From aceska@victoria.tc.ca Mon Mar 14 22:36:06 2005 From: aceska@victoria.tc.ca (Adolf Ceska) Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 14:36:06 -0800 Subject: [BEN-L]BEN # 344 Message-ID: <007c01c528e6$3a132710$0828b440@HPLAPTOP001> BBBBB EEEEEE NN N ISSN 1188-603X BB B EE NNN N BBBBB EEEEE NN N N BOTANICAL BB B EE NN NN ELECTRONIC BBBBB EEEEEE NN N NEWS No. 344 March 14, 2005 aceska@telus.net Victoria, B.C. ----------------------------------------------------------- Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2 ----------------------------------------------------------- This issue of BEN is dedicated to the memory of GEORGE W. DOUGLAS who died on February 10, 2005 GEORGE WAYNE DOUGLAS, PH.D., 1938-2005 From: Del Meidinger, Jim Pojar & Andy MacKinnon George W. Douglas died February 10, 2005 after a particularly severe, but mercifully brief bout of cancer. This was his sixth attack of cancer in the past 25 years - the others he was able to fight off, against the odds. George's love to nature had its roots years spent at the base of Burnaby Mountain. Born on June 22, 1938, in New Westminster, BC, he grew up on North Road in the Burquitlam neighbourhood. When He died he was living on North Road in Duncan, BC. During his teenage years, George was nuts about sports and played basketball in high school. He first went to University on a sport scholarship: track, golf and basketball! George was a well-known botanist and ecologist in northwestern North America. In his post-graduate work he studied the ecology of high elevation areas in the North Cascades of western WA and S BC (Cathedral Lakes Park). His supervising professors were Ronald J. Taylor (Western Washington University) and Lawrence Bliss (University of Alberta). While working towards his doctorate, he had a number of part-time jobs: mill worker, cannery worker, abbatoir worker, ambulance driver and taxi driver. Each one made him truly appreciate being able to work at something he loved. As a consulting ecologist in the 1970s, he conducted many of the ecological studies in the newly established Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory. This led to a series of journal publications on the vegetation and flora of southwest Yukon. Although he began his career as an ecological consultant, after his first bout with cancer, he semi-retired and dedicated his work time to botany. Late in his career he joined the British Columbia public service as chief botanist for the BC Conservation Data Centre. His passion for botany and dogged determination to see projects through to completion led to many key botanical publications. Of note are his treatments of the Asteraceae in British Columbia, his works on the rare vascular plants of both the Yukon and British Columbia, and his leadership in the _Illustrated Flora of British Columbia_. In addition to these major achievements, George published numerous individual taxonomic treatments, range extensions, and status reports. George also spearheaded or contributed to several high-quality 'glossy' books, including _Kluane, pinnacle of the Yukon_ (1980), _Plants of Northern British Columbia_ (1992), _Plants of the Southern Interior of British Columbia_ (1995), and _Mountain Plants of the Pacific Northwest_ (1995). The _Illustrated Flora of British Columbia_ would not have been possible without George's leadership and commitment. He was an excellent field botanist. Broad field experience formed his approach to herbarium taxonomy, which was marked by comprehension of the literature, curiosity, a desire for simplicity, and a healthy skepticism of nomenclatural arcana and obsessive-compulsive behaviour. A prolific author and hard-working botanist, George was able to balance this with other aspects of his life. He thoroughly enjoyed golf and gardening, good wine and food, and fancy automobiles. He was not immune to gaming and playing the stock market. He especially loved rambling and botanizing in the mountains, even latterly when he was not a healthy man. He wore a carapace of gruffness and could be curmudgeonly, but he had a fine sense of humour and of the absurd. [For the photo of George W. Douglas with his cat and their favourite reading visit http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/images/gwdouglas.jpg ] RARE PLANTS OF MILL HILL REGIONAL PARK, VICTORIA, BC From: Hans Roemer [hlroemer@shaw.ca] This contribution is dedicated to the memory of Dr. George W. Douglas who did so much for the definition, classification and tracking of British Columbia's rare plant species. Mill Hill is a small park near Victoria, BC, one of about 24 parks administered by the Capital Regional District (CRD) on southeastern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands. Rare vascular plants were inventoried on Mill Hill in the context of the Mill Hill Regional Park Restoration Plan completed in 2002. The work was commissioned by CRD Parks and