Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods)

Volume 22 No. 2, Fall 2003


 

Review of scientific priorities 2003

General information and editorial notes

News and Notes

Brief on the role of voucher specimens published

Newsletter distribution goes electronic

Second grasslands field trip

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

The Quiz Page

Arctic Corner
Fourth arctic field trip

Alaska Insect Survey project

Arctic entomology course

Predaceous water beetles from Keewatin and Mackenzie

Index of Past Articles 

Selected Publications associated with the Biological Survey

Selected future conferences

Quips and Quotes

Requests for Material or Information Invited

 

The scientific projects of the Biological Survey are selected on the basis of their scientific value, and also on the feasibility of doing them, given the necessary resources especially of expertise. At its meeting of April 2003, the Scientific Committee reviewed all Survey projects to confirm which ones should remain fully active, to review other categories of projects and to suggest any changed priorities.

Current projects
The following projects were confirmed as the active current ones:

Arthropod fauna of Canadian grasslands, remaining as the Survey’s major current project.

Illustrated keys to the families of arthropods in Canada

Insects of the arctic. The ‘Insects of Keewatin and Mackenzie’ project continues under this title, combining a former project on arctic invertebrate biology.

Insect fauna of Newfoundland and Labrador, undergoing development.

Forest insects. The content of current and other potential projects on forests, including boreal fauna, ancient forests and saprophagous fauna are being considered by a subcommittee.

Modes of seasonal adaptation in the insects

Other current initiatives
Other major Survey interests, some of them being evaluated for development as full scientific projects are as follows:

Invasions and reductions

Endangered species

Faunal analysis

Arthropods and fire

Naturalists publications

Survey website

Survey publicity

General interests
Three general topics that have been the subject of several Survey briefs over the years were retained and one was added:

Collections and collections policies (including voucher specimens, etc.)

Systematics and entomology

Study of biodiversity

Databasing

Monitoring of ongoing interests
A large number of topics remain of interest but are not the focus of specific current activities, including some topics, such as soil faunas, recently transferred from Other current initiatives:

Arthropod fauna of Canadian soils

Arthropod fauna of aquatic habitats

Arthropods of Les Îles de la Madeleine

Arthropod ectoparasites of vertebrates (including biting flies)

Small regional projects

Agroecosystems

Other past projects and initiatives
Many other past projects or major components of projects have been completed:

Spatial and temporal changes in the Canadian insect fauna

Arctic arthropods review

Arctic invertebrate biology

Arthropods from glacial refugia in Canada

Arthropods of the Yukon

Environmental appraisal

Aquatic insects of freshwater wetlands in Canada

Arthropods of Canadian peatlands

Arthropod fauna of freshwater springs in Canada

Origins of the North American fauna

Ecological review of insect dormancy

Insects of Canada

Funding for biodiversity projects

Damaged ecosystems

Other potential projects
Finally, many other projects have been considered over the years but priorities or resources have been placed elsewhere.

  

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