Library Research Guides: Biology 110: Endangered Species Research Project: Home

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Endangered Species Research Project

Recommended Library Resources - Books

The following Reference Books are recommended:

Atlas of the Biodiversity of California, Second Edition by California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Call Number: REFERENCE - 2nd Floor ; G1526.D1 A8 2021
ISBN: 9781792355707
Publication Date: 2021
Also available on the Department of Fish and Wildlife website: Atlas Online
Endangered Species by Sonia Benson; Julie Carnagie; Rob Nagel
Call Number: QL83 .N35 REFERENCE - 2nd Floor, LRC
Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia by Gale Research Staff; Michael Hutchins
Call Number: QL7 .G7813 REFERENCE - 2nd Floor, LRC

Books in the GWC Library

GWC Library Catalog

Books and other materials located in the Golden West College Library can be found in the 'Library Catalog.'

Find books or eBooks on your topic. Use the keywords from your topic.

When searching for books, start with your species (try the common or scientific name). If no results, try searching the broader category, such as books on trees instead of the specific tree species you have chosen.

Don't give up! Ask a librarian if you need help.

GWC Library Catalog: Find Books This link opens in a new window
After you search, use the "Tweak your results" menu and narrow results by "Location" to find books in the library.

Books you can check out and take home:

"General Collection" books are located on the 3rd Floor of the library. These books can be useful for your research papers.

To check them out: Take books to the Public Services Desk on the 2nd Floor and show your GWC Student ID (your library card!).

Books that stay in the library:

"Reference" books are located on the 2nd Floor of the library near the entrance. These books are great for background information on your topics.
"Hot Topics" books are located on the 2nd Floor in front of the Reference Desk (where the librarians are located). These books are excellent sources for argumentative essays or persuasive speeches. They have contrasting, debatable essays on a variety of social, political or cultural issues.

The GWC Library materials (books and DVDs) are organized on our shelves by:

Library of Congress (LC) Classification

This system of organizing ensures that materials on similar subjects are shelved together. Each item is given a subject heading that corresponds to a call number which identifies the location of the item on a shelf.

call numbers on spines of books and in online catalog

Items are arranged on the shelves from left to right, top to bottom, according to call numbers. Call numbers are read in this format:

read an LC call number

Video: Understanding Call Numbers

Short video (2:11) explaining how to locate materials in a college library using the Library of Congress call number system.

eBooks from the GWC Library

Click on one of the pictures below to access Reference eBooks!

Beacham's Guide to the Endangered Species of North America

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia: Extinction

Here is the link to the library's largest eBook Collection with video tutorials:

eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
Video Tutorial: Searching EBSCO eBooks (2 minutes)
Video Tutorial: Reading EBSCO eBooks (3 minutes)
Find books in full-text on a variety of subjects. eBooks may be accessed from off-campus and sections may be printed and/or saved.
Note: Most EBSCO eBooks may only be viewed one at a time. If unable to view an eBook, please try back in a few minutes.

More eBook Databases

Find Credible Information: Library Databases

Library Databases are where you will find credible articles, including scholarly research, on your species.

Scholarly Sources:

Try these first using the scientific name and then the common one.

Biological Science Database This link opens in a new window
Video Tutorial: ProQuest Basic Search (3 minutes)
Video Tutorial: ProQuest Advanced Search (2 minutes)
Video Tutorial: ProQuest Search Results (3 minutes)
This database includes the renowned Biological Sciences, MEDLINE, and TOXLINE databases and provides full-text titles from around the world, including scholarly journals, trade and industry journals, magazines, technical reports, conference proceedings, and government publications. The database includes specialized, editorially-curated resources providing access to the extensive variety of biology’s cutting-edge research, with applications to medicine, technology, and the environment.
**If scholarly sources are required by your assignment, limit your results to "Peer Reviewed."
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Video Tutorial: Academic Search Complete (3 minutes)
This comprehensive scholarly and multi-disciplinary full-text database includes more than 8,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals.
**If required by your assignment, you may limit your results to "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals."

Newspapers will help you find current information about species status and recent findings.

These are credible but not scholarly resources. See if the article refers to a journal, study, or scientist.

U.S. Newsstream This link opens in a new window
Video Tutorial: ProQuest Search Results (3 minutes)
Best for: Finding current information in daily newspapers.
This database enables users to search the most recent premium U.S. news content, as well as archives that stretch back into the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, blogs, and news sites in active full-text format. Exclusive access to the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, New York Times and co-exclusive access (with Factiva) to The Wall Street Journal. U.S. Newsstream also offers one of the largest collections of local and regional newspapers and is cross-searchable on the ProQuest platform.
Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window
Video Tutorial: Newspaper Source Plus (2 minutes)
Newspaper Source Plus includes more than 860 full-text newspapers, providing more than 35 million full-text articles. In addition, the database features more than 857,000 television and radio news transcripts.

