Taking Nature's Pulse - Biodiversity BC

More documents

Recommendations

Info

taking nature’s pulse: the status of biodiversity in british columbiamossbutterflySteller’s jaybroadleaf treesburned areasmature forestfigure 4: Patch size requirements varyby species. Members of different species usespace differently and have varying abilitiesto traverse compatible and hostile patches,and to avoid isolation.source: Adapted from original by F. Bunnelland I. Houde, University of British Columbia.illustration: Soren Henrich.all forest areaswildlife trees / fallen logsgrass / shrubs / riparian areasbearwoodpeckerlichenbird’s nest
a primer on biodiversityComposition is the identity and variety of an ecological system. Descriptors of composition are typicallylists of the species resident in an area or an ecosystem. Measures of composition, such as species richness anddiversity of species, can help demonstrate how biodiversity in an area is faring.Structure is the physical organization or pattern of a system; for example, the size and spacing of treesin a landscape. Measures of structure, which often describe the habitat of species, reveal arrangements andpatterns in both living and non-living components of the environment. These necessarily span a wide rangeof scales and patch sizes to encompass the natural range of life forms and the ways they respond to theenvironment (Figure 4) and include the mosaic pattern of communities across landscapes.Function refers to the result of ecological and evolutionary processes. Examples of function include gene flow(resulting from processes such as dispersal and reproduction) and nutrient cycling (resulting from processessuch as photosynthesis and decomposition). Measures of a function must be designed specifically for thatfunction, and perhaps for each of its component processes. For some of the most critical functions, includingwater purification, nutrient cycling and pollination, scientists know only a fraction of the species and processesinvolved – and not necessarily the most important ones.These three biodiversity attributes are inseparable. Composition changes as structure changes; functionsand processes change as composition changes. Changes in structure can influence processes such as herbivoryand predation, and these processes can change species composition. Changes in composition, such as relativeabundance of certain species, can alter structure, leading to further changes in composition. For example,when large predators are lost, populations of large browsers and grazers may increase to the point that certainvegetation elements are eradicated, thereby eliminating other species dependent on that vegetation. The lossof wolves (Canis spp.) and cougars (Puma concolor) in the eastern United States and the subsequent increasein deer (Odocoileus spp.) populations have locally eliminated many ground- and shrub-nesting birds and couldlead to the demise of local hardwoods (e.g., oak [Quercus spp.] and American beech [Fagus grandifolia]). 16,17,18On Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands, where cougars and wolves do not naturally occur, high numbers ofintroduced Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) have had a severe impact on western redcedar(Thuja plicata), have browsed Sitka spruce seedlings (Picea sitchensis) to the point that moss sometimesgrows faster than the seedlings and have kept at least one plant species, western oxypolis (Oxypolis occidentalis),from flowering. 19
Page 1: Taking Nature’s Pulsethe status o
Page 4 and 5: Library and Archives Canada Catalog
Page 6 and 7: IVtaking nature’s pulse: the stat
Page 8 and 9: VItaking nature’s pulse: the stat
Page 10 and 11: VIIItaking nature’s pulse: the st
Page 13: table of contentsIfigure 27. Forest
Page 16: IVtaking nature’s pulse: the stat
Page 19 and 20: executive summaryVIImajor finding:1
Page 21 and 22: executive the status summary of bio
Page 23 and 24: executive the status summary of bio
Page 26 and 27: IVtaking nature’s pulse: the stat
Page 28 and 29: VItaking nature’s pulse: the stat
Page 30 and 31: VIIItaking nature’s pulse: the st
Page 32 and 33: taking nature’s pulse: the status
Page 34 and 35: t130°W 120°W110°W60°NY u k o nN
Page 37 and 38: 1 a primer on Biodiversity: Its Imp
Page 39: a primer on biodiversityIan McAllis
Page 43 and 44: a primer on biodiversitytext box 1.
Page 45 and 46: a primer on biodiversitytext box 2.
Page 47: a primer on biodiversity1 . 3 . 2 i
Page 90 and 91:
taking nature’s pulse: the status
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
t130°W 120°W110°W60°NY u k o nN
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
t130°W 120°W110°W60°NY u k o nN
Page 172 and 173:
Page 174 and 175:
t130°W 120°W110°W60°NY u k o nN
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Page 180 and 181:
Page 182 and 183:
Page 184 and 185:
Page 186 and 187:
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Page 192 and 193:
Page 194 and 195:
Page 196 and 197:
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
Y u k o nN o r t h w e s tT e r r i
Page 214 and 215:
130°W 120°W110°W60°NY u k o nN
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
Page 220 and 221:
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
Page 226 and 227:
Page 228 and 229:
Page 230 and 231:
Page 232 and 233:
Page 234 and 235:
t130°W 120°W110°W60°NY u k o nN
Page 236 and 237:
Page 238 and 239:
t130°W 120°W110°WM A P 2 160°NY
Page 240 and 241:
t130°W 120°W110°WM A P 2 260°NY
Page 242 and 243:
Page 245 and 246:
4 Major Findings4.1 IntroductionBio
Page 247 and 248:
major findings4.3 The Major Finding
Page 249 and 250:
major findings6. Significant areas
Page 251 and 252:
Forests are the dominant land cover
Page 253 and 254:
major findingsassociated with motor
Page 255 and 256:
major findings19. Climate change is
Page 257 and 258:
glossaryGlossaryAbiotic: non-living
Page 259 and 260:
glossaryEcosystem: is a dynamic com
Page 261 and 262:
glossaryMycorrhizae: mutually benef
Page 263 and 264:
appendicesAppendix A.historic speci
Page 265 and 266:
appendicesappendix b. continuedTAXa
Page 267 and 268:
appendicesappendix b. continuedTAXa
Page 269 and 270:
notes35 Hunn, E.S., N.J. Turner and
Page 271 and 272:
notes114 See endnote 106.115 See en
Page 273 and 274:
notes195 See endnote 87.196 Warman,
Page 275 and 276:
notes273 Guppy, C.S. and J.H. Shepa
Page 277 and 278:
notes345 Andren H. 1994. Effects of
Page 279 and 280:
notes415 Hobbs, N.T. 1996. Modifica
Page 281 and 282:
notes487 Gerlach, J.P., P.B. Reich,
Page 283 and 284:
Page 285 and 286:
notes621 Irvine, J.R. 2002. COSEWIC
Page 287 and 288:
Page 289 and 290:
Page 291 and 292:
notesDepartment of Fisheries and Oc
Page 293 and 294:
Page 295 and 296:
notesAssessment Network, Burlington
Page 297 and 298:
indexnatural disturbance 90, 102-4,
Page 299 and 300:
species indexgull (Larus spp.) 131T
Page 302:
“British Columbia’s biodiversit
show all

Taking Nature's Pulse - Biodiversity BC

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?