|
||
|
General information and editorial notes News and Notes Brief on the role of voucher specimens published Newsletter distribution goes electronic Summary of the meeting of the Scientific Committee, April 2003 Arthropod Species Specialist Subcommittee for COSEWIC Guide to the identification of the spiders of Quebec published Federal Biodiversity Information Partnership (FBIP) established Members of the Scientific Committee 2003 Lessons from threatened cuts at the University of Nebraska Museums Project Update: Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands Opinion Page: DNA Barcoding: Deus ex Machina Review of Scientific Priorities 2003 Biological Survey of Canada: Taking Stock after 25 Years Arctic Corner Predaceous water beetles from Keewatin and Mackenzie Selected Publications associated with the Biological Survey Requests for Material or Information Invited
|
Introduction Arctic Corner provides a forum for news of particular arctic interest, replacing the Biological Survey’s newsletter Arctic Insect News (1990–2000). Contributions to Arctic Corner are welcomed by the Editor (see inside front cover).
The fourth installment of the Survey’s Insects of the Arctic project (formerly ‘Insects of Keewatin and Mackenzie’) took place July 8 to 22, 2003 in the form of a collecting trip to the western Hudson Bay region (Arviat, Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake) by Doug Currie, Donna Giberson and Peter Adler. Unlike previous trips where travel was primarily by canoe, a variety of means was used to access prospective collecting sites including trucks, all-terrain-vehicles, motorboat, and foot. Inuit guides were hired in Arviat and Baker Lake for guidance to remote collecting sites. Dr. Currie and Dr. Adler made a total of 48 simuliid collections while Dr. Giberson made a similar number of collections of aquatic insects – primarily mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, and predaceous diving beetles. The researchers’ preliminary impression is that the faunal assemblage in the 3 communities matches closely that encountered along the Thelon River in 2002. For other reports on this project see Update on the survey of aquatic insects from Keewatin and Mackenize project: The predaceous water beetles (Coleoptera: Adephaga: Dytiscidae and Gyrinidae), and Project Update: Insects of Keewatin and Mackenzie, Vol 22(1): 12–13; Insect biodiversity in the Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary, Vol 21(2): 59–64; Insects of Keewatin and Mackenzie, Vol 19(2): 48–51 and Update on a survey of the black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Project. Arctic Insect News 11: 6–9. Another generation of arctic entomologists attended a course in arctic and boreal entomology at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre from August 9–24, 2003. The general scope of the course included interactions of the northern entomofauna with biotic and abiotic elements, behavioural adaptations of the northern entomofauna and effects of disturbances. Instructors were Dr. Peter Kevan and Dr. Rob Roughley. A more detailed account will appear in the Spring issue of this newsletter. The Spring 2002 issue of this newsletter reported on a proposal for an Alaska Insect Survey Project. Unfortunately, sufficient funding did not materialize to support the project. Moreover, the University of Alaska will not be hiring a systematic entomologist in the near future and the University of Alaska Museum is unable to support a curator of entomology. Nevertheless, Dr. Kruse and other unpaid Research Associates remain active in the survey, and are planning some publications in the future.
|
|
| back to top | Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods) home page |
ARCTIC
CORNER