The biodiversity connector

10 Pages·1995·2.9 MB·English

by  Alberta. Alberta Environmental Protection. Natural Resources Service

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2017 with funding from
University of Alberta Libraries
https://archive.org/details/biodiversityconn02albe
An Information Bulletin about the Natural Heritage Information Centre: ISSUE 2
A J oint Project of A lberta Natural Resources Services and Parks Canada Fall 1995
BACKGROUND
Welcome to the second issue of Biodiversity Con-
nector. In t his issue, we'll fill y ou in on what we've
done since last fall.
For those who missed the first issue and are
wondering what the Centre is about, it's an
interagency effort to compile information about un-
common plant and animal species, and plant com-
munities and other heritage information to help
identify priorities for heritage protection in Alberta.
Initially, our efforts have concentrated on the
mountain and foothills, and the area around Elk
Island. The information is p laced in manual and Figure 1 The information system
computer files based on the system used by Con-
servation Data Centres operated by most provinces Paradox files for the new system and mapped ar-
and states in North America.
eas managed by national and provincial conserva-
tion agencies. We now have seven files to work with
It, after reading this issue, you would like to
(Figure 2). Taxonomic information is kept in an El-
be placed on our mailing list, please contact us at ement Tracking (ET) File, ranking information (see
the address listed at the end of the newsletter. below for a d escription of ranking procedures) is
maintained in an Element Ranking (ER) File, data
related to each occurrence of a tracked species or
SO.. WHAT HAVE WE DONE
community are kept in an Element Occurrence (EO)
File, life history information is stored in an Char-
Although we have only been working on the acterization Abstract (CA) File, ownership infor-
system since last October, we have managed to mation for m anaged areas is stored in a M anaged
cover a significant Area (MA) File, tracks of land or sites of interest
amount of ground.
(ie .g . B eaverhills moraine) are described in a S ite Ba-
“Of the 26 vascular plants This is largely due to
ranked SI to S3 in sic Record (SBR) File, while information source ref-
the excellent co-opera- erences are k ept in a S ource Abstract (SA) File and
Elk Island National Park, tion we received from
a C ontacts (C) File. These files are linked, allowing
5 a re aquatic species, university researchers, access to information in any file by selected fields.
13 are associated with
experts from several
wetlands, and 8 a re federal and provincial
As mentioned. Parks Canada and Rocky Clear-
associated with forests agencies, and consult- water Forest issued contracts to a number of con-
antTs (a ble 1). sultants last w inter to collate data on a range of
(G. Griffiths).”
uncommon life forms. Collections from museums
During the early and universities, data stored in government and
winter months, Alberta Parks set up a number of private data bases, field notes of naturalists and
l
surveys of the Federation of Alberta Naturalists.
Staff from provincial and federal agencies
helped in a number of ways. These include Lome
Fitch, Harry Stelfox, Steve Brechtel, Darrell Smith,
Dave Poll and Percy Wiebe. Staff from data cen-
tres in M ontana, Ontario, Saskatchewan and BC
generously provided technical advise and assist-
ance. Their help has been instrumental in moving
our system forward.
HOW IS A T RACKING LIST DEVELOPED?
Figure 2 Information sources The ANHIC tracks “ Edmonton is home to
elements of native bio-
26 species of mosquitoes!
researchers, as well as published literature were
diversity that are rela- An additional 12 species
rigorously reviewed (F igure 2). Since accuracy of tively uncommon. To
information is a critical function of the system, in- do this, elements are are found nearby in
formation on t he reliability of each record is noted evaluated and ranked central Alberta
to permit removal of misidentifications. The note- on their global and
worthy activities of the consultants included a re- province-wide status (C. Saunders)”
view of s pecimens in herbaria in Ottawa and Al- using criteria developed by The Nature Conserv-
berta, and retrieving information from existing data ancy (TNC); the system used by all CDCs in North
