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory: Located at Columbia University this website has information about climate, oceans, and environmental terrestrial ecology including the latest developments about Biosphere 2.
Landsat Program: "The Landsat Program is a series of Earth-observing satellite missions jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. Since 1972, Landsat satellites have collected information about Earth from space. This science, known as remote sensing, has matured with the Landsat Program."
NASA Risk and Exploration Symposium: This 308-page document entitled Risk and Exploration: Earth, Sea and the Stars, was published by the NASA Admisnistrator's Symposium in 2005 for the purpose of engaging the public in an open discussion about the issue of risk-taking on an environmental level including the rick of space exploration. The PDF file is available in full-text free of charge.
National Center for Atmospheric Reserch: "The NCAR is a federally funded research and development center devoted to service, research and education in the atmospheric and related sciences and to support, enhance and extend the capabilities of the university community and the broader scientific community. The National Science Foundation is NCAR's primary sponsor, with significant additional support provided by other U.S. government agencies, other national governments and the private sector."
National Centers for Environmental Prediction: The National Weather Service is maintaining this site to inform the public about current environmental conditions and climate/weather topics.
National Council for Science and the Environment: NCSE has been working since 1990 to improve the scientific basis of environmental decisionmaking. This site has been specifically designed as a portal to provide access to global resources and enable better communication with science-based information tools.
National Energy Conservation Policy Act: "The NECPA serves as the underlying authority for Federal energy management goals and requirements. Signed into law in 1978, it is regularly updated and amended by subsequent laws and regulations. NECPA is the foundation of most current energy requirements. Because of this, it is essential that Federal agencies become well acquainted with the full text of the amended Act."
National Energy Policy Report: The United States Government has developed a National Energy Policy designed to help bring together business, government, local communities and citizens to promote dependable affordable and environmentally sound energy for the future.
National Environment Research Council: This research center contributes knowledge and understanding of major environmental issues such as global climate change, biodiversity and natural hazards and other environmental sciences.
National Marine Sanctuaries Media Library: "This site contains a comprehensive collection of video clips and high-resolution still images from 14 sanctuaries, available for viewing and download. Sponsored by the National Marine Sactuaries Foundation and NOAA.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: "The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducts research and gathers data about the global oceans, atmosphere, space, and sun. The site is particularly useful for climate and weather information." The photo album is a great feature of this website.
National Weather Service: The NWS provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. NWS data and products form a national information database and infrastructure which can be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community. The NWS is a component of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA is an Operating Unit of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change: This is the website of the NIPCC, an international panel of nongovernment scientists and scholars who have come together to understand the causes and consequences of climate change. The NIPCC is "not predisposed" to believe climate change is caused by human greenhouse gas emissions, and so provides an independent "second opinion" on topics related to climate change.
Ocean Co2: This site is under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Science Division. The site provides data on global coastal programs, waves research, and global ocean surface data related to carbon dioxide analysis.
Pollution Issues: This site contains articles that explain the key topics in Environmental Science, with an emphasis on types of pollution and its effect on the environment.
Sacramento Regional Flood Control Agency: "The SAFCA was formed in 1989 to address the Sacramento area's vulnerability to catastrophic flooding. This vulnerability was exposed during the record flood of 1986 when Folsom Dam exceeded its normal flood control storage capacity and several area levees nearly collapsed under the strain of the storm."
SeaWeb: This site features information, programs and resources focusing on the major threats to the ocean: overfishing and destructive fishing practices; pollution, uncontrolled coastal development, introduction of invasive species, damming of rivers, destruction of the ozone layer, and global climate change.
Smart Communities Network: This website provides resources, tools, links to articles and publications, and community success stories on a variety of topics from Community Energy, to Green Development, to Sustainable Business. Sponsored by the National Center for Appropriate Technology, the aim is to strengthen local economies, improve and protect the quality of local environments, enhance the quality of life in communities, and build towards a more sustainable future.
Space Science and Engineering Center: "SSEC is a research and development center with primary focus on geophysical research and technology to enhance understanding of the atmosphere of Earth, the other planets in our Solar System, and the cosmos. SSEC sometimes explore the universe from space and terrestrial-based telescopes, and probe other planets in our solar system, but more often we examine the Earth to gain information and insight into weather, climate, and other aspects of Earth's global environment."
Space Weather Prediction Center: "Space Weather Prediction Center continually monitors and forecasts Earth's space environment; provides accurate, reliable, and useful solar-terrestrial information; conducts and leads research and development programs to understand the environment and to improve services; and also provides real-time monitoring and forecasting of solar and geophysical events, conducts research in solar-terrestrial physics, and develops techniques for forecasting solar and geophysical disturbances."
Sustainable Development: This website has been developed through the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the office of the Chief Economist. The mission of the website is to advance the principles and goals of sustainable development through partnerships, collaboration, and outreach.
Tahoe Environmental Research Center: "The Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) is dedicated to research, education and public outreach on lakes and their surrounding watersheds and airsheds. Lake ecosystems include the physical, biogeochemical and human environments, and the interactions among them. The Center is committed to providing objective scientific information for restoration and sustainable use of the Lake Tahoe Basin."
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre: The U.N. is providing environmental reports on biodiversity and climate change through written documents that cover current trends in "environmental change, including biodiversity loss and the repercussions for human development."
Urban Design: A selective bibliographic research guide to Internet sites and library resources supporting urban design research at UC Berkeley.
US Energy Information Administration: "The EIA collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment."
US Environmental Protection Agency: "EPA's mission is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment — air, water, and land — upon which life depends. For 30 years, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people."
USGS Library: This site provides USGS reports on earth science. Most publications located at this site and other USGS sites can be located by subject, author, date, USGS series or publication series number by using the reports and thematic maps electronic Publications Warehouse.
Waste to Energy Research and Technology Council: WTERT brings together engineers, scientists and managers from universities and industry to identify and advance the best available waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies for the recovery of energy or fuels from municipal solid wastes and other industrial, agricultural, and forestry residues. The WTERT website includes the information database SOFOS that contains thousands of technical papers. The web pages of WTERT-US and its sister organizations around the world have become one of the best sources of information on the subject of Sustainable Waste Management.
Waterlife: "A co-production between the National Film board of Canada and Primitive Entertainment, Inc. and directed by Kevin McMahon, this film tells the epic story of the Great Lakes through the lives of some of the 35 million people who rely on the lakes for survival."
Western Water Assessment: The WWA utilizes multidisciplinary teams of experts in climate, water, law, and economics to provide information about natural climate variability and human-caused climate change. The Assessment was created in 1999 and is a joint effort between the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado and the NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory.
World Bank: Established in 1944, The World Bank is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Not a bank in the common senseit is made up of two unique development institutions owned by 187 member countries.
World Resources Institute: WRI is a global environmental think tank which supports scientific research and sustainablity methodologies. The site provides reearch information in multiple topics: coastal ecosystems, greenhouse gasses, carbon dioxide capture and corporate ecosystmes. Their projects include all aspects of global climate change, sustainable markets, ecosystem protection, and environmentally responsible governance.
World Wildlife Fund: "The
World Wildlife Fund is the largest privately supported conservation
organization in the world. You can search the site overall, browse
the featured sites, or submit a question to be answered by email.
There are useful links for kids and for teachers."