Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada Vol. 35(2) Winter 2016 The Newsletter of the BSC is published twice a year by the Biological Survey of Canada, an incorporated not-for-profit In this issue group devoted to promoting biodiversity science in Canada. From the editor’s desk.....2 Information on Student Corner: Membership ....................3 The effects of in situ extraction on boreal forest President’s Update ..........4 butterflies in the Alberta oil BSC on facebook & twit- sands..........................6 ter....................................5 Federico Riva University of Alberta BSC Student Corner: ........5 Boreal forest butterflies..6 Southern Alberta Tardigrades on mosses Tardigrades.................9 from southern Alberta grasslands: extraction, Carmacks Bioblitz 2016...14 occurrence, and density Book announcements: .................................9 - A Handbook to the Julietta Sorensen and Ticks of Canada (Ixo- Cameron Goater, University of Lethbridge dida: Ixodidae, Argasi- dae)..............................16 -The Biological Survey of Canada: A Personal History..........................17 2016 BioBlitz: Carmacks Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification: Yukon.........14 recent paper...................18 Check out the BSC Website: Publications ....18 Book Announcements: Biota of Canada Project Handbook to the Ticks of Canada..................16 Synopis ..........................19 The Biological Survey of Canada: A personal History.........................................................17 BSC FAQs........................20 Project synopsis Notices ...........................21 Biota of Canada: Your chance to get involved.................................19 FYI and FAQs about the BSC: BSC President Dave Langor answers questions about the Biological Survey and the Biological Survey Foundation..20 Visit our Website | Previous issues http://biologicalsurvey.ca http://biologicalsurvey.ca/pages/read/newsletter-past-issues Contact us: [email protected] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 2 From the Editor’s desk Donna Giberson This year marks 35 years of publishing the BSC Newsletter, and next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Biological Survey of Canada; both important milestones for our organization. It is exciting to report on all the activities in which the Biological Survey of Canada is involved, particularly after the tough years immediately following the separa- tion of the Survey from the National Museum of Canada. Our new Board has brought a lot of energy to ongoing and new projects, and we can look forward to special issues of Zookeys and The Canadian Entomologist that will feature work of the Biological Survey, as well as the publication this year of the important “Ticks of Canada” monograph. As we celebrate or look forward to these publications, we also have the chance to glance backwards, with the publication of a History of the BSC, by Hugh Danks. What a wealth of reading about Canadian Biodiversity for 2017! If you haven’t yet looked up our website or checked out the BSC on facebook, consider doing so, and send us your comments; of course, if there are any little bumps in navigating the site, we’d like to hear about them. The new site will continue to have links to biodiversity resources of the BSC, and our publications, and will be easier to keep up to date. Check it out, at http://biologicalsurvey.ca/ D.Giberson Tiger beetles on Blooming Point Beach, PEI. The Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada is published twice a year (summer and winter) by the Biological Survey of Canada, an incorporated not-for-profit group devoted to promoting biodiversity science in Canada, particularly with respect to the Arthropoda. Send submissions to: Dr. Donna Giberson ([email protected]) Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3 Masthead image: Tricoloured Bumblebee, Bombus ternarius photographed on lupins in PEI in 2010, D.Giberson Volume 35(2) Winter 2016 Return to front page Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 3 Biological Survey of Canada: Documenting Canada’s Biodiversity The Biological Survey of Canada (BSC) has been collecting, collating, analyzing and disseminating information about Canada’s biological diversity since 1977. The BSC is a non-profit, charitable organization consisting of biodiversity scientists across the country, and in other countries, who have an interest in Canadian biota. The BSC prides itself in identifying and filling biodiversity information needs using a bottom-up organizational structure, whereby front-line workers identify the needs and work to address them. The BSC has successfully demonstrated its capacity to advance national level biodiversity science and knowledge concerning terrestrial arthropods, which account for >60% of Canadian species, and is now reaching out to the broader biological community to bring together those who are experts with other taxa and who share a common vision and goal of making biodiversity information more accessible. Are you a member of the BSC? You may be on the mailing list to receive BSC newsletters, but may not be a member! To become a member, send a request for membership to the BSC Secretary, Jade Sav- age (see below). Remember to request membership before the AGM so you are eligible to vote. If you don’t hear from us within a couple of weeks, please contact us again, to be sure your request has been received. TO JOIN THE BSC: Send an email to Dr. J. Savage, Secretary, BSC. [email protected] - In the subject line, write “BSC Membership” - in the body of the message, give your full name and contact infor- mation, and a valid email address. Remember to update the BSC if you change email addresses. Please also provide some informa- tion on your background and biodiversity interests. Check out the BSC website! http://biologicalsurvey.ca/ Volume 35(2) Winter 2016 Return to front page Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 4 Winter Update: Biological Survey of Canada/ Commission biologique du Canada activities David Langor Northern Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Edmonton, AB As I sit writing this report, outside my office window the snow is coming down quickly, nearly horizontally, and the temperature is plummeting. This unpleasantness is, however, somewhat balanced with the pleasant thoughts of the pending holiday season that is just around the corner. Preparation of this update has turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant diversion from the ‘weather blues’ – surprising because I generally consider report-writing of any sort to be an odious task – pleasant (this time) because it caused me to realize how much the BSC continually accomplishes despite limited funds and lacking a Secretariat, which was a major support element over most of the history of the organi- zation. The last six months have been busy! Our e-journal, the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification, released olumeV 29 – Identification of Delia pest species (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) in cultivated cru- cifers and other vegetable crops in Canada by Jade Savage et al. If you are devel- oping manuscripts that would be suitable for this peer-reviewed journal, please contact the editor, Steve Marshall ([email protected]). Thank-you Steve for your continued leadership and dedication. The newest BSC monograph, a terrific book on theTicks of Canada by Lindquist et al., was published in late September and is available for purchase through Volumes Di- rect. It is also available for free download from the BSC website. Congratulations to the authors for this very valuable addition to Canadian scientific literature. As well, the BSC has just published an important historical document, The Biological Survey of Cana- da: A Personal History by Hugh Danks, one of the founders of the BSC. It is chock-full of information and stories about the BSC and the many people who were involved in its inception and success. This document will be available for free download from our web- site early in the New Year, 2017. The BSC held a very successful Bio-Blitz near Carmacks, Yukon, June 24-26, 2016. The >60 participants were able to collect in Beringian territory and at other nearby localities. A special thanks to Syd Cannings and his team for organizing this opportunity to sample biodiversity in a fascinating and under-sampled place. The BSC is organizing a Bio-Blitz for 2017 in the Cypress Hills of southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, and in the nearby Great Sand Hills of SK. The Biota of Canada (BoC) Project made some good progress. The first olumev of the ‘Biodiversity Assessment’ series, which focuses on terrestrial arthropods is underway with authors now busy writing the ca. 40 papers that will comprise this Special Issue of ZooKeys. This work, edited by David Langor and Cory Sheffield, will essentially revisit the taxon-focused chapters in Danks (1979) Canada and Its Insect Fauna, and provide the first comprehensive update in almost 40 years. As well, planning for the Biota of Canada Checklist series is well under way and we expect the official launching of this long-term series in the Biodiversity Data Journal early in 2017. To help mark the 40th anniversary of the BSC, a special commemorative issue of The Canadian Entomologist, edited by Héctor Cárcamo and Donna Giberson, is underway and should be published by the time of the 2017 Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of Canada and Manitoba. As well,