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General information and editorial notes News and Notes Field trip to the Onefour grasslands Summary of the Scientific Committee meeting Second spider newsletter published Members of the Scientific Committee
Project Update: Arthropod Fauna of Soils 2001 Requests for Material or Information
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Summary of the meeting of the Scientific Committee for the Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods), April 2001The Scientific Committee met in Ottawa on
April 26-27, 2001. Scientific projects The various scientific projects of the Survey were discussed, including the following progress.
Dr. Wheeler reported on the informal conference on arthropods of grasslands held at the joint meeting in December and outlined in the latest grasslands newsletter. The session included papers by Dr. Floate, Dr. Roughley, Dr. Hamilton and Dr. Wheeler, followed by an informal discussion. Useful input was received, e.g. about areas currently being sampled, especially from people outside the Biological Survey. A more formal symposium is planned for the 2002 ESC Annual meeting in Winnipeg, with a focus on ecology/habitat-based work. Speakers will be invited to contribute chapters to a volume of symposium proceedings. Some speakers have already committed to participating and others are being approached. Dr. Wheeler had submitted an article about residues from insect collecting for the recent grasslands newsletter. As more studies continue in grasslands large amounts of residues are being generated. These residues are potentially good sources of material but are often difficult to access. In the article Dr. Wheeler proposed that a system be established to better track this material. He encouraged people to read the article and contact him with suggestions. Dr. Wheeler also reported on some completed work on grassland insects. Dr. Roughley reminded the Committee about the announcement in the grasslands newsletter of the upcoming excursion to the Onefour area as a focus site for work associated with the grasslands project. He indicated that there are no restrictions as to the group of entomologists, but that all persons must register in advance. The Committee concluded that it would be useful to know ahead of time what participants are expecting to achieve, in terms of the type of taxa, type of sampling and type of terrain to be sampled. 2. Family keys 3. Seasonal adaptations 4. Insects of Keewatin and Mackenzie Other scientific priorities 1. Arthropod fauna of soils 2. Invasions and reductions Dr. Wheeler reported that at McGill University, the Redpath Museum has hired two biodiversity faculty this year, one of whom works on freshwater invasive species. Dr. Floate commented that many biological control researchers in the United States are currently worried because they deliberately introduce exotic species but no invasive species are being allowed, a trend that may involve Canada too. Dr. Behan-Pelletier requested that any information on invasive species in soil, especially arthropods, be forwarded to her because she is considering the possibility of a symposium on this subject. Dr. Roughley commented that he has collected a number of unidentified centipedes from imported plants, a finding that also is valuable for teaching purposes. Dr. Marshall encouraged everyone to continue to highlight the importance of insect collections in identifying invasive species. Members of the Committee provided relevant examples. Dr. Shorthouse thought that this sort of information about the value of collections should be forwarded to NSERC. He noted that less than 3% of shipments coming into Canada by sea are examined for potentially invasive species. 3. Endangered species Dr. Ring asked whether poor legislation is better than no legislation. Dr. Scudder speculated that the Act will not result in many benefits but that some corresponding actions may be beneficial. For example, the government has already allocated money towards stewardship programs. He thought that the real danger if the legislation is passed unchanged is that public perception may be that sufficient protection for endangered species is in place when it is not. Nevertheless, he thinks that this legislation will likely be passed without changes: none of the changes put forward in the last round were adopted. He said that the environmental groups and the NGO’s are divided in their opinion as to the value of no legislation versus poor legislation. He had also heard opinions that there might never be any changes to the Act once it has passed, reinforcing the need to make improvements now. Moreover, there are no biological criteria that can be used to review the effectiveness of the legislation later. Dr. Scudder reported that the University of British Columbia and the B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks have just signed a memorandum of agreement to map richness and rarity hotspots for as many taxa as possible in British Columbia. Initial information shows that rarity hotspots for many different taxa overlap, and some of the richness hotspots also overlap the rarity hotspots. Dr. Scudder reminded the Committee that the B.C. Forest Practices Code requires that endangered wildlife, including insects, be identified and relevant areas managed. 