Densities and Biomass Relationships of Birds Nesting in Boreal Forest Habitats

A spot-mapping technique was applied to obtain quantitative data on bird populations on 25-acre (10 hectare) plots in northern boreal forest habitats. The number of breeding passerines varied from 15 to 42 pairs per plot. The number of species varied from 6 to 11 breeding passerines and 4 to 8 non-passerines and non-breeding passerines. Biomass of the breeding passerines ranged from 3100 to 5496 grams per 100 acres (40 hectare). Members of the Fringillidae family contributed the highest percentage of the total avian biomass, followed by Turdidae, Parulidae, Bombycillidae, Sylviidae, Paridae and Tyrannidae.Densités et rapports de biomasse chez des oiseaux nichant sur des aires d’étude.  Dans des habitats de forêt boréale nordique, on a appliqué, sur des aires de 25 acres (10 hectares), une technique de cartographie ponctuelle pour obtenir des données quantitatives sur les populations d’oiseaux.  De 15 à 42 paires de passereaux couvaient sur chaque aire.  Le nombre d’espèces variait de 6 à 11 pour les passereaux.  D’une aire à l’autre, la biomasse des passereaux couvant variait de 3100 à 5496 grammes par 100 acres (40 hectares).  Le plus grand pourcentage de la biomasse aviaire totale était formé par les membres de la famille des Fingillidés, suivis par les Turdidés, les Parulidés, les Bombycillidés, les Sylviidés, les Paridés et les Tyrannidés

Overwintering Birds Observed Along The Mackenzie-Great Slave Lake Highways

The Rae and Heart Lake regions fall within the Hay River, Upper Mackenzie and northwestern transition sections of the transcontinental boreal forest region and mostly within the Canadian life zone. The subarctic climate is characterized by long cold winters, short warm summers and light precipitation. Of approx 105 bird species that breed in these areas, only 13 species overwinter. An annotated list of these species is given

Recent Invasion, Current Status and Invasion Pathway of European Common Reed, Phragmites australis subspecies australis, in the Southern Ottawa District

A survey of populations of native North American Common Reed (Phragmites australis subsp. americanus) and the introduced invasive alien, European Common Reed (Phragmites australis subsp. australis) was conducted in four eastern Ontario townships in 2003. The historical status of the two taxa in the region was evaluated through reference to herbarium specimens collected over the past century. The introduced subspecies appears to have entered the district in the 1970s and subsequently assumed dominance but was not recognized as an alien until 2003. It is now widespread in the four townships where ninety-five populations were recorded during the 2003 survey. Of these, 25 were referable to the native subspecies which was localized and 70 were referable to the introduced subspecies which was widespread. The native subspecies occurs in natural wetlands and also spreads to roadsides, but the introduced subspecies is much more strongly associated with roads, where the rhizomes extend onto gravel shoulders and are broken and transported by construction equipment, graders, ploughs, mowers, and in the treads of many kinds of vehicles. Sensitive wetlands should have buffer zones exceeding 1000 m to prevent colonization of subsp. australis. Monitoring of the two subspecies will be essential to the protection of native biodiversity, since early detection of the alien subspecies in a sensitive wetland will offer the best opportunity for control

Descriptions of Wolf Attacks on Bison Calves in Wood Buffalo National Park

Wolf predation on bison in Wood Buffalo Park and adjacent areas in late spring/early summer season was observed to be directed toward cow/calf herds. While hunting, wolf packs in early summer developed a strong preference for herds with calves. Packs of four to six individuals were observed. Of 14 interactions recorded, 12 were made from ground observations and 2 were made from the air. Five apparent defense strategies to protect calves were noted. These were: (1) to run to the cow, (2) to run to a herd, (3 ) to run to the nearest bull, (4) to get out in front and center of a stampeding herd and (5) to run through water bodies. When fleeing from wolves in open areas, cow with young calves took the lead, while bulls often were seen at the rear of the herds. When under attack from wolves, cows and particularly bulls were sometimes seen to defend the calves. Killing attempts observed in this study lasted from a few minutes to 11 hours.Key words: wolf predation, bison, wolves, antipredator defense, Wood Buffalo National ParkMots clés: prédation des loups, bisons, loups, défense contre les prédateurs, parc national Wood Buffal

Invasive Scots Pine, Pinus sylvestris, Replacing Corema, Corema conradii, Heathland in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia

Examination of air photos from 1930, 1970 and 2002 revealed stands of the European Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) invading remnants of natural Corema (Corema conradii) heathland in the Annapolis valley. To document the impact of the introduced pines, four natural habitats were compared with two adjacent habitats already invaded by the pines. All surveyed habitats had been dominated by Corema heath based on air photos taken in 1930. Twenty 1 m2 quadrats were used to record presence and cover of vascular plants at each site. The invasive alien pines reduce the native cover to 12%. Vascular plant biodiversity is reduced to less than 42% and the cover of the heathland dominant, Corema conradii, is reduced from over 100 % to less than 2%. with Deschampsia flexuosa becoming the dominant species. The modified ecosystem and loss of biodiversity has economic impacts through loss of pollinators of agricultural crops and loss of germplasm of native crop relatives

