Knowing Biodiversity: E-Flora BC and E-Fauna BC The Biogeographic Atlases of British Columbia

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1 Knowing Biodiversity: E-Flora BC and E-Fauna BC The Biogeographic Atlases of British Columbia Brian Klinkenberg Department of Geography University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada lora.bc.ca /

2 Introduction The species groups included in each Atlas The organization of the Atlases How to use the Atlases How to contribute to the Atlases Virginian Tiger Moth caterpillar Perennial Pea Bald Eagles 2

3 E Flora and E Fauna represent the contributions of numerous experts, organizations and individuals from across BC and elsewhere. Our aim is to be as comprehensive as possible. The contents reflect the current state of knowledge. Cliff Paintbrush photo by Virginia Skilton 3

4 Public outreach Easy public access to detailed botanical and zoological information A public, self learning platform Apple Insight into the biodiversity of our province Conservation of our native plants and animals Monarch Butterfly photo by Diane Williamson 4

5 Accurate scientific information Gap analysis of overlooked components Informed environmental planning Tall Bugbane habitat Conservation of our native plants and animals Phantom Orchid photo by Dane Springmeyer Sandhill Cranes 5

Vascular plants (3400+ taxa, most with Atlas pages) The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia by George

Non vascular plants Algae (530 macroalgal species in BC, 143 with Atlas pages) North Pacific Seaweeds

Atlas pages) Some Common Mosses of British Columbia by Wilf Schofield Fungi (1685 with Atlas pages)

6 Vascular plants (3400+ taxa, most with Atlas pages) The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia by George Douglas et al. Non vascular plants Algae (530 macroalgal species in BC, 143 with Atlas pages) North Pacific Seaweeds by Rita O'Clair and Sandra Lindstrom Bryophytes Liverworts (770, no Atlas pages) Mosses (1103, 115 with Atlas pages) Some Common Mosses of British Columbia by Wilf Schofield Fungi (1685 with Atlas pages) Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest by Ian Gibson Lichens (1658, 300 with Atlas pages) Lichens of British Columbia by Trevor Goward et al. Small Perennial Kelp photo by Michael Hawkes 6

Vertebrates Amphibians (22) Birds (523) Fish (68 freshwater, 138 marine) Mammals (148) Bats (17, all with Atlas pages) Bats of British Columbia by David Nagorsen and Mark Brigham Hoofed mammals (11,

7 Vertebrates Amphibians (22) Birds (523) Fish (68 freshwater, 138 marine) Mammals (148) Bats (17, all with Atlas pages) Bats of British Columbia by David Nagorsen and Mark Brigham Hoofed mammals (11, 9 with Atlas pages) Hoofed Mammals of British Columbia by David Shackleton Opossums, shrews and moles (15, 12 with Atlas pages) Opossums, Shrews and Moles of British Columbia by David Nagorsen Reptiles (20) 7

Invertebrates Arachnids: spiders (664) and ticks (24) Cnidarians (100

Insects (1000 s): Mosquitoes* (46), Butterflies* (420), Dragonflies*

8 Invertebrates Arachnids: spiders (664) and ticks (24) Cnidarians (100 s): corals and anemones Crustaceans (759): barnacles* (21), crabs* (87), shrimps, etc. Echinoderms (217): sea stars* (81), cucumbers* (33) and urchins Insects (1000 s): Mosquitoes* (46), Butterflies* (420), Dragonflies* (88) Molluscs (1023): octopus, squid, snails and slugs * Groups with Atlas pages Oregon Forestsnail, photo by Kristiina Ovaska 8

9 Sources for the invertebrate Atlas pages: The Barnacles of British Columbia by Ira Cornwall Crabs and their relatives of British Columbia by Josephine Hart Sea Cucumbers of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska and Puget Sound by Philip Lambert Sea Stars of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska and Puget Sound by Philip Lambert The Mosquitoes of British Columbia by Peter Belton Butterflies of British Columbia by Crispin Guppy and Jon Shepard Introducing the Dragonflies of British Columbia and the Yukon by Robert Canning Species Checklists 9

