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“New Mexico is enormously rich in biodiversity, with approximately 4,583 known species. Across plants and vertebrate animals, New Mexico has the 4th highest native species richness of any of U.S. state. Major contributors to New Mexico’s species richness include its large size, its numerous specialized habitats, and its close proximity to the Mexican subtropics. Another key factor is that several ecoregions converge in New Mexico, including the Colorado Plateau, Southern Rocky Mountains, Arizona-New Mexico Mountains, Central and Southern Short-grass Prairies, Chihuahuan Desert, and Apache Highlands. New Mexico also ranks 11th in endemism (species found only in New Mexico) with 90 known endemics”. (BLM website)
Summer is a great time to learn about the natural history of the Southwest. We have just published a new research guide for the Southwest Natural History collection at the New Mexico State Library, including Federal Government reports, NM State publications, popular and scholarly books, and journals. Let us know if we can help you find what you need.
Happy Researching!