Entomology     Project ELATER     Project BYRRHUS     Costa Rican Beetle Biodiversity     Black Hills Beetles      Native Legume Seed Predators and         Parasites     Arthropod Biodiversity	Botany SD Orchid Society           Herpetology Black Hills Region
An Interdisciplinary Team Addressing the Natural History Interests of South Dakotans	Tropical Biology      Research Opportunities      Educational Programs	Mammalogy Bat Working Group

The Collections and Survey . . . represent the work of scientists who study the plants and animals of South Dakota and how they affect each other within the variety of ecosystems of the northern Great Plains. Through research and educational activities, the Collections and Survey encourage responsible management and appreciation of biological resources.

The collections of plant and animal specimens are among the largest in the Great Plains region and are used by researchers and educators throughout the world. Most of the collections date back to the 1890s and are extremely valuable for documenting biological and environmental changes in the region. The collections also are important repositories for voucher specimens to validate survey and research projects.

Located at South Dakota State University in Brookings, the Collections and Survey consists of five scientific units: Severin-McDaniel Insect Research Collection, Charles A. Taylor Herbarium, and the mammal, fish, and bird collections.

Interagency cooperative activities are with the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey-Biological Resources Division, the U.S. Forest Service, and schools throughout the state.

Research, Education, and Service Mission . . .
SDSU faculty and students of the Collections and Survey conduct floristic and faunistic research on native and introduced species. Results of research projects are transferred to landowners, government officials, corporations, and others making decisions on the status, protection, management, and use of wildlife in South Dakota and the region. The faculty are widely recognized in their areas of expertise for their leadership, productivity, and quality of work. Students graduating from Collection and Survey academic programs are job-ready and able to resolve societal concerns regarding the environment.

A few of the many research areas being investigated by faculty and students of the Collections and Survey and affiliated programs:

• Inventories of native and introduced species
• Systematic relationships of organisms
• Ecological studies on rare species
• Analysis and restoration of disturbed and developed ecosystems
• Conservation biology theory and application
• Impact of land use and regulatory actions on wildlife

Taxonomic and consulting services are available on these groups: amphibians, birds, fish, insects, mammals, plants, and reptiles.