"The Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources" was the first large-scale assessment of the health of plants, animals, and ecosystems in the United States of America (USA). It was published in 1998 and produced by the Biological Resources Division of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The assessment is organized into two volumes, with earlier sections describing the major factors affecting biodiversity and biological resource health, and later sections summarizing the condition or status of regional biological resources and resource trends. Authors of chapters were drawn from federal and state agencies, universities, and private organizations, reflecting the USGS national partnership approach to providing comprehensive, reliable information about biological resources.