bases including the Provincial Museum of Alberta, America. Ranking is primarily based on the
the Royal Ontario Museum, and the breeding bird number of occurrences reported; although popu-
Table 1 Consultants and Contributors in the first year of the ANHIC
VASCULAR PLANTS
Mountain and Foothill Natural Regions Cottonwood Consultants and the B.C. Conservation Data Centre
Elk Island and Environs Graham Griffiths
Rocky-Clearwater Forest Patsy Cotterill
VERTEBRATES
Mountain and Foothill Natural Regions Sweetgrass Consultants
Elk Island and Environs Deirdre Griffiths
SELECTED INVERTEBRATES
Mountain and Foothill Natural Regions R.L. & L . Consultants with input from R.S. Anderson (crusta-
ceans and rotifers), B. Miskimmin (crustaceans), H.F. Clifford ,
R. Koss and G. Scrimgeour (macro-invertebrates), G. Pritchard
(dragonflies). A, P. Nimmo (caddisflies), D.A. Craig (true
flies), R. Mutch (stoneflies), R. Casey (crustaceans and
polychaetes), A. Paul (crustaceans and molluscs), J.L. and
B.F. Carr (beetles) and LR. Ball (insects).
Elk Island and Environs
Jim Ryan with input from D. Smith (leeches), /. v an Es (mol-
luscs), G.O. Stoyke (dragonflies and damselflies), G.H.
Hilchie (aquatic insects), A. Nimmo (caddisflies), and C.
Saunders (mosquitoes).
NON- VASCULAR PLANTS
Mosses in Alberta Ross Priddle with assistance from R. Belland, D. Vitt, R.Hasting$
and D. Johnson.
Macro-lichens in Alberta Bernard Gofftnet with assistance from R . B elland and D. Vitt .
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lation size and trend, life history and reproductive of experts in those fields. We are now reviewing
strategies, and current threats are used when avail- the lists and preparing them for publication. Once
able. the lists have been established,
they will be available to a wider
A s cale of 1 ( critically imperiled) “The earliest collections of group of experts for review and
to 5 ( demonstrably secure) is used mosses in the mountains comment. Remember though,
to rank elements. An element can
and foothills of A lberta were
tracking lists are "fluid" and are
be uncomon everywhere (i.e. g lobal made (by Drummond updated regularly to reflect the
most accurate information.
scale) but more common provin- in 1825-1827) in the area
cially. Therefore, a g lobal rank (G-
rank) is first applied for each spe- called Jasper House”
cies across its entire range and then SO... WHERE ARE WE AT?
each province or state applies an S-rank. A t racking
list is a short listing of elements ranked SI and S2 Although we obtained over 7,000 elements
and, if j ustified, S3. occurence records for elements on the tracking lists,
we have only just scratched the surface. Fortu-
nately, we h ave received budget approval for a s ec-
SO... WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?
ond year and weTl continue to organize and com-
pile information on the biodiversity of Alberta. Ad-
Typically, elements of high priority for conser- ditional projects will focus on development of p ro-
vation are rare, endemic, disjunct, in peril or are vincial tracking lists and communicating the results
special in some other way. through Internet, publications, and workshops.
As of April 1995, we are tracking:
HOW TO CONTACT US?
Alberta Rank # OF
Elements
Mosses SI
107 If y ou would like to:
S2 108 • be placed on our mailing list for the
S3 12 Biodiversity Connector ,
• obtain a copy of our tracking lists,
Mountains and Foothills contribute to the development of Biodiversity
Connector or,
Vascular plants SI 123
SS23 16175 • simply want more information;
Vertebrates SI 6 Contact:
S2 10 John Rintoul or Joyce Gould
S3 15
(403) 427-5209 - p hone
(403) 427-5980 - f ax
Rocky - C learwater Forest e:mail;[email protected]
Vascular Plants SI 11
S2 Peter Achuff Parks Canada
52
S3 3
e(4:0m3a) i l8:5a9-c5h1u3f8f [email protected]
Elk Island and Environs
Gavin More Parks Canada
Vascular Plants SI 5
S2 16
e(4:0m3a) i l29:2m-o4r4e9g6@ pkswro.doe.ca
5
S3
Vertebrates SI 4 Write to us at:
S2 7
20 Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre
S3
Alberta Environmental Protection
Parks Management Support Division
So far, we have developed preliminary track- 800 10405 Jasper Avenue
ing lists for a v ariety of g roups with the assistance Edmonton, AB T5J 3N4
3
Alberta Environmental Protection
Natural Resource Services
Parks Management Support Division
800 10405 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5J 3N4