An Overview: the role of museums and research stations in conservation of biological diversity.      When you think of conservation, you probably first think of natural areas, after all this is where biological diversity is found. Even though our ability to preserve the Earth's biological diversity depends ultimately on our ability to preserve habitat, we also need to continue to study and monitor our natural areas and the organisms that live in them. Throughout the world, research Stations and Natural History Museums play a key role in these endeavors.		Collections. Natural History Museums and research stations are a vital part of the community that studies and monitors biodiversity. Both maintain collections. In natural history collections such as those at The Field Museum, a researcher can study series of specimens from all parts of the world. With these collections, researchers can address questions about organisms from the perspective the species' entire distribution and study related species that may live in other parts of the continent or other parts of the World.