Sorting through the Data

30 Jan 2024 | Contributor(s): Rhea Ewing, Thomas McElrath, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/SSXE-JW97

Meet Thomas McElrath, a insect collection manager at the Illinois Natural History Survey and beetle researcher. Tommy explains the value of data standards while discussing beetles and variations in sex.

Rescuing Data: Preserving Data for the Future

30 Jan 2024 | Contributor(s): Rhea Ewing, Diane Srivastava, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/0S2D-CE45

Meet Diane Srivastava, director of the Canadian Institute for Ecology and Evolution, and learn how they sythesize and save biodiversity data.

Mapping New Discoveries: iNaturalist and Biodiversity Data

30 Jan 2024 | Contributor(s): Rhea Ewing, Lauren Esposito, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/4PV3-W047

Meet Lauren Esposito, the Curator of Arachnology at the California Academy of Sciences. Learn how they use community science to inform new species discovery.

Saving Endangered Species: Zoos, Museums and Biodiversity Data

30 Jan 2024 | Contributor(s): Rhea Ewing, Sinlan Poo, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/1VS2-F950

Meet Sinlan (Sheila) Poo who works with amphibians at the Memphis Zoo. Learn about Sinlan's research in applied conservation and how they use biodiversity data to study endangered species.

Mysterious Occurrences Instructors Notes

30 Jan 2024 | Contributor(s): Rhea Ewing, Rachel Hackett, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/2BEM-9M93

Answer Key associated with Mysterious Occurrences Module

Mysterious Occurrences: Representation, Resiliency, and Redundancy in Native Plant Populations

30 Jan 2024 | Contributor(s): Rhea Ewing, Rachel Hackett, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/PV6N-3743

Meet Rachel Hackett, a conservation plant biologist at the Michigan Natural Features Inventory.  We learn about Rachel's job and the restoration of threatened and endangered species. Rachel provides some examples of "new" populations and students discuss ways to determine if the population is a...

Conducting Biodiversity Science in the 21st Century (Poster)

08 Aug 2023 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/WNC7-Q007

A poster summarizing how museum resources can be used for conducting biodiversity science in the 21st century including in research, education and in increasing inclusivity and diversity in STEM.

Building Biodiversity Datasets for Invasive Species

08 Aug 2023 | Contributor(s): Sara Hansen, Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/7G20-HK17

A module guiding students through the process of mapping biodiversity data and building a biodiversity dataset to study the spread and impacts of the invasive aquatic plant species, European frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L.). 

3d Naturalists - Bioblitzes, Citizen Science, and Undergraduate Learning (RCN-UBE Introduction)

15 Jun 2023 | Contributor(s): gillian bowser, John Morton Moore, Diane White Husic, Teresa Mourad, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/SNX3-4954

Citizen science and the associated new technological ability to crowdsource data may be the gateway for engaging the public in the science needed for the management, protection, and stewardship of parks. We posit that citizen science could be an effective gateway to engage new groups of students...

Sin Nombre Hantavirus in the US

26 May 2023 | Contributor(s): Helen Wearing, Jocelyn Colella, Joseph Cook, Anna Monfils, Alejandra Camacho, Ana Lazar, Filipe Souza-Gudinho | doi:10.25334/KSMH-QX61

A module guiding students through the review of different biodiversity data sources to identify patterns in the distribution of the Sin Nombre Hantavirus in the United States. English, Spanish, and Portuguese versions included.

Building Biodiversity Datasets for Invasive Species

20 Mar 2023 | Contributor(s): Sara Hansen, Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/S3Y8-S737

A module guiding students through the process of mapping biodiversity data and building a biodiversity dataset to study the spread and impacts of the invasive aquatic plant species, European frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L.). 

Mutualism and Coevolution of Agave and Bats

23 Jul 2022 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/32GN-Y676

In this module, students will investigate the mutualistic relationship between Agave its bat pollinators and the effects of coevolution on the morphological adaptations of the species involved.

Join the Natural History Education Community!

13 Jul 2022 | Contributor(s): Molly Phillips, Anna Monfils, Jennifer Bauer, Elizabeth Leith | doi:10.25334/T5VW-JN48

Biome 2022 poster on how to get involved in the natural history education community.

Building Biodiversity Datasets

07 Feb 2022 | Contributor(s): Sara Hansen, Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/D6BG-GT45

A module guiding students through the process of building a biodiversity dataset using field data and protocols derived for a study of the invasive aquatic plant species, European frog-bit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L.). 

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Natural History

06 Jun 2021 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/N5ZV-7T79

In this module, students will explore Western Science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge and review a case study of how the TEK of the Inuit provided a way of knowing and understanding the biology of the bowhead whale in the Alaskan arctic.

The Evolution (and Coevolution) of Flowering Plants Virtual Classroom

05 Feb 2021 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/RT9Q-4V46

In this lab, you will explore the diversity of flower and fruit adaptations that have evolved to accomplish pollination and seed dispersal and you will investigate the coevolution of angiosperms and their pollinators.

Case Study: Pollination of the Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) by the Solitary Bee (Andrena nigroaenea)

03 Dec 2020 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/NBN0-2T17

The research uses natural history collection data to explore a potential phenological shift between an orchid that employs sexual deception and a solitary bee.

Using Natural History Collection Data in Your CURE: BLUE BIOME 2020

01 Dec 2020 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Debra Linton, Rachael Snodgrass, Katie Pearson, Jenn Yost, Johanna Jantzen, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Sue Soltis, Shelly Gaynor | doi:10.25334/99WT-ST50

This is the report for the BLUE working group from the Biome Institute 2020. It reflects our group's efforts and products related to CUREs and Natural History Collection Digital Data.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Natural History

01 Dec 2020 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/JPSF-JF61

In this module, students will explore Western Science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge and review a case study of how the TEK of the Inuit people provided a way of knowing and understanding the biology of the bowhead whale in the Alaskan arctic.

Engaging students in data exploration using digital biodiversity databases: BLUE Data Network

27 Jul 2020 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/4K4E-B455

Slides for BLUE presentation at 2020 BIOME Institute: Cultivating Scientific Curiosity

Integrating digitized biodiversity data exploration into the undergraduate biology curriculum

27 Jul 2020 | Contributor(s): Debra Linton, Libby Ellwood, Lisa White, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/E4PN-GZ50

Poster on the Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education (BLUE) project presented at the 2020 BIOME Institute: Cultivating Scientific Curiosity

Louse Genetics, Genomics, and Gene Function...Oh My!

22 Apr 2020 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Julie Allen, Brad W Goodner, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/WR1H-KA33

In this module, students will be investigating a louse gene with an unknown function to determine if it might be important in the evolution of the louse ecomorphs.

Birds and Lice: Reciprocal Natural Selection

22 Apr 2020 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Julie Allen, Brad W Goodner, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/JAWH-MZ69

This exercise investigates the form and function of lice and their relationship to their bird host.

STEM Inclusive Teaching Practices Webinar Series: Episode One

14 Aug 2020 | Contributor(s): Bryan Dewsbury, Carrie Diaz Eaton, Molly Phillips, Anna Monfils | doi:10.25334/P7NQ-HT70

Episode One is a conversation with Bryan Dewsbury (University of Rhode Island) one of the authors of the CBE-LSE Inclusive Pedagogy guide.

Louse and Human Coevolution

22 Apr 2020 | Contributor(s): Anna Monfils, Julie Allen, Brad Goodner, Debra Linton | doi:10.25334/JJBH-SG27

This module examines the complicated co-evolution of Lice, Humans, and Great Apes