THE BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA (TERRESTRIAL ARTHROPODS) Text of presentation by H.V. Danks at CMN workshop on October 26, 2005 [Title slide - slide 1] I. Introduction and History Many years ago Canadian entomologists recognized that only about half the insect fauna of Canada had even been described, and that relatively few of the described species were known in any biological or ecological detail. That problem related especially to the huge size of Canada and to its diversity of habitats. And in the early 1970's, the first of many reductions in the government funding of research led to more applied and mission-orientated perspectives in government departments, so that the sort of national overview that was necessary to make progress in systematic and faunistic entomology was nowhere to be found [slide 2]. It became clear that some agency was required to take a national, scientific overview and so coordinate work to characterize the fauna of the country. In 1974, the Entomological Society of Canada took the initiative to seek support for such an idea. After several attempts to secure appropriate funding, a Pilot Study for an insect survey eventually was established in 1977. This was through an Unsolicited Proposal, funded by the Department of Supply and Services, for which Agriculture Canada was lead department and thus administered the contract (given that Agriculture held the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids). The proposal was also supported by the Museum, by Parks Canada, and by other departments. The intention of those unsolicited proposals was that a start up could be funded chiefly by DSS, and then another Department, typically the lead department, would take over the funding after a couple of years. However, some individuals in the management of Agriculture Canada at the time decided not to support the Survey further. Nevertheless, the Pilot Study had proved successful in testing the Survey model, and was well received by others. This soon led to the present Survey supported by the Canadian Museum of Nature (the government department in Canada with a general mandate for the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge on the biota, and thus the potential long-term base for a Survey), in cooperation with the Entomological Society of Canada (providing national scientific expertise through an advisory committee). And the name was changed to the Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods) in the hope that in due course expansion would add other components within the parentheses. So the Survey’s original mission (before the term “biodiversity” became common) was quite simple: coordinate work to characterize the arthropod fauna of the country, by taking a national, scientific overview. Because of that history of development, coupled with resource limitations, the Survey is currently confined to terrestrial arthropods. But of course that is a good group to test the concept because, as scientific information gathered by the Pilot Study showed, indeed the Canadian arthropod fauna is very inadequately known, with only about half of the estimated 67,000 species of insects and their relatives even described. In fact [slide 3], the adults of only 55% of the insects and about 20% of the mites have been described. There are, of course, individual variations from The Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods) Text of presentation by H.V. Danks at CMN workshop on October 26, 2005 1
group to group [details on slide]. Again, despite wide variations from group to group, the immature stages [slide 4] of less than 10% of the insects have been described even in the final larval stage. II. Structure of the Survey So given that overwhelming biodiversity and our overwhelming ignorance about it, how does the Biological Survey of Canada work? The key word is focus. Focus in administrative, in scientific, and in logistic arenas. Thus the administration of the Survey itself is small and simple [slide 5]. A small Secretariat does the day to day work (the head of the Secretariat and one assistant). Broader consultation is done not with a large bureaucracy, but through the expert advisory scientific committee (which meets twice per year) and by regular contacts with the scientific community itself – the working scientists in various places. The scientific focus comes through concentrating on key themes, and was exemplified even in the Pilot Study, because a scientific book was produced, not just an internal report. The logistic focus comes through knowledge of the interested parties in the country, and integration and coordination of the interests of these individual co-operators to increase efficiency. III. Key operating principles In general terms, though, the BSC is efficient because it is a bottom-up, individually driven entity that focuses the efforts of individual scientists, coordinating that work with a very small central organization that integrates national expertise, and hence has a high level of scientific productivity. Therefore, the ground-level work on faunas undertaken by the BSC differs from the top-down “strategic” initiatives currently favoured by most other organizations. For example, although many agencies now operating under the umbrella of biodiversity focus on data collating, especially web presentation and interoperability, the BSC has emphasized the need to continue to obtain core data on Canada’s fauna through primary scientific research, generating and analysing data to answer general questions about the fauna. Therefore, the BSC has been able to develop structures and relationships to ensure that substantial new data are generated across a wide front, as well as revisiting old data, and is very well known among entomologists for its scientific and practical publications. IV. Survey activities and products The activities and roles of the Survey [slide 6] are in coordination, in synthetic and active research, and in more general themes. A. Clearing-house Roles As part of the Survey's role as a coordinating office [slide 7], we keep track of resources, and notably people interested in taxonomy and ecology and of their projects – one can’t coordinate without knowing the existing picture. The Survey also encourages the exchange of information. The Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods) Text of presentation by H.V. Danks at CMN workshop on October 26, 2005 2
And not just by answering queries, but also by visiting entomologists and giving seminars across the country, and through newsletters [slide 8]. We also have a very extensive website [slide 9], which includes: - all the newsletters and other information - many scientific publications - published Survey briefs - a searchable database of personnel with their interests and projects - analysis of the insect fauna - information on scientific projects - and so on B. Scientific Synthesis The role of scientific synthesis [slide 10] is one that perhaps is undervalued in the grant-dependent world of research these days (which tends to emphasize specific experiments) but synthesis is essential for the orderly progress of studies on the fauna. The Survey has been active in producing or stimulating two main types of syntheses: books and major reviews; and conference proceedings. The very first book, in fact, was the Pilot Study’s product Canada and its insect fauna [slide 11], which assessed the nature of the Canadian fauna and the state of our knowledge about it, as well as its environmental context. I will be showing a number of products (like this early one) in order to emphasize that it is important for any endeavour of this sort to have final useful products, not just ideas or activities. Another book is Arctic Arthropods [slide 12], which developed this same sort of treatment for regions beyond the northern limit of trees. And indeed, the way the fauna decreases toward the north, a particular Canadian perspective on biodiversity, is instructive: the fauna decreases markedly [slide 13], with fewer than 2000 named species of insects from the arctic compared with 30,000 for Canada and 90,000 for the U.S.A.; and its composition changes [slide 14], with a marked decrease in beetles and a marked increase in flies towards the north, for example. … so interesting perspectives come from the synthesis of data. Scientific synthesis is also encouraged by holding conferences, workshops or symposia [slide 15] and publishing the proceedings to focus discussion and related papers in one place. Often, such symposia support the development of active Survey field projects. Symposium proceedings that have been published include [slide 16] “Temporal and spatial patterns in the Canadian insect fauna”, “Aquatic insects of peatlands and marshes in Canada”, and “Origins of the North American insect fauna”. Other volumes include one on the arthropods of spring habitats [slide 17], one on systematics and entomology [slide 18], and one on peatlands [slide 19]. ... So the BSC has dealt with a range of subjects. These syntheses (both the books and the symposium proceedings) treat both taxonomy and ecology. A key element of an effective biological survey is that we need to know not only what the fauna is, but also what it does [ → e.g. habitats and wider interpretation, not just taxa]. It is possible to assemble these volumes not only because there are active project leaders, but especially because the scientific community sees the value of collective work on one theme: it is The Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods) Text of presentation by H.V. Danks at CMN workshop on October 26, 2005 3
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