The Jepson eFlora initially parallels the second edition of The Jepson Manual, Vascular Plants of California, which is the work of 300 authors and editors being published by the University of California Press. The eFlora includes all of the taxonomic treatments of the print Manual and has in addition treatments for taxa that were excluded from the print Manual because of doubts about naturalization status. Interactive distribution maps linked to specimen data from the Consortium of California Herbaria are included. Words that were abbreviated to save space in the print Manual have been expanded. Keys are linked to the treatments to which they refer. Accepted names and synonyms can be searched for. The eFlora is linked to the Jepson Online Interchange, and from there to numerous electronic tools.

The Jepson Herbarium will work with the treatment authors and users to keep the eFlora in sync with advances in California botanical knowledge.

Read more about the Jepson eFlora.

(posted on December 7th, 2011)

The Berkeley Initiative in Global Change Biology (BiGCB) facilitates and coordinates high-risk, cutting-edge research in Global Change Biology at UC Berkeley. Our approach emphasizes using integrated analyses of fossil, historic, and modern biological data, much of which is unique to UC Berkeley and the BNHMs. By applying new technologies to understand past responses, we can develop predictions of future biological change.

Read more at the BiGCB website.

(posted on September 8th, 2011)

The informatics team housed at The Museum of Vertebrate Zoology is leading a group of institutions that is focused on creating a portal for the world's vertebrate collections. This effort is the next step in the evolution of distributed database design for collections and promises to greatly enhance the reliability, performance, and functionality of current sites.

Read more at the Berkeley News Center.

(posted on August 29th, 2011)