4. Survey web site In terms of feedback and usage, Dr. Danks reported that he has received several favourable comments from colleagues, and feedback from the site’s email address. Members of the Committee added favourable additional comments about the appearance and content of the site. A site meter, which logs separate visits, was started in early October. To date it had recorded well over 2000 hits and over 2800 page views, and the number of hits seems to be increasing steadily. Dr. Danks reported continuing problems with respect to posting new material and changes, because of the delays sometimes encountered by having to go through the ESC webmaster. The other major problem is the function of the database about relevant workers and their interests, which appear to stem partly from the original structure and operation of the database, not designed as a web-based system, and partly from hardware and software limitations in its current setting. Therefore, a new contract will be needed to refine or replace the software for web and other uses; substantial thought first has to go into ongoing needs and other issues. Dr. Danks also outlined a number of pending updates. 5. Faunal analysis Dr. Danks reminded the Committee that the original purpose of the project was to compile unassailable numbers about the diversity of insects and the lack of availability of expertise, in order to substantiate to politicians and others the need for increased numbers of systematists, for example. He asked if someone will take the lead in pursuing updates or would the Survey simply let the website speak for itself. Dr. Roughley volunteered to develop a plan in consultation with Dr. Scudder and Dr. Wheeler on how to take project further and to report at the next meeting. 6. Standards for specimen data labels 7. Voucher specimens Dr. Wheeler and Dr. Scudder volunteered to prepare a one-page document to emphasize the need for vouchers and circulate it to Committee members for comment before the October meeting. The Committee agreed that such a document could be published in the ESC Bulletin, sent to NSERC, and provided to organizations such as the Canadian Society of Zoologists and the Canadian Botanical Association, for example. 8. Information on naturalist handbooks Given general agreement by the Committee that the suggestion is worthwhile, Dr. Marshall, Dr. Currie and Dr. Sperling agreed to consider how to best coordinate these sorts of publications and what should be the role of the Biological Survey. They would report at the October meeting. 9. Arthropods and fire 10. Publication of systematic and
faunistic papers The Lyman series might fill a niche in publishing longer monographs, theses, faunal inventories, descriptions of immature stages, biological notes, etc. that would not be published in The Canadian Entomologist or the proposed NRC journal, given the earlier demise of Canadian publications such as Quaestiones entomologicae and the ESC Memoirs. The Committee endorsed both Dr. Scudder’s journal proposal and the idea of a revitalized Lyman series. 11. The cost of insect identifications A subcommittee chaired by Dr. Behan-Pelletier volunteered to pursue the idea of a document about identification costs and to report at the next Committee meeting. 12. Monitoring of continuing priorities
for work on Canadian faunas Particular progress on the insects of Newfoundland was reported by Dr. Larson. For example, a draft key of the Newfoundland Hemiptera is available, and work is in progress on other orders. This project was reinstituted as an active Survey priority. 13. NSERC reallocations exercise 14. Other priorities Liaison and exchange of information 1. Canadian Museum of Nature The Canadian Museum of Nature is planning to open an educational exhibit on endangered plants in Canada in conjunction with the Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton. This travelling exhibit will open in Ottawa in about one year. Dr. Graham also mentioned the NSERC post graduate supplement for systematics research, now in its third year; and a draft framework on collection care produced by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) (see http://www.nserc.ca/programs/framework_mem_e.htm). In contrast to some wordings in the draft framework, some Committee members emphasized that regional collections are more valuable as separate regional units than if they are transferred to central repositories. Dr. Graham also spoke about the Canadian Biodiversity Network Conference [and see below] which was held in early March with one focus on an electronic knowledge base to facilitate access to information that is not now easily accessible. Many organizations including the CMN took part in organizing the conference. A strategic planning group has been established to draft a plan for the next steps. The CMN is developing its national collection development plan which will be ready for circulation and comment in about a month. This document will provide some context for what should come into the national collection given the limitations of finite space, large numbers of collections and the requirement to provide data electronically. 2. Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research
