Websites - SCI1200/SCI1350 - Professor McReynolds - LibGuides at Hope International University

Websites

Search your topic on the Internet, but remember that you will need to carefully evaluate the sites and information on those sites for appropriateness. Government agencies are good sources of data and reports, found on the Internet, that can be incorporated into your research project; remember, they are not peer-reviewed sources though.

Limit your search of the Internet using the Google search engine to a specific domain such as .gov or .edu. Here are some examples showing you how to do this:

trees AND california AND site:gov

trees AND california AND site:edu

birds AND california AND site:gov

birds AND california AND site:edu

Here are a few examples of websites that might provide information appropriate for your research:

California Department of Fish and Wildlife
State governments will have departments that keep data and produce reports on the flora and fauna of that state. For instance, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) This link opens in a new window
The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Forest Service provides the information needed to assess America's forests.

The long history of scientifically credible FIA data provides critical status and trend information to resource managers, policy makers, investors, and the public through a system of annual resource inventory that covers both public and private forest lands across the United States.

FIA reports on status and trends in forest area and location; in the species, size, and health of trees; in total tree growth, mortality, and removals by harvest; in wood production and utilization rates by various products; and in forest land ownership.
GreenFILE This link opens in a new window
Research database for Environmental Studies.
Covers all aspects of human impact to the environment. Subjects included are global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. The database provides indexing and abstracts for more than 384,000 records. This comprehensive resource draws on the connections between the environment and a variety of disciplines such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology. Topics covered include global climate change, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling and more.
National Agricultural Library This link opens in a new window
SEARCH is the USDA National Agricultural Library’s main search tool. It provides simple, one-stop access to more than 7 million records covering all aspects of agriculture and related disciplines.

National Park Service (Sequoia Research - Yosemite)
The National Park Service might be a place to find good information on the flora and fauna of that Park or region. This link to Sequoia Research in Yosemite is just one example.

Plants Database This link opens in a new window
The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories.
TreeSearch This link opens in a new window
The Research and Development arm of the Forest Service, a component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, works at the forefront of science to improve the health and use of our Nation's forests and grasslands. Research has been part of the Forest Service mission since the agency's inception in 1905.

Urban Forest Ecosystem Institute (UFEI)
Universities can be a good source of information for your research. Look for departments and/or research institutes that publish data and reports. This is an example of a website created and maintained by a university - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo