A series of assessments of the status and trends of biodiversity in selected Canadian Ecozones is planned, and includes terrestrial arthropods, through cooperative arrangements between Environment Canada and the Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre. The first assessment entitled "Assessment of Species Diversity in the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone", covering the lower Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River Valley, has been published. It includes reports on the species composition and biogeography of mites (4,000 species expected), auchenorrhynch bugs (about 900 species), sawflies (450 known species and about 480 more species expected), butterflies and moths (more than 2600 species) and ground beetles (470 species), as well as ferns, vascular plants, molluscs, crayfishes, fish, birds, and mammals. Introductory material explains the setting of the zone.
A summary report is available in printed form, and the full report is available on the world wide web and on CD-ROM. These full reports summarize available data on the status of species diversity in each group and assess the factors that influence species distributions and community composition in the Ecozone. The information and interpretations are intended to provide the foundation of a comprehensive framework for analyzing the status and dynamics of species level biodiversity in the Mixedwood Plains. It is expected that the reports will be revised and updated as additional information comes to light and that further contributions will cover other groups.
[Assessment of Species Diversity in the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone, edited by I. M. Smith. 1997. Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network. Printed summary, 31 pp. CD-ROM in hybrid format. Web site at http://www.cciw.ca/eman-temp/reports/publications/Mixedwood/intro.html [Ecological Monitoring Coordinating Office, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 4A6]]