What We Do

Field research often requires field laboratories. Not surprisingly, those labs are in some of the most interesting ecosystems on the planet. With clear water, diverse habitats, and abundant life, the Dry Tortugas – 70 miles beyond Key West, Florida – hosted America’s first tropical marine laboratory from 1904-1939. The legacy of science continues today as Dry Tortugas National Park and its partners work to understand and protect this special place.

Fifty years ago, mangrove islands in Everglades National Park were the subject of a now-famous experiment that tested an important idea about biodiversity. Meet the scientist who conducted it.

When you think of visiting “America’s Paradise,” what comes to mind? Sparkling clear waters? Coral reefs? Palm trees swaying the breeze? History? All of these and more can be found in Buck Island Reef National Monument in the US Virgin Islands.

The St. Matthew Islands, which include St. Matthew, Hall, and Pinnacle islands and are a part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, are the most remote lands in the entire 50 states. They support perhaps a million or more colonial-nesting and ground-nesting bird species, largely in eroded areas along the coast where predators, like foxes, have a difficult time reaching them.

What do pygmy mammoths, Channel Islands foxes, and Santa Cruz Island gopher snakes have in common? Sure, they’re all vertebrates found at one time or another in Channel Islands National Park, but there’s something else. All are dwarf species with larger mainland counterparts. Recent research by Dr. Amanda Sparkman has found that they are not the only Channel Islands dwarfs. The park’s southern alligator lizards and western yellow-bellied racers are also dwarf species.