Everyday, we think of new ways to use and improve the natural history collections at ASU. Databases make compiling collections data much easier. Specimen distribution maps and statistics are easily generated from a well-populated collections database. At ASU, we have an on-campus database server devoted to hosting the natural history collections databases in Microsoft SQL Server. Data entry is done via Microsoft Access front-end applications that connect to the database server via ODBC.

You can search many of the ASU Natural History colletions at the Southwest Environmental Information NETwork, or SEINet. You will also find some collections online at The Global Biodiversity Information Facility, or GBIF. A few of our collections are also contributors to the Lifemapper Project

Collections databases help us answer questions like:

• What plants have been collected in the Grand Canyon?
• What lichen species have been found at 2800m and higher elevation in the Desert Southwest?
• What fish were found in the Salt River - when it still flowed through Phoenix?
• During what time of year have mexican hummingbird species been found in Arizona?
• Which lichen species grow on Ponderosa Pine bark?
• And many more...