
Biodiversity Science at the University of Calgary
Contribute as a community scientist to biodiversity research
Community science, also known as citizen science, involves collaboration between the scientists and the public to collect and analyze data.
Calgary PollinatorRare Plants of AlbertaOther Community Science Projects
Biodiversity Resources

Bumble Bees of Calgary

Open Education Resources

Community Science
Community science, also known as citizen science, involves collaboration between the scientists and the public to collect and analyze data.

Digital Collection
View high-resolution digitized specimens from our collections.

Bio-Inspired Design
Explore examples of how nature can inspire design solutions.

The Chickadee Challenge
Open-source resources for kids to be inspired by nature in sustainability - includes a biomimicry card deck, workshop materials, and other resources.

Collections Database
Explore the specimens available in our complete biodiversity collections - herbarium, vertebrate, and invertebrate.
Highlighted Projects

Calgary Pollinator Project
The Calgary Pollinators Project is a community science project dedicated to documenting pollinator diversity in Calgary. The project data focuses on insect pollinators and their associated plants. You …

Rare Plants of Alberta
Learn about rare plants in southern Alberta and meet their fellow neighbors and pollinators! We are studying the community composition of two rare species important to people of the Kainai First Natio …

Alberta Native Plant Rescue
Native plant rescues are an effort to save native plants from areas slated for development or other disturbances that would otherwise destroy them. The rescues depend on volunteers and experts who car …
Our Collection
Invertebrate
Approximately 1.45 million specimens, of which about 1.25 million are in alcohol and 200,000 are dry pinned insects. The Alberta bee collection is growing and is currently the third largest collection in Canada.
Vertebrate
About 8000 specimens, of extant fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. It has strong osteology (bones) focus with smaller holdings of skins, taxidermic mounts, and alcohol-preserved material, with a good representation of the Alberta fauna. In addition, there is a significant collection of vertebrate fossils.
Herbarium
Over 100,000 specimens of vascular plants and much smaller holdings of non-vascular plants, fungi, and lichens. The emphasis of this collection is on western and northern Canada as well as southern Alberta, in addition to non-vascular and vascular plant specimens from permafrost areas around the world.