10 Components Information Pages Atlas Pages Interactive Maps Photo Gallery Photo Upload Comments 10

11 From the E Flora home page you can access a wealth of botanical information, including: An introduction to taxonomy The plants of BC Floristics and vegetation of BC Invasive species A guide to plant identification A photography FAQ E Flora s data sources Arbutus, photo by Kevin Newall Giant Cow parsnip photo by Hugh Griffith 11

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13 From the E Fauna home page you can access a wealth of information, including: How best to make use of the resources provided on the E Fauna pages Overviews of the vertebrates and invertebrates prepared by provincial experts Species checklists for many species groups Overviews of invasive species E Fauna s data sources Bobcat photo by David Shackleton Bullfrog Black turnstone 13

You can search for a plant or animal using our Species Search pages.

14 Each Atlas page is produced from several databases, each of which was developed by us from the materials provided by different organizations. You can search for a plant or animal using our Species Search pages. Deep links into other related databases have been created, so that an Atlas page can serve as a core resource for anyone looking for information on the plants or animals of British Columbia. 14

15 Each group of Atlas pages is derived from a different publication, which means that the content varies from group to group. Monarch Butterfly Opossum Silver haired Bat Bison, photo by Peter Klinkenberg 15

16 As with the E Fauna Atlas pages, the content varies from group to group. Vascular plants Algae Fungi Lichens Mosses 16

made Display additional information, such

17 From an Atlas Page you can access our interactive maps. Using these you can: Zoom into a region in order to identify where a collection was made Display additional information, such as: Climate (precipitation, average temperature) Geology Protected areas BEC zones 17

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19 Get Collection Data 19

Over 13,000 photos have been uploaded into our E Flora

All photos are reviewed by experts prior to being posted

species using either the Latin or common name.

genus, or all of those uploaded by a specific photographer.

links to the Atlas page for the species, if available.

20 Over 13,000 photos have been uploaded into our E Flora image database, and over 4000 photos uploaded into E Fauna. All photos are reviewed by experts prior to being posted in order to ensure that the species is correctly identified. You can browse through the photo gallery or search for a species using either the Latin or common name. Link You can also call up all of the photos for a specific genus, or all of those uploaded by a specific photographer. Details about the photo are provided as well as direct links to the Atlas page for the species, if available. Turkey Vulture Hermit Crab photo by Aaron Baldwin Mountain Monkey flower photo by Virginia Skilton Mountain Lion photo by David Shackleton 20

However, you can also use the photo gallery search feature even

The common name for many species often references the colour or

By entering a term such as yellow you can bring up all of the

through the photos until you find your unknown one.

21 However, you can also use the photo gallery search feature even if you don t know the name. The common name for many species often references the colour or preferred habitat. By entering a term such as yellow you can bring up all of the photographs for species with yellow in their name, and search through the photos until you find your unknown one. Link Link Blue Copper photo by Angela Knopp Slender Mountain Sandwort photo by Alfred Cook Golden King Crab photo by Aaron Baldwin Yellow Mountain avens photo by Alfred Cook 21

We are also looking for interesting photos that would help someone

22 While have many wonderful photos in our photo gallery we are always looking for photos for lesser known species. We are also looking for interesting photos that would help someone to identify a species. Red Baneberry by Alfred Cook Ponderosa Pine bark by Olivia Lee 22

You can then upload your photos into the Image Bank (access the photo upload page from the link at the bottom of the E

23 If you would like to become an E Flora or E Fauna photographer you will need to register (access the photographer registration page from the E Flora home page or the E Fauna home page). We will supply you with a password. You can then upload your photos into the Image Bank (access the photo upload page from the link at the bottom of the E Flora or E Fauna home page). Your photos will be reviewed before they are posted in the Photo Gallery. Blaney Creek, photo by David Blevins 23

