Scientific literature is revealing the locations of newly discovered animals

The Australian - Once researchers describe a species, the information often goes into online databases, which provide an even bigger security risk. Finding articles in obscure research journals takes some hunting by poachers, but anyone with an internet connection can check the online archives at many institutions, finding the origins of the plants and animal species in their collections. Scientists treasure that kind of easy access. For instance, combining data from an entire region with past records of plant ranges should help scientists predict how climate change could affect plant populations, says Zack E. Murrell, an associate professor of biology at Appalachian State University in the US and director of a database organisation called the Southeast Regional Network of Expertise and Collections. Read full article