A to Z Database List
The GWC Library subscribes to many other databases beyond those listed here. Follow this link to discover more.

Find Credible Information: Websites

Government Websites:

Species Information: California

California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Conservation and Management of Wildlife and Habitat
The Mission of the Department of Fish and Wildlife is to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public. Their Conservation website has sections containing information on species management, species data, and habitat conservation.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Threatened and Endangered Species
The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) is a California environmental law that conserves and protects plant and animal species at risk of extinction. Approximately 250 plant and animal species are currently listed under CESA. This website contains a list of them with notes on alternate names or federal name differences.

On the website above, CA Fish and Wildlife, see the lists on the bottom of the page under the heading "California's Threatened and Endangered Species" for updated lists. These lists are where you will choose your species for your project.**

Remember to select only those species which have the following headings:

SE "State Listed - Endangered"
FE "Federally Listed - Endangered"
ST "State Listed - Threatened"
FT "Federally Listed - Threatened"

See links below for direct access:

**Threatened or Endangered Animal Species List (PDF)
State and Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Animals of California: January 2024.
California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB).
more...less...
This document contains a list of animal taxa found within California or off the coast of the State that have been classified as endangered or threatened by the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC; state listed) or by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior or the U.S. Secretary of Commerce (federally listed).
**Threatened or Endangered Plant Species List (PDF)
State and Federally Listed, Endangered, Threatened, and Rare Plants of California: January 2024.
California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB).
more...less...
This document contains a list of California plant taxa that have been officially classified as Endangered, Threatened, or Rare by the California Fish & Game Commission (FGC; state listed) or by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior or the U.S. Secretary of Commerce (federally listed).

Species Information: Federal

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Endangered Species
As the principal federal partner responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the USF&WS takes the lead in recovering and conserving our nation's imperiled species. Website includes information regarding both plants and animals. Search by common or scientific name, state or by county.
**U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: ECOS for species in California
The Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS) is a gateway website that provides access to data systems in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other government data sources. This central point of access provides public access to information from numerous Service databases.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Endangered Species - Recovery Plans Search
See if your species has an associated "Recovery Plan". These plan profiles include information on the status of the species such as where it is listed, special rules, critical habitat, Federal Register announcements and notices, Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP), National Wildlife Refuges, and other details that apply to the specific species.
NOAA Fisheries: Endangered Species Conservation
NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the protection, conservation, and recovery of endangered and threatened marine and anadromous species under the Endangered Species Act. The ESA aims to conserve these species and the ecosystems they depend on. To implement the ESA, we work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, as well as nongovernmental organizations and private citizens.

Species Information: International

IUCN Red List
Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungus and plant species. The IUCN Red List is used by government agencies, wildlife departments, conservation-related non-governmental organizations (NGOs), natural resource planners, educational organizations, students, and the business community.
See box on this page for advanced searching tips.

Habitat Information:

U.S. Geological Survey: Science for a Changing World
The USGS website provides information about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods; the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources we rely on; the health of our ecosystems and environment; and the impacts of climate and land-use change.
US Department of the Interior: Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management manages public lands and resources for multiple uses, from conservation and wildlife to energy and forestry to recreation and interpretation.

Other Agencies or Nonprofit Websites:

Choose carefully and consider bias.

EOL: Encyclopedia of Life
The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is an international effort, led by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, to raise awareness and understanding of living nature by providing free, open, multilingual, digital access to trusted information on all known species.
EPIC: Protecting Endangered Species of Northwest California
The Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) advocates for the protection and restoration of Northwest California’s forests, using an integrated, science-based approach, combining public education, citizen advocacy, and strategic litigation.
World Wildlife Foundation
The WWF's mission is the conservation of nature. The site has links and information regarding all types of endangered species and habitats.
Wildlife Guide: National Wildlife Federation
Since 1936, the National Wildlife Federation has worked across the country to unite Americans from all walks of life in giving wildlife a voice. This guide includes detailed information about each species listed.

Locate Endangered Species Using the Red List (IUCN)

Step 1: Go to the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species website:

IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)
Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungus and plant species. The IUCN Red List is used by government agencies, wildlife departments, conservation-related non-governmental organisations (NGOs), natural resource planners, educational organisations, students, and the business community.

Step 2: Click on Advanced Search

Step 3: In the left column, select the criteria set by your instructor.

For example:

Red List Category: CR - Critically Endangered & EN - Endangered
Land Regions: California (remember to avoid checking the box for "United States")
Systems: Terrestrial, Freshwater, & Terrestrial and Freshwater (do not click on 'Marine')

Biology 110: Endangered Species Research Project

This selection includes both books and ebooks.

Updated news articles from ScienceDaily

Endangered Animals News:

Endangered Plants News: