A pristine boreal wetland such as this can be home to hundreds of species, including aquatic invertebrates, water-loving plants and migratory birds. Exploring the word that drives our monitoring program –biodiversity– “’Biodiversity’ is another word for the ‘unknown’”–Ola Pierossi, ABMI Information Coordinator This week, the world celebrated the United Nations’ International Day of Biological Diversity. [...]
Bryologist Richard Caners studies a moss specimen in a peatland near Cold Lake, Alberta. “The best aspect of my job is the fact that I get to study and work with bryophytes every day.” – Richard Caners, Bryologist for the ABMI and the Royal Alberta Museum – Anyone who meets Dr. Richard Caners walks away a convert. [...]
A dung moss, also known as Splachnum ampullaceum. Photo: R. Caners If you can get past the unflattering name, dung mosses might just be one of the most fascinating groups of species you will ever come across. As the name suggests most species in this moss family are closely associated with dung. But they do [...]
Field season. It is the means by which the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) keeps its metaphorical finger on the pulse of Alberta’s many diverse species and ecosystems. Each spring and summer, the ABMI launches an enormous effort to monitor Alberta’s biodiversity across the province, from boreal bog to prairie pasture. Field season involves some [...]
How the ABMI successfully reaches all four corners of Alberta’s wilderness to collect biodiversity data. Before dawn, the early spring morning is tranquil. Mike Boucher, ABMI terrestrial field coordinator, carefully manipulates his truck down a narrow and winding logging road, which is still illuminated by the nearly full moon. Having left his temporary field base [...]
The ABMI’s expertise in the assessment of rangeland and grassland biodiversity is drawing international recognition. This past March, ABMI ecologist Dr. Shannon White hit the global stage in Rome, Italy to contribute her knowledge and skills to an urgent question: what are the impacts of livestock production on biodiversity? Dr. White is the sole North [...]
“I try to remind everybody to take a step back and look at the magnitude of what we’re doing. I think people on the ABMI staff take a lot of pride in that.” Colin Twitchell, Director, ABMI’s Monitoring Centre Every spring, in the final weeks of April, ABMI’s Monitoring Centre in Vegreville could be mistaken [...]
Did you know that earthworms are not native to Alberta? It’s ok if you didn’t—surveys done by the Alberta Worm Invasion Project show that only 15% of anglers are aware of this. The Alberta Worm Invasion Project—spearheaded by Dr. Erin Cameron and Dr. Erin Bayne*—is working to boost public awareness of earthworm invasions through basic [...]