At first glance, New Mexico may look dry and empty. However, the diversity of landscapes means that there is actually high diversity in the fauna and floral communities.
We will spend some time discussing biodiversity in general, beginning with an overview of why biodiversity is important and how it can be measured. We will also discuss biodiversity in New Mexico, including distributions, threats to diversity, and why the Museum collections are important.
We will finish at the new exhibit Las Mariposas: A Way Home. This exhibit provides a great example of butterfly diversity in New Mexico, as well as highlighting the migration of Monarch butterflies in North America.
Ayesha Burdett is an aquatic ecologist with a particular interest in invertebrate communities. She researches freshwater insects that survive in places that fluctuate between flooding and drying, links in the food web, and the importance of different microhabitats. This means that she spends a lot of time slopping around in the mud, staring into a microscope and counting bugs.