Botany & Plant Sciences

This guide contains research resources for the study of botany and plant systematics.

Plants & Crops

Crop Production Maps (USDA)
Supplements the Major World Crop Areas and Climatic Profiles (MWCACP) handbook.
Major World Crop Areas and Climate Profiles (MWCACP)
The Major World Crop Areas and Climatic Profiles has been digitized into PDF. The full document is available for download or an interactive table of contents is available to view individual pages. Supplemented by the Crop Production Maps website.
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Revised in 1994, this reference provides a framework for assessing the weather's impact on world crop production by providing benchmark climate and crop data for key producing regions and countries. For each area, maps define the zones of concentration for major crops, and, temperature and precipitation by month at representative locations. Tables report historical averages of crop area, yield, and production. Coverage includes major agricultural regions and crops of coarse grains, winter and spring wheat, rice, major oilseeds, sugar, and cotton. World maps show the normal developmental stage of
regional crops by month.
NewCROP
This site from Purdue University provides information on new and specialty crop profiles.
Plant Management Network (PMN)
The Plant Management Network (PMN) is a nonprofit online publishing effort whose mission is to enhance the health, management, and production of agricultural and horticultural crops.
Plants and Crops of NAL
Agricultural resources on biotechnology, horticulture, gardening, landscaping, grasslands and plant diseases.

Ecology & Environment

Envirolink Library
The EnviroLink Network is a non-profit organization which has been providing access to thousands of online environmental resources since 1991.
Fire Resistant Landscaping
This fact sheet was produced in cooperation with the Colorado State Forest Service. FIREWISE is a multi-agency program that encourages the development of defensible space and the prevention of catastrophic wildfire. 5/99. Revised 1/12.
Gardening for Bees
Our research group at the University of California has been working since 1987 on documenting bee diversity and bee frequencies on wild California plants in several northern California sites. This research led to a series of new bee sampling methods that we used to start the urban bee project in the late 1990s.

Plant Selection for Sustainable Landscapes

Sustainable SITES Initiative
The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES®) is a program based on the understanding that land is a crucial component of the built environment and can be planned, designed, developed, and maintained to protect and enhance the benefits we derive from healthy functioning landscapes.
USGS Ecosystems
Scientists in the USGS Ecosystem Mission Area conduct research and monitoring on freshwater, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems and the fish and wildlife within them. Healthy ecosystems provide our society with essential ecosystem services, such as crop pollination, water and air purification, harvestable populations of fish and wildlife, soil replenishment, pest control, and nutrient cycling.

Soil Science

Soil Health - NRCS
From the USDA NRCS, this site provides an overview of soil health and links to additional resources.
ISRIC - World Soil Information
SRIC - World Soil Information is an independent, science-based foundation. The institute was founded in 1966 following a recommendation of the International Soil Science Society (ISSS) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It has a mandate to serve the international community with information about the world’s soil resources to help addressing major global issues.
National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment
The mission of the laboratory is to generate information which addresses critical problems in agriculture and watershed management leading to the development of innovative solutions which increase the efficiency of agriculture systems and reduce environmental risk.

Plant Pathology

APSnet: Plant Pathology Online
The American Phytopathological Society (APS) is a nonprofit professional, scientific organization dedicated to the study and control of plant diseases.
National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN)
The NPDN was established in 2002 in response to the need to enhance agricultural security through protecting health and productivity of plants in agricultural and natural ecosystems in the U.S. With support from the USDA-NIFA and through the collective efforts of many individuals representing Land Grant Universities, federal agencies, state departments of agriculture, and other stakeholders, the NPDN has grown into an internationally respected consortium of plant diagnostic laboratories.
Plant and Insect Parasitic Nematodes
A mass of information on nematodes, their study, surveys, agricultural issues, identification and systematics.

Forestry

Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)
FEIS provides up-to-date information on fire effects on plants and animals. Searchable by plant species, wildlife species, and natural vegetation type.
Forests and Forestry in the Americas: An Encyclopedia
Forests and Forestry in the Americas: An Encyclopedia is a web-based encyclopedia, which will have approximately 300 separate entries, contributed by forest and natural resource scholars and experts. The audience for the encyclopedia generally will be persons not familiar with forestry, including the general public and students through graduate work, teachers, journalists, and professionals who want a brief summary of a subject outside their area of expertise.
An Index of Rainforest Related Sites on the Web
Provides links to non-profit organizations supporting rainforest preservation, conservation and the environment; rainforest links for kids and teachers; databases, news, research & information on rainforests and preservation efforts; other rainforest related pages; and sustainable forestry pages.
International Culture Collection of (Vesicular) Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (INVAM)
Home page of the Collection. The mission of INVAM is to acquire, propagate, characterize and maintain germplasm of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in living cultures for preservation and distribution to any person or institution.
National Agroforestry Center (NAC)
NAC is a pioneering program designed to accelerate the development of agroforestry, a science and practice that integrates agriculture and forestry land uses.
Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetic Resources (RNGR)
This web site was developed by the technical specialists of the Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetic Resources (RNGR) program whose mission is to supply people who grow forest and conservation seedlings with the very latest technical information, and to provide links to other organizations and individuals with similar interests.
Silvics of North America
The silvical characteristics of about 200 forest tree species and varieties are described. Most are native to the 50 United States and Puerto Rico, but a few are introduced and naturalized. Information on habitat, life history, and genetics is given for 15 genera, 63 species, and 20 varieties of conifers and for 58 genera, 128 species, and 6 varieties of hardwoods.
Trees and Transportation
Human Dimensions of Urban Forestry and Urban Greening.
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Transportation systems have traditionally been designed for traffic mobility and driver safety. Road systems and roadsides are now being designed to address a variety of other functions, including aesthetic, environmental, and community interests.
Urban and Community Forestry
This site provides information about enhancements of cities and towns through planning and managing urban forest resources in a manner that promotes their environmental, cultural, and biological health.
FAO Forestry Department
The FAO Forestry Department helps nations manage their forests in a sustainable way. The Organization's approach balances social, economic and environmental objectives so that present generations can reap the benefits of the earth's forest resources while conserving them to meet the needs of future generations.

Turfgrass

National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTPE)
The National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) is designed to develop and coordinate uniform evaluation trials of turfgrass varieties and promising selections in the United States and Canada.
Turfgrass Information File
The Turfgrass Information Center (TIC) at Michigan State University contains the most comprehensive collection of turfgrass educational materials publicly available in the world.
Turfgrass Producers International (TPI)
TPI is the only worldwide association committed to the advancement of the turfgrass sod industry. Through the education of its members, product users and various green industry and government entities, the association serves to encourage the use of turfgrass sod worldwide.
USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program
Since 1920, the USGA has funded projects at land grant universities across the country at a cost of $40 million to improve the playing conditions and enjoyment of the game.
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