The Canadian Field-Naturalist (E-Journal)
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First report of Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) on Newfoundland
Get PDFThe island of Newfoundland has no native amphibian taxa, although six species of Anura (i.e., frogs and toads) have been introduced since European colonisation, four of which have established self-sustaining populations. Here, we document Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) on Newfoundland for the first time, in what appears to be a self-sustaining population near Conception Bay South. This is the first species of Caudata (i.e., newts and salamanders) to have been introduced to the island, as well as the first occurrence of Eastern Red-backed Salamander establishing a population outside its native range. The impact that this non-native species might have on forest ecosystems on Newfoundland is unclear and further study is required to determine whether eradication of the species from Newfoundland is necessary or feasible.
 
"A Trillion Trees: Restoring Our Forests by Trusting in Nature" by Fred Pearce, 2022. [book review]
No full textThe intertidal fish collections of Ed Ricketts at Tofino, British Columbia, Canada, 1945 and 1946
Get PDFFew studies exist on the intertidal fish fauna of the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The earliest known regional insights into intertidal fish diversity for the Tofino area were made by iconic marine ecologist Edward Flanders Ricketts. We reviewed his 1945 and 1946 collection cards, now available online. He made 111 collections of 20 species and 294 specimens. Most of these species were cottids (nine species) or pricklebacks (three species), with flatfish, greenlings, poachers, snailfish, gunnels, sand lance, and clingfishes each represented by one or two species. We briefly compare the data with contemporary studies and suggest opportunities for using his museum-curated physical specimens for further analyses
Notes on the nomenclature, characteristics, status, and biology of Field Thesium, Thésium des Champs (Thesium ramosum Hayne; Thesiaceae/Santalaceae), a potentially serious invasive plant in Alberta
Get PDFField Thesium (Thesium ramosum Hayne; Thesiaceae/Santalaceae) is an alien species in Canada, previously misidentified as Thesium arvense Horvátovszky or Flaxleaf (Thesium linophyllon L.). It is a hemiparasitic herb characterized by its many 25–50 cm long aerial stems that grow indeterminately from a caudex. Its narrow leaves extend along each aerial stem from their base into the paniculate inflorescence. The flowers are white, 4–5 mm wide, with five corolla lobes; they are perfect and occur singly, subtended by a three-parted bract at the tip of a narrow pedicel, with 60–90 such flowers along each inflorescence. Its roots develop profuse haustoria that attach to host plant roots. Thesium ramosum is compared to the related native genera, Comandra and Geocaulon (placed in Comandraceae or Santalaceae), which share features but differ by having determinate growth and being unbranched. Thesium ramosum is widespread from western Europe to western China, but in North America it is known from only three western states and Alberta, where it has established in Fish Creek Provincial Park and elsewhere in Calgary. Worldwide, many species in the genus Thesium are notable invasives and T. ramosum has the potential to be a high risk invasive in North America. Observations in the park show that it can spread rapidly and parasitize many host species. It does not have federal or provincial control status in Canada, but because it is parasitic and has potential to become widespread, it is regulated in the USA by the United States Department of Agriculture
Dispelling myths about the origins of wolf–coyote hybrids and related Canis species in Ontario
Get PDFLong-standing myths exist about the origins of wolf–coyote hybrids and related Canis species in Ontario. Specifically, there is a perceived controversy whether they are the product of natural hybridization that occurred between wolves and coyotes in the wild during the last century or the descendants of animals that escaped or were released from captive colonies or controlled breeding experiments. We review the relevant evidence and conclude that captive colonies and controlled breeding experiments were unlikely to have played any role in the origins of wolf–coyote hybrids and related Canis species in Ontario
A disjunct population of American Hazelnut (Corylus americana): a new plant species for the Ottawa district
Get PDFA previously unknown population of American Hazelnut (Corylus americana), a native shrub species, has been discovered in the Ottawa district. This location is disjunct from the species’ nearest known populations. Although American Hazelnut is not a particularly conspicuous species, it was found in a relatively well documented area. The location includes remnant vegetation from the Constance Bay Sandhills, a former savannah habitat, including other species whose occurrence in the region is disjunct. American Hazelnut is strongly affiliated with savannahs and related habitats across Ontario and the upper midwest of the United States
"Sentient: How Animals Illuminate the Wonder of our Human Senses" by Jackie Higgins, 2021. [book review]
No full textA synopsis of lycophytes in Manitoba, Canada: their status, distribution, abundance, and habitats
Get PDFA steady increase in the number of lycophyte taxa discovered in Manitoba over the last 20 years prompted a determination of which species should be included in an updated provincial list. Collections made throughout the province since 2008 and a critical examination of over 1000 herbarium specimens enabled a substantive review and update of Manitoba’s lycophyte flora. It now comprises 22 taxa: 14 species and two hybrid clubmosses (Lycopodiaceae), three spikemosses (Selaginellaceae), and two species and one hybrid quillwort (Isoetaceae). Thirteen of the 21 species are designated to be of conservation concern, with NatureServe ranks of Critically Imperilled (S1; three), Imperilled (S2; two), or Vulnerable (S3; nine). Based on verified specimens, we describe the abundance and habitats, and summarize recent changes in nomenclature and systematics for all Manitoba lycophyte taxa
Eighteenth census of seabirds breeding in the sanctuaries of the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 2015
Get PDFIn 1925, ten migratory bird sanctuaries were created on the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and their breeding seabird populations have been censused every five years since. Between 2010 and 2015, only three alcid species exhibited positive population trends (Razorbill [Alca torda], Common Murre [Uria aalge], and Atlantic Puffin [Fratercula arctica]), while the remaining 13 species showed declining trends. Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous) and Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) are on the verge of disappearing from the sanctuaries, and the prolonged and rapid decline in Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is worrisome. Based on historical records since 1925, it appears that seabird communities are faring well in some sanctuaries (e.g., Baie de Brador, Îles aux Perroquets, and Îles Sainte-Marie), while numbers are at low levels in others (e.g., Île à la Brume, Baie des Loups, and Saint-Augustin). Human disturbance, harvest of seabirds (eggs and birds), and predation are among the issues potentially most affecting seabird populations on the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Gimme shelter: anthropogenic structures as resting sites for American Marten (Martes americana)
Get PDFSeveral species of martens (Martes spp.) are reported to use buildings as resting or den sites. However, such behaviour has not been attributed to American Marten (Martes americana). We report American Marten using occupied buildings and evidence of suspected use of an abandoned cabin, as resting sites in southern Yukon, Canada. These observations further highlight the behavioural flexibility of North American species of Martes with regard to using novel structures as resting sites