Centre (ECORC) Dr. Behan-Pelletier confirmed that AAFC has been the lead agency in getting Canada as a signatory to GBIF. Dr. Larson noted that the CNC was able to acquire the important John and Bert Carr beetle collection. 3. The Canadian Biodiversity Network
Conference Dr. Sperling commented that the importance of education was emphasized at the conference, including the gradual decline of systematists at universities, the importance of university collections for training and the importance of grassroots support and interest. Dr. Sperling emphasized the importance of drawing natural history groups into these biodiversity networks. He thought that the conference had been a useful exercise in consciousness building, and it is important to keep the initiative going. Lack of participation from the provincial level should change once a network is stabilized. The distributive nature of this initiative, i.e. the aim for a true collaborative network, is important. Members of the Committee commented that the meeting was encouraging from various other viewpoints, though it is still relatively early. Dr. Graham recognized as positive signs the fact that two federal ministers gave introductory talks with significant comments, and the Assistant Deputy Ministers also spoke at the end of the conference. 4. Entomological Society of Canada A number of comments were made about the logistical and other difficulties of dealing with the large Entomological Society of America and especially the professional organizers of the Joint meeting (e.g. payments in Canada required in U.S. dollars; lack of recognition of ESC and SEQ partners). However, the science program was generally agreed to have been good. 5. Parks Canada Two promises made by the government last fall included funding for new parks and for ecological integrity. Several recently established parks that require further inventory will be getting new funding. Treasury Board has accepted the idea that increased base funding is required to achieve ecological integrity and increased science capacity. A coordinated approach for environmental monitoring is planned with EMAN. Dr. Roughley commented that knowledge of arthropod biodiversity is essential to ecological integrity and he would like to encourage a plan to facilitate insect work in parks. He added that parks are attractive to entomologists partly because of the long-term stability of these areas. Dr. McCanny indicated that there is a discussion of inventory programs in the new science strategy but that this would not likely receive substantial funding. Dr. Roughley and others pointed out that funding is not necessarily required initially; even increased access to national parks is critical and simple logistic support would be helpful. Dr. McCanny acknowledged that the permitting process has been a problem in the past. Dr. Danks summarized the two main problems perceived with the permitting process. First, the current guidelines are geared towards prohibiting removal of endangered birds, etc. but insect sampling is a different process. What has been collected needs to be sorted and identified, so that the sort of detail called for in the guidelines is impossible to provide. The other situation is that in the past this Committee has dealt with the headquarters of Parks Canada but in reality it is the individual parks personnel who make the permitting decisions. Dr. Shorthouse reiterated the fact that the Biological Survey has been attempting to work with Parks for many years with few results. He asked Dr. McCanny what he thought the Survey could do to help facilitate invertebrate research in national parks. Dr. McCanny thought that there might be an opportunity in the development of Parks Canada’s science strategy. It had been his impression that past requests involved funding or in-kind support which are not available. Members of the Committee emphasized that the greatest frustration has been inability to get permits, together with not knowing what to expect when dealing with individual parks. Dr. Marcogliese commented that he has had some success working with Parks as a result of personal contacts. Dr. Danks volunteered to work with Dr. McCanny to try to initiate some more general discussions to inform Parks personnel about the value of arthropods and to start to work out some more feasible strategies. Dr. McCanny agreed that this would be useful, and perhaps language could be found that could be integrated with the science strategy. 6. Parasitology module, Canadian
Society of Zoologists
Secretariat activities Ongoing operations of the Biological Survey Secretariat were reviewed, including clearing-house and coordination roles, research and other items, and Dr. Danks travels to entomological centres on behalf of the Survey to exchange information about relevant work. In 2000 and early 2001, visits were made to Victoria and Kelowna, BC, Edmonton, AB, Winnipeg, MB, Guelph, ON and Montreal,QC. Seminars and lectures presented, in addition to more-or-less informal treatments of the Biological Survey, included: The Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods); Insect cold hardiness in northern Canada; Insects of the Yukon; Insect cold hardiness: a Canadian perspective; Arctic insects as indicators of environmental change; and Water balance in insects dormant for the winter.
