This is an excellent and much-needed resource by anyone wanting to do any
kind of research on a fish or a state ichthyofauna. I am unaware of any
comparable database or reference (certainly none that are readily available).
Previously - if you wanted to determine that status of a single wide-ranging
species throughout North America (e.g., lake sturgeon) or the number of
imperiled species for a particular region (e.g., the southeastern US), it was
necessary to access individual species lists for each state and then collate
and compile the data (sometimes with differing nomenclature for binomials and
conservation status). Now, its all done for us - in an easy to read, easy to
search, easy to interpret format!
Also - by making this available as an EXCEL file, its possible for
writers/researchers/educators to edit the file into specific formats for
specific purposes (e.g., what is the relative percentage of imperiled darters
vs minnows; which states have the highest or lowest number of listed species?
).
My only suggestion: provide a "citation format" for those wanting to formally
reference the database.
This required a fair amount of effort and the results really show. Providing
this to the public through the NANFA webpage is generous and it makes our
organization look good.
Thanks, Chris.
- Jan Hoover
Vicksburg, MS
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