Biology Collections(Redirected from Biology collections)

The Biology Department at Gustavus Adolphus College curates diverse collections of organisms including plants (herbarium), vertebrate animals and invertebrate animals.

Collections are assemblages of species of a particular type of organism (e.g. fireflies, fish, ferns, etc.). They are dynamic and grow as newly-collected and donated specimens are acquired. Collections serve critical roles in fields such as taxonomy, ecology, botany, zoology, conservation biology and evolutionary biology. Several uses include:

documenting morphological variation within and among populations,
describing population range sizes,
demonstrating a species’ presence in a particular environment, and
assisting in species identification.

The Biology Department collections have been integral to both student learning and scholarship for decades. Currently, the collections are used in some of the following ways:

Students in Fish & Fisheries (BIO 100) use the fish collection to explore relationships between fish size and age ultimately estimating the age structure of a fish population.
In Ecology, Evolution & Behavior (BIO 202), students use herbarium specimens to learn about sun and shade type leaves.
Before conducting independent research projects, students in Vertebrate Zoology (BIO 242) use the collections to identify and learn about local fish, amphibians, birds and mammals.
Students in Conservation Biology (BIO 245) use the herbarium to identify plants.
Students in Horticulture and Ecology (BIO 370) use the herbarium to identify specific species of plants.
The insect collection continues to grow as Entomology (BIO 376) students donate specimens from their collections. Students also use the collection to learn about insect form & function.
Students in Plant Systematics (BIO 377) use the herbarium to identify species, compare morphological traits and learn herbarium curation techniques.
In Plant Physiology (BIO 378), herbarium specimens are used to show variation within a species.
Students in Aquatic Biology (BIO 385) use the fish collection to identify local fish and understand natural morphological variation in local populations.

On-line presentation of our collections will extend the value of these resources to lay and scientific communities.