http://iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/afesg/index.html

The African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG) operates under the auspices of the Species Survival Commission of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The AfESG is composed "of technical experts focusing on the conservation and management of African elephants. The broad aim of the AfESG is to promote the long-term conservation of Africa's elephants and, where possible, the recovery of their population to viable levels." The AfESG website contains useful information for conservationists, wildlife managers and others such as a number of downloadable Human-Elephant Conflict Reviews and Case Studies; African Elephant Status Reports (from the years 1995, 1998, and 2002); and a small section of Tools for Elephant Management and Research. Site visitors can also peruse (or download) current or back issues of Pachyderm, a peer-reviewed, scientific journal focused on management and conservation issues concerning Asian and African rhinos, as well as African elephants. [NL]

http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/

Based on the book, Our Stolen Future, this website (first mentioned in the March 8, 2002 NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences) provides information and updates regarding endocrine disruption. The site is produced by zoologist John Peterson Myers, one of the book's authors. Our Stolen Future, originally published in 1996, "examines the ways that certain synthetic chemicals interfere with hormonal messages involved in the control of growth and development, especially in the fetus." For those unfamiliar with the book, the site offers a Book Basics section with summaries of the chapters, excerpts, central points, and more. The website also contains a New Science section with subsections on Disease Resistance, Wildlife Impacts, Broad Trends, and Reproduction, to name a few. In addition, the site offers a collection of annotated links as well as links to recent news stories, and reports on pertinent scientific studies. [NL]

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/micropolitan/index.html

Hosted by Microscopy UK, the Micropolitan Museum exhibits wonderful images of microorganisms developed by photomicrographer Wim van Egmond. Museum visitors can peruse images in the Freshwater Collection, Marine Collection, and Insectarium. Exhibitions within the first two collections include such crowd-pleasers as the Foram Factory, Diatom Display, Water-flea Circus, Desmid Dome, and more. A highlight of the Insectarium is the small, yet dazzling, Insect Wings exhibit. The beautiful and clear images displayed in the Museum are accompanied by brief captions. Stay tuned for the next Museum feature: the Botanical Garden! [NL]

http://www.birdsontario.org/atlas/atlasbook.jsp

Hosted by Bird Studies Canada, this site contains an online version of the Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, a publication based on information collected between 1981 and 1985 involving "the efforts of over 1,300 volunteers who collectively carried out more than 180,000 hours of field work." The Atlas was published in 1987 by the Long Point Bird Observatory and the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. The site is nicely laid out with a hyperlinked Table of Contents which connects visitors to the many sections of this comprehensive and substantial Atlas. The publication contains Species Accounts for a multitude of birds such as the Wood Duck, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Boreal Owl, Winter Wren, and many more. The Atlas also contains sections on the Biogeography of Ontario, Conduct of the Survey, and Atlas Results. In addition, this site links to a larger Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas website with information about a nearly completed five-year data collection project that will result in a second edition of the Atlas. [NL]

http://hivmedicine.com/

From Flying Publisher, HIV Medicine 2005 is a free, online "medical textbook that provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the treatment of HIV Infection." This edition is an update of the 2003 version of the textbook (reported on in the June 13, 2003 NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences). Chapter titles in the textbook include HIV Testing, HIV and Pulmonary Diseases, Mitochondrial Toxicity, HIV and HBV Coinfections, and Traveling with HIV, to name a few. The textbook is available in both German and English. Please note that while certain sections of the 2005 edition are currently available, many sections are still in the process of being published on the site. Sections from the 2003 edition are standing in for some of the forthcoming 2005 sections. The entire 352-page 2003 edition is available for download at this site as well. [NL]

http://herbarium.usu.edu/webmanual/default.htm

This extensive source of information on grasses is derived from the Manual of Grasses for North America, a project that has received support from Utah State University and a host of other organizations including the Flora North America Association, National Science Foundation, US Forest Service, National Park Service, and more. This online Manual provides information about a multitude of species from Achnatherum aridum to Zoysia pacifica. Information options for most grass species include Map, Illustration, and Treatment. For the majority of species listed, Synonymy and Notes have yet to be added. The site also links to information about the Manual of Grasses for North America project, as well as the Utah State University Intermountain Herbarium. [NL]

http://www.mammalsociety.org/

Founded in 1919, the American Society of Mammalogists (AMS) is an organization, composed primarily of professional scientists, that promotes mammal study. The members of AMS also work to provide "information for public policy, resources management, conservation, and education." A notable ASM site feature is the Mammal Image Library which provides "images of mammals for educational purposes worldwide." The ASM website also contains information about two main publications, The Journal of Mammalogy and Mammalian Species (reported on in the September 17, 2004 NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences). Other site offerings include an online job board, an announcement board, information for undergraduate and graduate students, and information about ASM Grants & Awards. [NL]

http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/

From Conservation International, this Biodiversity Hotspots site (first reported on in the October 18, 2002 NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences) "was re-launched in 2005 with completely updated information as presented in the new book Hotspots Revisited." The updated Hotspots website features profiles of more than 30 ecologically important areas of the world. Hotspots are categorized under five world regions including South America, Africa, North and Central America, Europe and Central Asia, and Asia-Pacific. Site visitors will find profiles about such Hotspots as the Himalaya, Mediterranean Basin, Horn of Africa, Tropical Andes, Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands, Sundaland, and more. In addition to regional profiles, the site offers a number of helpful resources such as a Terrestrial Vertebrate Species Database, a Glossary, Maps, and related References. [NL]