Mapping Species Distributions

E-FLORA NEWS

Trillium ovatum, photo by David Blevins

Read BEN (Botanical Electronic News), edited by Adolf Ceska

Coming Soon!

Our interactive mapping on E-Flora will change soon when we incorporate new mapping software. Programming and set up for the new interactive maps is underway. The exciting part about the new software is the ability to allow us to map photo records, so any photos that are published that have associated GPS (lat/long or UTM) info, will have a dot place on the maps. The photo records will have their own layer in the interactive maps. We also hope to add in the ability to view the associated photo record that accompany each new distribution dot. Depending on how quickly the programming goes, we hope to have the new maps available early in 2010. Check our news section on the home page for an announcement.

The Fungi Photo Collection

Our fungi photo collection on E-Flora has grown substantially thanks to Michael Beug and Adolf and Oluna Ceska. This collection will increase as new species names are added to the BC fungi list by Ian Gibson, who is developng the fungi component on E-Flora. (January 2010)

New Fungi Survey: Marcofungi of Observatory Hill, June 2009

Read about the five year survey of the macrofungi of Observatory Hill in the Saanich Peninsula, by Oluna Ceska. Long-term surveys of fungi are uncommon, and show that continuing survey over several years is needed to capture the fungi flora--one year of survey doesn't reveal the richness of a site. (December 2009)

New on E-Flora BC: The Macrofungi of Haida Gwaii

Just published! The first substantive report on the macrofungi of Haida Gwaii by Paul Kroeger, Oluna Ceska, Christine Roberts, and Bryce Kendricks. Read more here. View a checklist of the macrofungi of Haida Gawii.

Dying Coastal Forests?

Researchers have shown that global warming is causing high mortality in our coastal forests. Read more.

A new invasive species in BC? (October 30, 2008)

Cheryl Power, resident forester at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, has reported an invasion of Devil's walking stick (Aralia spinosa) in the research forest

She says: "It has shown up in recent years, in numerous locations in the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest north of Maple Ridge, and it is increasing in numbers.  I don’t know the source but presumably it is grown ornamentally in urban areas, and seed is distributed by birds.  It is extremely vigorous and fast growing on numerous site types, easily overtopping all native tree and shrub regeneration.  It can also spread by rhizome or root suckering, and therefore often shows up in clumps.  They resprout easily and are heavily armed with long sharp spines, making them difficult to remove." This species is not a part of the BC flora at this time, but an assessment of its status will be made.

Aralia spinosa (Devil's walking stick), photo by Cheryl Power.

Aralia spinosa, photo by Cheryl Power