[Taxacom] state of Canada's biodiveristy

Thu Jun 10 01:17:06 CDT 2010

Yes indeed, taxonomic information is necessary, and actually for the users it is often not decisive to have all single bits and pieces figured out. Some information that is imprecise is better than none.

What you can do with good taxonomic information is seen with all the Birds and Butterflies, leading to Important Bird/Butterfly areas, which gave rise to the Key Biodiversity Area concept. Just read an IUCN report on that.

Developing world or not: NO country has all the capacities and infrastructure to deal with all biodiversity components on its ground. And whats wrong with sharing... If no-body uses my data then they have no value anyway...

Well some loose thoughts

Best
Fabian

-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Donat Agosti
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 8:04 AM
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Cc: 'Ishwaran, Natarajan'; 'Hans Herrmann'
Subject: [Taxacom] state of Canada's biodiveristy

Below is the executive summary of the forthcoming report on "The State of
Biodiversity Information in Canada" written by Nature Serve Canada.

This is not very promising news in many respects, and an open door for all
to continue to use our natural world as they please, since we do not have a
really good arguments to set limits. That means conservation relies on the
effort of devoted people to protect one particular piece of land, and not on
the context of how this piece of land relies to the bigger pattern.

Part of the blame lays also on us taxonomists who do not provide an
infrastructure users like the conservation community could rely upon.

It also shows that even Canada does rely on its southern neighbour for
biodiversity information: This in fact shows the value of building a global,
shared infrastructure that is of use not just for developing countries but
the developed as well. Sharing also means saving, not repeating what already
exists. And that is something we need to do, but it means we need learn to
share.

Donat

Executive Summary

To understand the state of biodiversity in Canada, it is important to
understand the state of

available biodiversity information.1 Effective biodiversity information
allows assessments of

ecosystem health, the state of at-risk species, the location and
distribution of invasive

species, and changes in species numbers or distributions. Canada needs
biodiversity

information to manage, respond, and adapt to a variety of environmental
changes (e.g.,

climate) through time. Such information is critical to Canada's Biodiversity
Outcomes

Framework, and to meeting commitments set out in the Convention on
Biological Diversity.

Biodiversity itself has intrinsic, economic, social, cultural, and
evolutionary value as well as

providing a variety of ecosystem services. Biodiversity occurs at local
(fine) through broad

scales and encompasses genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. Primary
biodiversity

information identifies, locates, and communicates the status of biodiversity
at different scales.

The biodiversity information required for managing species and ecosystems
must be supported

by accurate, consistent, science-based data, which is developed by
biologists, ecologists, and

other experts.

This report, which outlines the state of primary biodiversity information in
Canada, is based on

(1) a review of available literature including biodiversity-related
legislation, policies, and

initiatives; (2) known sources of Canadian biodiversity information, in
particular data held by

the NatureServe Canada network of conservation data centres and the Global
Biodiversity

Information Facility;2 and (3) interviews with selected key experts
(Appendix 1).

This review found that Canada's biodiversity information requires dramatic
improvement if it is

going to serve Canadian needs. Specifically, it found that:

1. Canada does not have ready access to the biodiversity information needed
to understand its natural

heritage or assess the shared outcomes set out in Canada's Biodiversity
Outcomes Framework.

2. Canada has significant data holdings for some taxonomic groups (e.g.,
birds, mammals), largely developed

in response to legislative priorities or opportunistic data gathering
efforts, yet, in most cases,

that information is inaccessible or inconsistent.

3. Canada lacks both an understanding of its species diversity and a
national inventory program

designed to develop primary information for known species.

4. Canada does not have a national biomonitoring system that works across
scales and builds on

existing initiatives, nor the depth of interpretive expertise required to
monitor ecological change.

Canada needs to invest in bio-monitoring and mapping (including
remote-sensing and other related

technologies).

5. Canada lacks investments in taxonomic expertise (capacity) and digitized
data (presently

held as "hard-copy" in Canadian collections). It is ill-prepared to respond
to issues like species

extinction potentials, invasive species, and climate change.

6. Canada needs to promote biodiversity information sharing and access,
including one or

more common repositories, and remove cultural and institutional barriers
that keep information

fragmented.

7. Canada needs to complete efforts to classify and map ecological
communities (wetlands,

grasslands, arctic tundra, etc.) as a complement to species data, and as a
means of exploring

and enhancing its understanding of Canadian ecosystems.

8. Canada's approach to biodiversity information management must be based on
a strategy

that recognizes the shared, multi-jurisdictional mandate and responsibility
for biodiversity

conservation.

9. Canada needs an effective national biodiversity information partnership
among federal,

provincial, and territorial agencies that includes non-government, academic,
aboriginal

groups, and the business community.

10. Institutions in other countries, in particular the United States,
publish more primary information

about Canadian biodiversity than Canada does.

In the short-term, priority for discovery and biodiversity information
development

should be given to: (a) regions facing rapid environmental change, where
there is a

lack of baseline data, particularly in Canada's north; (b) regions with
highly valued

ecosystem components, such as wetlands or other areas of high conservation
value;

(c) regions with rapidly growing human populations and related development;
(d)

known biodiversity "hot spots; and (e) taxa that are poorly known in Canada.

The growing demands of Canadian society exceed the current supply of
biodiversity

information required to protect and conserve our natural heritage. To be
effective,

Canada needs an appropriately funded and staffed primary steward of
biodiversity information.

It needs a non-advocacy group that gathers, maintains, and provides that

information, addresses legislative priorities and emerging policy issues,
links economic

and social development, and informs decision-making.

Dr. Donat Agosti

President

Plazi

Research Associate, American Museum of Natural History and Naturmuseum der
Burgergemeinde Bern

Email: agosti at amnh.org

Web:  <http://antbase.org/> http://antbase.org / http://plazi.org

Blog:  <http://biodivcontext.blogspot.com/>
http://biodivcontext.blogspot.com/

Skype: agostileu

CV <http://antbase.org/agosticv_2003.html> 

Current Location <http://antbase.org/agosti_loc_bern.kmz> 

Swiss Residence

Elahieh

Ave. Khazer no. 74

19649 Teheran

Iran

mailing address: (for special mail)

Donat Agosti (Teheran)

EDA Kuriersektion

3003 Bern

Switzerland

(for ordinary mail)

Donat Agosti

Embassy of Switzerland

Elahieh, Ave Sharifi Manesh

13 Yasaman Street

PO Box 19395-4683

19649 Teheran

Iran

+98-21-2200 8765 (work)

+98-21-2260 6160 (home)

+98-919-4892744 (mobile)

+1-202-558 0330 (skype-in US)

+41-44-5862911 (skype-in Switzerland)

Plazi

Zinggstr. 16

3007 Bern

Switzerland

+41-31-370 1060

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