supported by the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk, a Government of Canada program. Mill Hill was long known to local naturalists and botanists as a locality of rare plants and it was easy to gain the perception that an inventory could only turn up some more occurrences for already known species, but would not result in significant additions to the list of rare species (i.e. the species that are listed as RED or BLUE in the 2003 vesrion of the BC Conservation Data Centre's list). It therefore came as a surprise that by the summer of 2004 there was not only a five-fold increase in rare plant occurrences (occurrence roughly at the subpopulation level), but also a 40% increase in the number of rare species encountered. All occurrences were recorded with a hand-held GPS unit and later mapped on a color orthophoto. Of 13 red and blue-listed species, a total of 130 occurrences were located in the first season (2003) and an additional 30 occurrences in the second season. Searches and counts for the two most abundant blue-listed species, Isoetes nuttallii and Trifolium depauperatum, were discontinued after the first season as some subpopulations numbered between 500 and 3,000 individuals and would have taken a disproportionate amount of time to track. _Agrostis pallens_ Trin. (dune bentgrass) Mill Hill appears to be too dry and warm and to provide only marginal habitat for this species. Only two relatively small occurrences of this blue-listed grass were found near the upper north and east-facing slopes. _Allium amplectens_ Torr. (slim-leaf onion) Fourteen colonies of between a few and 700 individuals were located on Mill Hill, most of them associated with early- season seepage, but some of them also in other habitats. Large differences in the number of flowering plants was observed in the two years, with some of the occurrences showing large declines and others large increases. _Aster curtus_ Cronq. (white-top aster) This federally listed threatened species occurs in stands of just a few to over 1,000 stems/shoots in 36 locations scattered over the hill, except on the south-facing slopes. At least another 10 stations occurred in an adjacent strip of land which has now been turned into a residential subdivision. It was noticed in 2003 that this aster is subject to heavy grazing by native deer and introduced eastern cottontail rabbits and that flowering specimens were extremely rare. In 2004 two shoot counts, one in May and one in August, were performed which confirmed the herbivory problem. Only 50% of the shoots that had been there in the earlier count were found again during the second count, with another 15% of shoots partially cropped. Casual observation of only some of the subpopulations in October 2004 appeared to show a nearly total disappearance of the plants. This raises concerns for the continued well-being of the population, especially as flowering time for this aster is as late as August and September. Concurrent exclosure experiments (Engelstoft 2005) also confirmed elaborated the herbivory problem. _Balsamorhiza deltoidea_ Nutt. (deltoid balsamroot) A single population of about 55 individuals of this federally listed, endangered plant occurs in the park. This species, too, is struggling to maintain a viable population. Serious damage by grazing of the same two mammals, as well as herbivory by the larval stage of a moth (_Eurois occulta_) was observed in 2002. In 2003 most of the plants were protected with wire cages which prevented most of the leaf damage in 2004. _Clarkia amoena_ ssp. _lindleyi_ (Dougl.) H.F. & M.E. Lewis (farewell-to-spring) This blue-listed, attractive annual was found in seven locations in numbers ranging from a few to 150. Preferred habitats are steep and hot south-facing slopes and rocky ledges. _Clarkia purpurea_ ssp. _quadrivulnera_ (Dougl. ex Lindl.) H.F. & M.E. Lewis (small-flowered godetia) This red-listed species which was only confirmed for British Columbia a few years ago and is so far known from just four localities was the most surprising discovery for Mill Hill Park. This even more so, as some plants grow virtually on a main trail trodden over the years by many a botanist! One factor for it being overlooked for so long may be the timing: It flowers when nearly everything else has turned yellow and dry. 15 widely scattered subpopulations with between 2 and 150 individuals were eventually found after developing the appropriate "search image". The species grows on either shallow or stony soils subject to early-season seepage. _Heterocodon rariflorum_ Nutt. (heterocodon) Finds of this very tiny blue-listed annual skyrocketed from seven to 19 subpopulations between 2003 and 2004. The subpopulations which rarely cover more than a square meter or two had estimated numbers of individuals between 100 and 9,000. A species apparently not seen in this park before. _Idahoa scapigera_ (Hook.) