Biodiversity In British Columbia

This book consists of a collection of individual papers surveying the existing knowledge of biodiversity in British Columbia. The first section contains papers that consider the importance of an ecosystem-centred approach to the conservation of biodiversity, explain the methods of classifying the status of rare species, and review the role of biosystematics and taxonomy in the study of biodiversity. The second section focuses on the diversity of species in British Columbia, with papers on specific species or groups such as lepidoptera, marine invertebrates, lichens, bryophytes, fish, fungi, mammals, birds, reptiles, and vascular plants. Part three summarises information on the diversity of the province's ecosystems, with papers on such topics as forests, grasslands, marine areas, urban areas, and atmospheric change. The final section discusses ways of protecting biodiversity, concluding with a summary of recommendations for biodiversity conservation.

With sixty descriptive maps and accompanying text, The Biodiversity Atlas of British Columbia provides a broad overview of the province?s range of terrestrial and freshwater biological diversity. Bringing together data from numerous sources summarized in map form, the Atlas provides a window to B.C.?s diverse ecosystems, the species that live in them, and the elements of British Columbia?s biodiversity that make it globally significant. The Atlas also presents a visual perspective of a number of human-induced threats, including climate change, affecting biodiversity in B.C. today. The Atlas is designed to serve as a companion document to Taking Nature?s Pulse: The Status of Biodiversity in British Columbia ? a comprehensive scientific assessment of biodiversity in the province. Both the Atlas and Taking Nature?s Pulse are projects of Biodiversity BC, a partnership of conservation groups and government agencies.

Provides managers, planners and field staff with a recommended process for meeting biodiversity objectives - both landscape and stand level - as required under the Forest Practices Code.

Provides managers, planners and field staff with a recommended process for meeting biodiversity objectives - both landscape and stand level - as required under the Forest Practices Code.

Provides a progress report on initiatives in British Columbia related to the five goals of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy: conservation and sustainable use, ecological management capability, education and awareness, incentives and legislation, and international co-operation. It includes background information on the province and its people as well as an outline of biodiversity issues being addressed by the initiatives. A separate section reviews cornerstone initiatives that form the foundations of the provincial sustainability strategy, such as the Protected Areas Strategy, treaty negotiations, the Timber Supply Review, and the Forest Practices Code.

The Prince Rupert Forest Region occupies somewhat more than one-quarter of the land area of British Columbia and encompasses a broad spectrum of physiographic and climatic units. This project identified the major known components of terrestrial biological diversity and the major information gaps, emphasizing the ecosystem and species diversity in forested areas. To produce an ecosystem synopsis, the wildlife habitat classification was correlated with the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification to facilitate future cross-referencing. Vascular plant diversity was not specifically examined other than for rare and endangered species. Vertebrates were documented within forested subzones and variants to identify species diversity, determine habitat affinities of species of interest, and develop possible management guilds and management indicator species for forestry management. The taxonomy, abundance, and distribution of both fungi and invertebrates in the region were also investigated. Marine and freshwater species were excluded.