Further Resources

Below are some useful resources for learning more about the multitude of species in British Columbia (last updated in June 2018). Many guides and online tools to help with identification are included. The sections are divided by species category.

• Biodiversity and Natural History

  Online Resources:
  Austin, M.A., and Eriksson, A. (2009). The Biodiversity Atlas of British Columbia. Biodiversity BC. http://www.biodiversitybc.org/assets/default/bbc_biodiversity_atlas.pdf
  Central Coast Biodiversity. (Based out of the University of Victoria):  https://www.centralcoastbiodiversity.org/species-guide.html
  Darling, L.M. (ed). (2000). At Risk: Proceedings of a Conference on the Biology and Management of Species and Habitats At Risk. BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and University College of the Cariboo. Available at:  http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/99proc_frontmatter.pdf
  Database for Wildlife Diversity in British Columbia: Distribution and Habitat Use of Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals in Biogeoclimatic Zones: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Wp/Wp05.htm
  Moola, F., Page, D., Connolly, M., and Coulter, L. (2007). Waiting for the Ark: the Biodiversity Crisis in British Columbia, Canada, and the Need for a Strong Endangered Species Law. Biodiversity. (1). Available at https://www-tandfonline-com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/doi/abs/10.1080/14888386.2007.9712817
  Pojar, J. (2010). A New Climate for Conservation: Nature, Carbon and Climate Change. West Coast Environmental Law. Vancouver, BC. Available at https://www.wcel.org/publication/new-climate-conservation-nature-carbon-and-climate-change-british-columbia-full-report ·         Chapter 1.9 of this report situates BC’s species at risk within a broader context and outlines some limitations of our current policies.
  Available in print:
  Cannings, R., and Cannings, S. (2015). British Columbia: A Natural History of its Origins, Ecology, and Diversity with a New Look at Climate Change. 3rd edition. Greystone Books. Vancouver, BC.
  Mendoza-Fernández, A.J., and Mota, J.F. (2016). Red Lists Versus Nature Protection Acts: New Analytical and Numerical Method to test Threat trends, Biodiversity and Conservation, 25 (2), 239.

• Mammals

  Online Resources:

  Community Bat Program of BC:  https://bcbats.ca/index.php/bat-basics/bc-bat-species

  Ford, J., and Nichol, L. (Date unk). Marine Mammals of British Columbia. Department of Fisheries and Oceans.  http://awsassets.wwf.ca/downloads/ford_1.pdf

  Nagorsen, D.W. (2002). An Identification Manual to the Small Mammals of BC. BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and the Royal BC Museum. Available at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/techpub/id_keys_s.pdf

  Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D.M. (eds.). (2005). Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference, Third edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes. Available at: http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/.

  Available in print:

  Ford, J.K.B. (2014). Marine Mammals of British Columbia. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

  Hatler, D.F., Nagorsen, D.W., and Beal, A.M. (2008). Carnivores of British Columbia. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

  Nagorsen, D.W. (2011). Rodents and Lagomorphs of British Columbia. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

  Nagorsen, D.W., and Brigham, R.M. (1993). Bats of British Columbia. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

  Pattie, D., and Eder, T. (2003). Mammals of British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing.

  Shackleton, D. (2013). Hoofed Mammals of British Columbia. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

• Birds

  Online resources:

  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Macaulay Library: http://macaulaylibrary.org/browse/taxa/aves

  E-Nature Field guides: www.enature.com/FIELDGUIDES/intermediate.asp?curGroupID=1

  Dendroica: An aid to identifying Western Hemisphere Birds. Environment and Climate Change Canada and USGS. http://www.natureinstruct.org/dendroica/index.php

  Available in print:

  Campbell, W., and Kennedy, G. (2009). Birds of British Columbia. Lone Pine Press. Vancouver, BC.

  Campbell, W., Dawe, N.K., McTaggart-Cowan, I., Cooper, J.M., Kaiser, G.W., McNall, M.C.E., G.E. Smith, J. (vol. 3) and Stewart, A. (vol. 4). (1990-2001). The Birds of British Columbia: Volumes 1- 4. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

  Dorst, A. (2018). The Birds of Vancouver Island’s West Coast. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

  Dunn, J.L., and Alderfer, J. (eds.). (2008). Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America. National Geographic Society.

