Ecosystems Of British Columbia

Descriptions, maps, illustrations and tables of British Columbia's biogeoclimatic zones, as well as an overview of how the biogeoclimatic zone system was developed.

Non-forested ecosystems are an important part of British Columbias landscape and biological diversity. Plant community composition and vegetation structure of these ecosystems stand in contrast to the forests that are typical of much of British Columbia. These non-forested habitats supply critical life history requirements for many plant and animal species.

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.

"This guide briefly outlines the principles and methods of the classification system, stressing the two primary areas of emphasis within the classification, the biogeoclimatic (zones, subzones) and the ecosystematic (ecosystem association and their phases and variations). It summarizes the environmental characteristics of the Sub-Boreal Spruce Biogeoclimatic Zone (SBS) and three of its subzones, the SBSa or "pine - spruce" subzone, the SBSd or "spruce" subzone, and the SBSe or "subalpine fir" subzone. The classification of the SBSd and e at the ecosystematic level is then presented in detail."

The vast temperate rainforests of coastal British Columbia are world renowned, but much less is known about the other rainforest located 500 kilometres inland along the western slopes of the interior mountains. The unique integration of continentality and humidity in this region favours the development of lush rainforest communities that incorporate both coastal and boreal elements. In British Columbia's Inland Rainforest, scientists bring together, for the first time, a broad spectrum of information about this distinctive ecosystem. They also consider the ecological consequences of human activities in the rainforest and present strategies for its management and conservation.