Work by museum archaeologists has greatly improved our understanding of the human impact on and response to global climatic change. Though developed primarily for research, the collections are used for teaching undergraduate and graduate students and by law enforcement agencies for the forensic identification of endangered species. Other uses are as diverse as the university itself. Applications include biomedical research, wildlife dentistry, historical biogeography and even studies of environmental contaminants. As the concern for Florida's environment increases, so does the monitoring of habitats and species by state and federal biologists.
Museum collections document the past and recent distributions of animals in Florida.
In this important way natural history answers questions about the future.