Other items 1. Regional developments For the prairies, Dr. Floate reported that the expansion of the Lethbridge Research Centre continues and that the new offices and laboratories should be ready by September 2002. Dr. Roughley reported that much research on forests continues in Manitoba especially through the University of Winnipeg’s new forest centre headed by Dr. Richard Westwood. Dr. John Conroy’s former position at the University of Winnipeg is to be filled by an entomologist. Dr. Pat Mackay will retire from the University of Manitoba this year and an ecological insect physiologist will be recruited as a replacement. The University of Manitoba will experience its first budget increase in 20 years. Dr. Roughley reported that the Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species conference was held in Winnipeg in late February. He was surprised at the amount of prairie work being done and at the novel approaches being taken. Dr. Behan-Pelletier reported that the late Dr. Conroy’s mite collections have been transferred from the University of Winnipeg to the Canadian National Collection. Dr. Sperling reported that the cabinet and drawer capacity of the Strickland Museum at the University of Alberta is increasing by 40%. There also will be an increase in computer disk space. A virtual museum is being built, comprising specimen data bases, species pages and applications (see www.biology.ualberta.ca/uasm/uasm.html). Dr. John Spence has accepted a position as the chair of the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta but will continue his research. Dr. Bev Mitchell and Dr. Ron Gooding will retire soon and will be replaced. The University of Alberta library, through the generosity of an alumnus, has an endowment fund for which the highest priority purchases will be systematic entomology monographs. Dr. Sperling announced the formation of the Alberta Lepidopterists Guild which has about 36 members, half of whom are very active. Dr. Sperling outlined other liaisons and activities, concluding that there are interesting and positive developments at the University of Alberta. In Ontario, Dr. Currie reported that the master planning process continues at the Royal Ontario Museum. Databasing of the butterfly collection is now complete and the information has been transferred for inclusion with the Biota of Canada project. Databasing of the dragonflies should be done by the end of the year. Work on Walpole Island and in the Haliburton forest as well as on odontocerids are planned. Publication of the book on Black flies of North America (including 1300 illustrations) is scheduled for 2002. Dr. Marshall reported that a student at the University of Guelph will study tall-grass prairie sites in southern Ontario. Work from Point Pelee and the Bruce Peninsula is being reported on. The University of Guelph is preparing a CFI proposal to establish a biodiversity centre. Dr. Paul Sibley, an aquatic entomologist, has been added to the faculty. The website for the University of Guelph includes the insect collection (http://www.uoguelph.ca/~samarsha/). Dr. Shorthouse noted student work at Laurentian University on parasitoids of rose gall wasps and on changes of Ontario species diversity with latitude. In Quebec, Dr. Wheeler announced that the curatorial position at the Lyman Museum of McGill University has been filled by Ms. Stephanie Boucher. The herbarium and the Lyman Museum have received a grant to contribute to databasing material. Some students have finished but others will be starting. Parts of the Leon Provancher collection have been recognized by the Quebec government as a biological heritage collection. There has also been some public recognition of the value of biodiversity collections for documenting Quebec’s cultural past. The Insectarium wishes to expand its research focus, and some joint initiatives with the Lyman are being explored. The Entomological Collections Network meeting was held just prior to the joint ESC/SEQ/ESA meeting in Montreal in December 2000. Dr. Chiasson mentioned that in the Innovateur à l’école program (where scientists go to public schools to talk about what they do) the two most popular subjects are astronomy and entomology. The 5e Conference Internationale Francophone d’Entomologie (CIFE) will be held in Montreal in July 2002 [contact Dr. Daniel Coderre]. The 2001 SEQ meeting will be held November 8-9 with the theme of “Entomology and sustainable agriculture: towards an integrated production of fruit and vegetables”. Dr. Daniel Coderre has been selected as the Dean of the faculty of science at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Dr. Daphne Fairbairn is leaving Concordia University to go to southern California (with Dr. Derek Roff, McGill University). For Newfoundland and the Maritimes Dr. Larson reported that in Newfoundland much of the provincial civil service is being decentralized, including most of the natural resources related departments. As a result there have been massive resignations. Work on insects in endangered dune ecosystems will be proceed if the relevant person chooses to continue in her position. A study last summer showed that “bug zappers” are not effective and could even be considered an environmental menace by killing non-target insects. A survey in the Guelph of St. Lawrence showed the wide use by fish fry of insects in surface drift. Dr. Giberson reported that Health Canada is taking the threat of West Nile virus very seriously. The strategy this summer will be to monitor for dead crows potentially killed by the virus. The issue is leading to a number of large-scale mosquito surveys in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Dr. Giberson’s studies in national parks continue. The annual meeting of the Acadian Entomological Society will be held at the University of Prince Edward Island, August 23-24, 2001. Dr. Trefor Reynoldson, an aquatic entomologist, has been seconded from Environment Canada (Burlington) to Acadia University and will be studying the aquatic insects of major rivers. For the Arctic, Dr. Ring announced that he will not be going to the arctic this year because logistic support from the Polar Shelf Continental Project in the western arctic is not available and the centre at Tuktoyaktuk is closed. He has seen no tangible benefits yet resulting from the report of the national task force on northern research and he contrasted this situation with the role of the Norwegian Polar Institute that has provided considerable funding for research. Dr. Ring cited some figures from the financial statement in the annual report of the Canadian Polar Commission, showing that half of the annual budget of $956,000 is allocated for salaries and benefits of staff and the remainder for such things as professional services, travel, accommodation, honoraria for board members and overhead costs, but none for research. However, NSERC has announced some new northern research chairs. Available positions in the arctic recently advertised are supported by U.S. rather than Canadian funding. Dr. Sperling noted that Dr. James Kruse, a systematic Lepidopterist, recently started a three-year position as curator of entomology at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. 2. Other matters |
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