Aquatic Hitchhikers
Although all plants need some water to grow, aquatic plants have adapted…
Firewood and pathogens
As plants travel the world with people, these plants can bring along…
Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the use of living organisms to remove contamination from the…
Herbarium Specimens Show Changes in Carbon Dioxide Levels
It has been documented that since the industrial revolution there has been an…
Herbarium Specimens Show Changes in the Landscape
Changing climate means changing landscapes. Herbarium specimens document what plants are growing in…
Phenology and Herbarium Specimens
As habitats get warmer, a plant's life cycle can change. For example, when spring…
Climate Research and Herbarium Specimens
Climate research requires lots of data. Data about the conditions on earth now,…
Studying the DNA of Herbarium Specimens
Molecular biologists study the DNA of plants. They use this data to identify…
Learning from Extinct Plants
Specimen StoriesFocus on Science
From the woolly mammoth to the passenger pigeon, many extinct species owe…
Ghost Forests of the Mid-Atlantic
One of the most visually apparent impacts of climate change are the emerging…
Exploring the Bahamas with Lewis Jones Knight Brace
The Bahamas suffered its worst natural disaster recently as Hurricane Dorian, a…
Iconic plants of the Amazon
The Amazon Rain Forest, Earth’s largest tropical rain forest, is an immense…