  Sibley, D.A. (2016). Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, Second edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

• Reptiles and Amphibians

  Online resources:

  MFLNRO (Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations). (2017). Best Management Practices for Amphibian and Reptile Salvages in British Columbia. Version 1.0. Available at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/bmp/HerptileBMP_complete.pdf

  MFLNRO (Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations). (2014). Guidelines for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation during Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia. A companion document to Develop with Care. Available at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/bmp/HerptileBMP_complete.pdf

  Sielecki, L.E. (2010). Wildlife Identification Field Guide. Red and Blue Listed Amphibians and Reptiles in British Columbia. British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Engineering Branch. Victoria, BC. Available at: https://www.th.gov.bc.ca/publications/eng_publications/environment/AmphibianReptileGuide.pdf

  Zevit, P. and Matsuda, B. (2012). BC’s Coast Region: Species and Ecosystems of Concern: Western Painted Turtle – Pacific Coast Population (Chrysemys picta pop.1). http://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/factsheets/pdf/Chrysemys_picta_pop1.pdf

  Available in print:

  Corkran, C.C., and Thoms, C. (2006). Amphibians of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia: A Field Identification Guide. Lone Pine Publishing, Vancouver, BC.

  Matsuda, B.M., Green, D.M., and Gregory, P.T. (2006). Amphibians and Reptiles of British Columbia. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

• Freshwater Fish

  Online resources:

  McPhail, J.D., and Carveth, R. (1994). Field Key to the Freshwater Fishes of British Columbia. The Province of British Columbia. Resources Inventory Committee. Available at http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~etaylor/nfrg/fresh.pdf

  The Identicard Company: Fish Identification. (2015). http://www.fish-identification.com/freshwater.asp

  Available in print:

  Cannings, S., and Ptolemy, J. (1998). Rare Freshwater Fishes of British Columbia. BC Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks. (See individual species accounts at Species and Ecosystem Explorer.)

  McPhail, J.D. (2007). The Freshwater Fishes of British Columbia. University of Alberta Press.

  Quinn, T. (2018). The Behavior and Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Trout, Second edition. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

• Invertebrates

  Online resources:

  Guide for Identifying snails in the Fraser Valley: http://www.sccp.ca/sites/default/files/species-habitat/documents/Snail%20Key%20south%20coast%20fvc.pdf

  Graf, D.L., and Cummings, K.S. (2014). The Freshwater Mussels (Unionoida) of the World (and other less consequential bivalves), updated 15 November 2014. MUSSEL Project Web Site, http://www.mussel-project.net/

  Paulson, D.R., and Dunkle, S.W. (2011). A Checklist of North American Odonata including English name, Etymology, Type locality, and Distribution. Originally published as Occasional Paper No. 56, Slater Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound, June 1999; completely revised March 2009; updated February 2011. Available at: http://odonatacentral.org/docs/NA_Odonata_Checklist_2011.pdf

  Available in print:

  Cannings, R. (2018). A Field Guide to Insects of the Pacific Northwest. Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, BC.

  Forsyth, R.G., (2004). Land Snails of British Columbia. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC.

  Guppy, G.S., and Shepard, J.H. (2001). The Butterflies of British Columbia. University of British Columbia Press. Vancouver, BC. To order the book or updated (2007) PDF version go to: https://www.ubcpress.ca/butterflies-of-british-columbia

• Vascular plants, mosses, and lichens

  Online resources:

  Province of British Columbia. (2008). Invasive plants identification field guide. Forest Ranges and Practices Act Resource Evaluation Program. http://nwipc.org/documents/private/ip-identification-field-guide-june2008.pdf

  E-Flora (UBC-based atlas): http://www.eflora.bc.ca/

  Available in print:

  Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (2016). Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alaska (revised edition). Lone Pine International.

  Mackinnon, A., Pojar, J., and Coupe, R. (1999). Plants of Northern British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing.

  Douglas, G.W., Meidinger, D.V., and Penny, J.L. (2002). Rare Native Vascular Plants of British Columbia, Second edition. BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management. (See individual species accounts at Species and Ecosystem Explorer.)

  Parish, R., Coupe, R., and Lloyd, D. (1996). Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing.

  McCune, B. (2009). Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest (second edition). Oregon State University Press, Corvallis.

  Brodo, I. (2016). Keys to Lichens of North America: Revised and Expanded. Yale University Press, New Haven.