Shortcut URL to this page: http://www.nbii.gov/CSWGC/News&Resources

The Central Southwest Gulf Coast Information Node continuously researches, evaluates and catalogs biological information and data available through the Web related to Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and the Gulf of Mexico, including the coastal areas of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

Many diverse natural history collections exist that describe the biota of the CSWGCIN region. Many of these collections exist at the state and private universities within the region, while many more are found in surrounding states, countries, and in national or international centers. Few collections are unified across major taxonomic divisions. While Angiosperms (flowering plants) and Gymnosperms (non-flowering plants) may be located in the same collection; it is unlikely to find Angiosperms and Mammals in the same collection. Some collections break across artificial barriers while others are a subset of a taxon that may reflect a collector or curator's own research interests. To help achieve the NBII's goal of increasing access to biological resources, all known collections for the study region are surveyed to assess the extent and the condition of their resources. Progress has been made in the digitization of biological research records, but efforts need to be expanded and common standards established. The Collections project is concerned with ascertaining the extent to which valuable taxonomic, historical, and geographic information is retained and organized. Cataloging the biological research collections of the region facilitates collaboration and partnerships to accomplish a common goal among researchers of similar and dissimilar interests.