The Evolution of Biological Societies in Alberta

At present, four organizations serve biologists in Alberta: The Alberta Chapter of the Wildlife Society (ACTWS), The Alberta Native Plants Council (ANPC), The Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB), and The Canadian Society of Environmental Biologists (CSEB). Only the ASPB is a professional regulatory organization, two of the others (CSEB and ACTWS) have their origins in the Canadian Society of Wildlife and Fisheries Biologists (CSWFB) while ANPC is a non-regulatory society with independent origin. A fifth organization, the Canadian Chapter of Society for Conservation Biology, is being organized through initiatives resulting from the 24th International Congress for Conservation Biology, held in Edmonton in July 2010. Its role in Canada is not yet defined. The first biological society to function in Alberta was a chapter of The Canadian Society of Wildlife and Fisheries Biologists (CSWFB). After 10 years this organization morphed into the CSEB when the hopes of creating a professional status faded. This change forced the CSPB towards forming a professional voice on resource use, and towards a communication medium for biological resource management. Biological consulting firms proliferated in the late 1960s and early 1970s, coinciding with provincial and federal governments forming departments of the environment. Pressures from these events created a perceived need by some biologists for a self-regulating, professional organization, which comes under provincial jurisdiction. To this end, the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB) formed in 1975, and in 1991 received its Professional Biologist title status (P.Biol.) for members under the Societies Act of Alberta. The Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society (ACTWS) was formed in 1989; its focus was on research, science and wildlife management

Wolf Interactions with Non-prey

WOLVES SHARE THEIR ENVIRONMENT with many animals besides those that they prey on, and the nature of the interactions between wolves and these other creatures varies considerably. Some of these sympatric animals are fellow canids such as foxes, coyotes, and jackals. Others are large carnivores such as bears and cougars. In addition, ravens, eagles, wolverines, and a host of other birds and mammals interact with wolves, if only by feeding on the remains of their kills

An Analysis of the Vascular Flora of Annapolis Heathlands, Nova Scotia

A description and analysis of the vascular plant composition of heathlands in the Annapolis valley were undertaken to provide a basis for biodiversity preservation within a system of protected sites. Species presence and abundance were recorded at 23 remnant sites identified using topographic maps, air photos, and Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources records. A total of 126 species was recorded, of which 94 were native and 31 introduced. The Annapolis heathland remnants are strongly dominated by Corema conradii with Comptonia peregrina, Vaccinium angustifolium and Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum. A number of species, including Solidago bicolor, Carex tonsa var. rugosperma, Dichanthelium depauperatum, Lechea intermedia, Melampyrum lineare, and Rubus hispidus, were characteristic of heathland remnants, although they usually contributed little to the total cover. The most frequent alien species were Hieracium pilosella and Festuca filiformis, but Pinus sylvestris, present at 7 of 18 sites, appeared to have the greatest impact in displacing native species. Species listed as at risk and sensitive in Nova Scotia, including Helianthemun canadense, Hudsonia ericoides and Viola sagittata var. ovata, occur in open disturbed sand in the Corema heathlands. Distinctive patterns of variation occur in several species and variation in crop relatives is noted with particular reference to the genera Rubus (blackberries), Amelanchier (Juneberries, Saskatoon) and Vaccinium (Blueberries). The available evidence suggests that the heathlands and sandy barrens in the Annapolis valley differ from those further west in Canada and from anthropogenic and coastal heathlands of Nova Scotia in their species composition including particularly the presence of Corema conradii, Hudsonia ericoides and Amelanchier lucida. The need to protect representative examples is supported

Importance of resource selection and social behavior to partitioning of hostile space by sympatric canids

Investigations into mechanisms of resource partitioning are particularly suited to systems where nascent interactive behaviors are observable. Wolf (Canis lupus) recolonization of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem provided such a system, and we were able to identify behaviors influencing the partitioning of resources by coyotes (Canis latrans) and wolves. We observed coyote–wolf interactions immediately after wolf recolonization, when reemergent behaviors mediating the outcome of competitive interactions were detectable and mechanisms of spatial avoidance were identifiable. Although coyotes used the same space as wolves, they likely minimized risk of encounter by making adaptive changes in resource selection based on perception of wolf activity and potential scavenging opportunities. When exploiting carrion subsidies (i.e., wolf-killed ungulates), coyotes relied on social behaviors (i.e., numerical advantage in concert with heightened aggression) to mitigate escalating risk from wolves and increase resource-holding potential. By adapting behaviors to fluctuating risk, coyotes might reduce the amplitude of competitive asymmetries. We concluded coyotes do not perceive wolves as a threat requiring generalized spatial avoidance. Rather, the threat of aggressive interactions with wolves is spatially discrete and primarily contained to areas adjacent to carrion resources

An Unparalleled Opportunity for an Important Ecological Study

Wolves (Canis lupus) and moose (Alces americanus) have been studied since 1958 on 540-squarekilometer Isle Royale National Park, in Lake Superior. Wolves arrived there across the ice around 1949, and the population once increased to about 50, averaging about 25 annually (Mech 1966, Jordan et al. 1967, Vucetich and Peterson 2009). However, for various reasons, wolf numbers there have now dwindled to 2 nonbreeders, and the US National Park Service has proposed reintroducing 20–30 wolves over 3 years (National Park Service 2016). This situation offers an unparalleled opportunity to promote science-based management of this unique national park. The park has long been in the public eye for its world-renowned wolf and moose populations. Visitors to this island wilderness are especially interested in the scientific studies it has yielded and in maintaining its ecosystem