Archbold Biological Station

Archbold Biological Station, established in 1941, is the primary division of Archbold Expeditions, a not-for-profit independent research institution in central Florida. The Station is dedicated to long-term ecological research, part of the global effort to understand, interpret and preserve the world’s natural heritage. Staff, visiting investigators, and students conduct research primarily focused on the organisms and environments of Lake Wales Ridge and adjacent central Florida. Areas of research strength are population ecology and conservation biology, emphasizing ecological changes over local and regional scales, and demographic shifts in ecologically sensitive species. Staff scientists also undertake studies in similar ecosystems regionally, most notably at the Avon Park Air Force Range and at the many state and federally protected areas on the Lake Wales Ridge – our research was fundamental in inspiring public acquisition of these sites. Our research helps guide land management decisions for regional scrub protected areas. Archbold is used heavily for education including research training for graduates and undergraduates from around the world, use by visiting college classes, extensive K-12 education, and public outreach.