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr. (scalepod) Another minute annual, this red-listed species was found in five subpopulations of between four and 420 plants. It prefers moss- covered rock walls and benches which are wet in early spring. _Isoetes nuttallii_ A. Braun ex Engelm. (Nuttall's quillwort) One of the more abundant "rare" plants in Mill Hill, this species occurred in at least 12 locations and ranged from under 50 to about 700 individuals in each. Further counts were suspended after the first season. _Lotus unifoliolatus_ (Hook.) Benth. (Spanish clover) Another blue-listed species, this small annual legume is relatively rare in the park and does not appear to find ideal growing conditions. Only four occurrences with between 30 and 280 plants were found. _Piperia elegans_ (Lindl.) Rydb. (seaside rein orchid) Only a single individual of this blue-listed species was found in the park (two other _Piperia_ - species - i.e. _Piperia transversa_ Suksdorf and _P. elongata_ Rydb. are common). _Sanicula bipinnatifida_ Dougl. ex Hook. (purple sanicle) A monocarpic perennial, this species is federally listed as threatened. It has 26 stations in the park, most with few individuals. Numbers, including young seedlings, were between a few and an exceptional 121. The largest number of flowering plants was 32. This is also a species subject to grazing, as opposed to its much more abundant relative, _Sanicula crassicaulis_ Poepp. ex Hook., which is not touched by animals. _Trifolium depauperatum_ Desv. (poverty clover) Another blue-listed annual relatively abundant in the park, this species has 26 subpopulations, each of them with between few and 500 individuals (average 160). Our plants belong to _T. depauperatum_ var. _depauperatum_. Three other varieties are endemic to California. In conclusion, studies in Mill Hill Regional Park demonstrate that in-depth botanical inventories can add significant quantity and detail to our knowledge, even in areas which may be assumed to be floristically well-known. Mill Hill contains an amazing proportion and diversity of our rare flora, considering it is only 60 hectares in size. In addition to being under attack from invasive plants, especially _Cytisus scoparius_ (L.) Link, this park has recently been "sandwiched" between two new up-scale housing developments. Further, some of its most imperiled rare species, especially _Aster curtus_, and _Balsamorhiza deltoidea_, are strongly impacted through grazing by an overabundance of native deer, apparently displaced by land development, and also through grazing by introduced eastern cottontail. References Engelstoft, C. 2005. In preparation: The impact of grazing on white-top aster by Black-tailed Deer and Eastern Cottontail following Scotch broom removal in Mill Hill Regional Park, 2004. Report prepared for Capital Regional District Parks. Alula Biological Consulting, 1967 Nicholas Road, Saanichton, BC. V8M 1X8 Roemer, H. 2003. Rare Plant Monitoring at Mill Hill Regional Park. A project carried out for Capital Regional District Parks. Unpublished report. CRD Parks, 490 Atkins Ave., Victoria, BC, V9B 2Z8. Roemer, H. 2004. 2004 Rare Plant Monitoring at Mill Hill Park. A project carried out for Capital Regional District Parks. Unpublished report. CRD Parks, 490 Atkins Ave., Victoria, BC, V9B 2Z8. NOTEWORTHY COLLECTIONS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA IN 2004 From: Frank Lomer [lomerlomer@hotmail.com] Dedication: To this effort and for many years of plant collecting I am indebted to George Douglas who has provided the groundwork that fuels my passion to learn more about the plants around me. _Chamaesyce serpens_ (Kunth) Small Greater Vancouver, Burnaby, Gardenworks Nursery. Weed in windmill palm wood boxes. 19 June, 2004 (Lomer 5274). Prostrate annual weed from South America. So far known only as a nursery weed confined to imported potting soil from a number of nurseries in Greater Vancouver and one in Salmon Arm. Collected once as a casual from Surrey where it no doubt arose from nursery soil in landscape plantings (Lomer 94- 243). _Diplotaxis tenuifolia_ (L.) DC. Greater Vancouver, Burnaby, Southridge Drive. Topsoil in new median divider. 3 November, 2004 (Lomer 5558). European weed. Waif. Collected at least once before in Victoria: (Lomer 93-259). _Eragrostis pectinacea_ (Michx.) Nees Vancouver Island, 9 km south of Nanaimo Gravel pit roadbed. 9 December, 2004 (Lomer 5573). Considered a rare native plant in the Osoyoos area, but I believe all BC populations are introductions from elsewhere. This maybe the first collection from Vancouver Island. It is a rare roadside weed in the Vancouver area. _Erysimum repandum_ L. Greater Vancouver, Richmond, E of 16060 Westminster Hwy. Single plant in topsoil along new sidewalk. 