Waterbird Population Estimates 3rd Edition: Consultation Draft
http://www.wetlands.org/news&/NewsItems/WPE3announce.htm
The global conservation organization Wetlands International has recently made data from this draft publication available online. Expert comments are being sought until the end of June on data that estimates "numbers and population trends of 2,165 populations of 850 species recognized as waterbirds throughout the world." Data is presented in a series of Excel spreadsheets, as well as a link provided to the report's second edition that includes a description of the codes that are used. A page of specific feedback requests helps users provide more critical responses to the data provided. [AL]
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Global Forest Watch
http://www.globalforestwatch.org/english/index.htm
A series of new reports released last month by World Resources Institute's Global Forest Watch (last mentioned in the March 3, 1999 Scout Report for Science and Engineering) "concludes that vast areas of remaining intact or old-growth and primary forests are being degraded as the result of unsustainable development practices." Analysis of forest cover maps and land use practices for several countries is provided in summary form, along with links to full reports that can be downloaded. The site also has a Data Warehouse where users can download maps for their own analysis. This site is also reviewed in the May 31, 2002 Scout Report. [AL]
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Predator/Prey Interaction
http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/reef-monitoring/cots02/cots02.htm
This Web page from the Australian Institute of Marine Science focuses on the "relationship between the Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) and the coral that they prey upon," which has been experiencing widespread mortality since 1994. Brief in length, the page includes primarily the results of ongoing COTS monitoring data, but several links provide information like background on the reefs, COTS biology, and data collection methods. [AL]
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Race, Class, Gender, and American Environmentalism [.pdf]
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr534.pdf
This new report from the US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service focuses on environmentalism and different groups of people. "The paper posits that race, class, and gender had profound effects on people's environmental experiences, and consequently their activism and environmental discourses." The report details the history of the environmental movement, focusing on more than the dominant perspective. Four "major pathways of environmental activism" are identified and discussed in terms of race, class, and gender. All 60 pages can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. [AL]
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Natural Resources Law: An Overview
http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/natural_resources.html
The Legal Information Institute from Cornell Law School provides this Web collection of natural resources law information. The site identifies and links to several relevant federal and state statutes, regulations, and decisions, along with providing links to many related agencies and organizations. This site does not serve as an environmental law primer with narrative text, but it does provide a convenient collection of environmental law research tools. [AL]
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Asthma and Allergy Gene Database
http://cooke.gsf.de/asthmagen/main.cfm
This database, from Matthais Wjst at Germany's Institut für Epidemiologie, was developed to facilitate communication and collaboration among researchers focusing on prevention and cures of asthma. After the free registration, users can access the database to search for references and data on asthma-related genetic linkages and mutations. The site is specifically designed for use by genetic researchers, so there is not much information on using the database or interpreting results. The FAQ section, however, does provide some helpful general information. [AL]
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The Bio-Web: Resources for Molecular and Cell Biologists
http://cellbiol.com/
Bio-Web is a directory site of resources for molecular and cell biology. The site includes links to news articles from various journals and news sources, current books, research institutions, and research lab home pages. Possibly the most useful feature is the collection of links to protein sequencing tools and databases. Although the site does not contain original content, it may prove helpful for those who are looking for a consolidated collection of information specific to molecular and cell biology. [AL]
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AgBios
http://www.agbios.com/default.asp
The Web site of Agriculture and Biotechnology Strategies Inc. (AGBIOS) includes a significant amount of news and information on the subject of biotechnology. A particularly interesting feature is the Biotech Crop Database, which includes a large amount of information including the modification method, nutritional and toxicity information, impact on biodiversity, and genetic stability of all biotech crops approved for use in the US and Canada. An additional bibliographic database is useful for research on "environmental, livestock feed, and human food safety of genetically modified crop plants." [AL]
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