The Canadian Field-Naturalist (E-Journal)
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"Deep Into Yellowstone: A Year’s Immersion in Grandeur and Controversy" by Rick Lamplugh, 2017. [book review]
No full textNorthern Snakes Appear Much More Abundant in Old Fields than in Forests
Get PDFTemperature is one of the most important factors regulating habitat selection by ectotherms. Through behavioural thermoregulation, reptiles maintain preferred body temperatures and thereby maximize fitness. At northern latitudes, small colubrids appear to use forest habitat rarely because of thermal constraints. In cool environments, open habitats such as old fields offer more favourable thermal conditions than forest. We studied two northern colubrid snakes, Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) and Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis), in Gatineau Park, Quebec, Canada, to test the hypothesis that small northern snakes are more abundant in open than in closed habitats because open habitats provide better opportunities for thermoregulation. Snakes were sampled using large arrays of tin and plywood coverboards. Snakes were indeed much more abundant in old fields than in forest, and fields offered more favourable thermal conditions. Most snakes were captured in spring and summer (May to August) when temperatures were highest. Storeria occipitomaculata preferred tin over plywood coverboards. We confirmed an apparent strong preference for open habitats in northern snakes
Evidence for a Negative Effect of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) on Invasive European Fire Ants (Myrmica rubra)
Get PDFNesting of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in western Lake Ontario is associated with reduced abundance and nest density of European Fire Ants (Myrmica rubra). The impact on fire ants may be substrate related. It is of potential importance because of the negative effect of fire ants on ground-nesting water birds
"Plant Ecology: Origins, Processes, Consequences. Second Edition" by Paul Keddy, 2017. [book review]
No full text"Marine Fishes of Arctic Canada" by Brian W. Coad and James D. Reist, 2017. [book review]
No full text"Flora of Florida Volume 5 (Dicotyledons, Gisekiaceae through Boraginaceae)" by R.P. Wunderlin, B.F. Hansen, and A.R. Franck, 2018. [book review]
Get PDFFirst Occurrence of a Juvenile Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) in Ontario Waters of Lake Ontario
Get PDFThis paper documents the first juvenile Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) captured in Ontario waters of Lake Ontario. It was found during August 2016 monitoring activities at Port of Newcastle. Its occurrence represents a significant westward range expansion from recently documented adults in the eastern basin of Lake Ontario/Bay of Quinte/St. Lawrence River, likely colonizing from United States waters of Lake Ontario
Record longevity of a Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
Get PDFTurtles are known for their longevity, but the maximum life span for many species remains unknown. Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) can live for more than 30 years in the wild, but typical or maximum longevity has not been confirmed. As part of a long-term mark–recapture project in Ottawa, Ontario, near the species’ northern limit, an adult female was captured on 27 April 2017. It had first been marked on 11 June 1983, when it was an adult with 17 growth rings on its plastron. Based on the number of growth rings at first capture, and the intervening time, this turtle is a minimum of 51 years old, setting a longevity record for the species. Ten individuals in this population were at least 30 years old when last captured, including a male at least 41 years old. Few of these turtles have grown measurably since being marked in 1983, and it is likely that these minimum ages are underestimates of actual ages