Invertebrates represent the largest animal biomass on earth and from an economic point of view their study is of great importance. During the past three decades there has occurred a serious national decline in the quality and extent of student training in invertebrate zoology. This decline in training has resulted in several generations of undergraduate and graduate students in the biological sciences with a drastically reduced awareness of the biological diversity in which their scientific work is embedded. In conjunction, the biological research community is losing the awareness of the diversity of organisms which could be developed into models systems for the solution of urgent research problems. A task group of eminent biological scientists, under the direction of Dr. Willows, will convene to discuss the deteriorating state of invertebrate teaching in American universities at the undergraduate level. This committee is charged with suggesting how institutions of higher learning, state and federal governments, can cooperate with the private sector to reverse this serious trend in American education. The committee's recommendations and prioritized actions could significantly enhance training opportunities in invertebrate zoology.