24 I saw a small lizard like creature in the mountains on east Vancouver Island which was 4 to 5 inches long with large overlapping scales similar looking to a Pangolin in appearance with a sharply ridged back and quite slender, maybe 1 to 1.5 cms wide. I didn t even see any legs or the head(facing away from me) as it slithered and very quickly moved out of sight through some grass and under a rock. I have never seen anything like this anywhere and was just wondering what it was. We answer some questions but often send them off to an expert at the RBC Museum to answer, or to spider man Robb Bennett, or insect man Rob Cannings, or marine man Aaron Baldwin...lots of help in answering questions such as these, and always the hope that something new will turn up. The most common questions have to do with spiders and are they poisonous. 24

25 I am hoping you can help me identify an insect I spotted about 10 years ago while walking home from high school in Kamloops B.C. I spotted this insect on the ground, still alive but not very active and seemed close to death, but there were no signs of trauma. It was grey ish, quite large larger than my index finder. I'd estimate about the width of a bic lighter, and maybe an inch longer. It had quite a large set of pincers and I am fairly sure they were on it's head rather than it's end. It seemed to have an hard exoskeleton, and I don't recall if it had wings, it may have but if they were they were tucked away. It is easily the biggest insect I have ever seen in Canada. I have never seen anything close to this again. Your site lists a 'stonefly' and this looks a little similar except much smaller, and does not have pincers, and the insect I saw did not have it's wings exposed. I have included a sketch. If you have any idea what this was I'd appreciate any help. Thanks. 25

Who can I ask to identify a spider? I found a sac spider in my house with a gray/brown sac, red head and orange arms. It is about 2 cm long and...not having seen this spider before,.

26 Who can I ask to identify a spider? I found a sac spider in my house with a gray/brown sac, red head and orange arms. It is about 2 cm long and...not having seen this spider before,...and having been raised by a mom who is terrified of spiders...i'd like to know if this is a good spider to relocate outside. Hello, thank you for your reply. I discovered the little wild honey bee menace's name...i captured it. It turned out to be a crab spider..i learned that they can change colour and they don't spin a web. I have been observing this creature and it seems to just stay in an upright position with its legs stretched outward (ready to catch its next prey!!!)...it does look like a crab. I cannot let it go cause it kills bees...i have found several bees dead since...i have looked for more of these spiders but so far have only seen 2...too many! See the latest issue of the Entomological Society of Canada Newsletter for an illustrated article on the Crab Spider: sec.ca/bulletin/bulletin_sep_2008.pdf Mating Crab Spiders 26

27 Updating distribution information Updating nomenclature Updating status (alien, invasive, CDC status) Adding databases for species not yet covered (e.g., amphibians, birds, liverworts) Arrowleaf Balsamroot, photo by Doug Skilton Burrowing owls Sulphur Shelf, photo by Kent Brothers Oregon Beaked Moss 27

28 To be cooperative, comprehensive and inclusive projects, drawing upon the expertise of field scientists, photographers, researchers, naturalists throughout the province. Nootka Rose photo by Bill Jex Symphytum x uplandicum Coyote photo by David Shackleton Oregon Spotted Frog photo by David Blevins E Flora and E Fauna the development of a virtual community in BC 28

29 Wild Horses photo by Rose Klinkenberg Leaf Beetle photo by David Shackleton Sea Feather photo by Aaron Baldwin Common Nighthawk photo by Diane Williamson Mule Deer Fawn photo by Vicky Baker Anemone occidentalis photo by Mary Sanseverino 29

30 Thank you. Any questions? Green Bottle Fly photo by Diane Williamson Oregon Forestsnail 30

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Learning about Forests (LEAF) Ireland. What Habitat do I Live in?

Learning about Forests (LEAF) Ireland What Habitat do I Live in? Activity Instructions: Print each individual slide (Think Green! laminate if you wish to reuse them) 12 Species cards & 12 Habitat cards