9 May, 2004 (Lomer 5196). European waif is much like _E. cheiranthoides_ L. but petals are bigger and leaves are generally lobed. Collected once before by railroad tracks in New Westminster (Lomer 90-021). _Hyoscyamus niger_ L. Rocky Mt. Trench, Invermere. Dry weedy rodside next to grassy vacant lot. 11 June, 2004 (Lomer 5260). So far just a rare casual in BC. _Hypericum humifusum_ L. Greater Vancouver, Surrey, Darts Hill Garden Park Weed along garden path. 2 October, 2004 (Lomer 5534). Prostrate European weed. Several in one section of Mrs. Dart's garden. I would highly recommend a visit to Darts Hill if you love plants. _Liparis loeselii_ (L.) L.C. Rich. Rocky Mt. Trench, Golden, near Columbia River and Kicking Horse River. Calcareous floodplain channel. 11 June, 2004 (Lomer 5263). This rare orchid was known in BC only from limited sites in the Mara-Shuswap area. It was growing with _Carex crawei_ Dewey, _Eleocharis quinqueflora_ (F.X. Hartmann) Schwarz, _Carex flava_ L. I suspect it can be found in other calcareous fens in the Rocky Mt. Trench. _Luzula campestris_ (L.) DC. Prevost Island, (E of Saltspring Island), James Bay, meadow 1 km E of O'Reilly Beach Frequent in several patches in wet grassy meadow and into sheep pasture. 30 April, 2004 (Lomer 5194). This European introduction has been confused in the past with native members of _Luzula_ section _Luzula_ but can be easily told from similar native plants by its creeping stolons. It forms dense multi-stemmed patches compared to the discrete clumps of our native species in section _Luzula_. Also collected in Greater Vancouver: New Westminster (Lomer 4682), Langley (Lomer 4690). _Lythrum portula_ (L.) D.A. Webb Vancouver Island, Port Alberni, Somass River delta. Tidal mud bank. 2 August, 2004 (Lomer 5393). Introduced from Eurasia and first found in the Vancouver area in 1986. Expected to spread on Vancouver Island. _Panicum rigidulum_ Bosc ex Nees Vancouver Island, Sproat Lake, Sproat Lake Prov. Park Campground. Several on sandy beach shore. 3 August, 2004 (Lomer 5398). Introduced from E North America. It was cited from Sproat Lake by John Macoun in 1888 and apparently persisted though it was not noted since that time. It looks like it is _P. r._ ssp. _rigidulum_ with purplish tints. _Pellaea glabella_ Mettenius ex Kuhn ssp. _occidentalis_ (E. Nels.) Windham Rocky Mts., Yoho N.P., Mt. Field. Limestone cliff base. 9 June, 2004 (Lomer 5236). Much like _Pellaea glabella_ ssp. _simplex_ Butters, but it is a more dwarfed plant with wider, less divided blue-green leaves that tend to hug the rock surface on which it grows unlike the more erect _P. g._ ssp. _simplex_. It is also diploid with 64 spores per sporangium. _Phragmites australis_ (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. Greater Vancouver, Burnaby, Big Bend. Railroad tracks in industrial area. 10 November, 2004 (Lomer 5570). This is the more aggresive European haplotype with a more bushy inflorescence and stiffer stems than the native race. It is perhaps the first collection from the Vancouver area. The native race is very rare in the Fraser delta, known wild from near Steveston and Ladner where it is is confined to a small area. The Reifel Island bird sanctuary population was planted though it may occur natively away from the bird viewing area as well. I have not yet checked if it is the native or European race. _Physalis grisea_ (Waterfall) M. Martinez Greater Vancouver, Coquitlam, Stella-Jones Wood Preserving Inc. Edge of rough dirt road. 3 October, 2004 (Lomer 5535). Sticky annual weed with rather sweet fruit. Rare waif in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (Lomer 95-212). _Polygonum douglasii_ Greene ssp. _johnstonii_ (Munz) Hickman Cascade Mts., Hozameen Range. trail to Windy Joe. Fine loose dry scree above trail. 26 June, 2004 (Lomer 5276). Previously known in BC ony from a K. Beamish UBC collection in 1957 at probably the same site (Beamish 7856). Several collections along the Pacific Crest Trail (Lomer 5277, 5278, 5284, 5301, 5307). Previously known as _P. sawatchense_ Small, which I still prefer. _Potentilla anglica_ Laicharding Prevost Island, (E of Saltspring Island), James Bay, meadow 1 km E of O'Reilly Beach Campground. Few patches in wet meadow dominated by Agrostis sp. 30 April 2004 (Lomer 5193). European introduction with trailing stems and flowers with mostly 4 petals. Seen from two sites on Prevost. Previously collected from the Vancouver area: North Vancouver (Lomer 88- 094), Burnaby (Lomer 99-095), Richmond (Lomer 4296). _Sporobolus cryptandrus_ (Torr.) A. Gray Fraser Valley, confluence of Pitt and Fraser Rivers. Sandy ridge on sandy gravel island. 13 October, 2004 (Lomer 5538). Frequent native grass east of the Coast Mts. in BC, but this population is the only one native on the west side. Arising, no doubt, from seeds washed naturally down the Fraser. It has been collected as a casual introduction in sand dredgings and road sweepings in the Vancouver area. _Trichophorum pumilum_ (Vahl) Schinz & Thell. Rocky Mts., Yoho National Park, Natural Bridge on Kicking Horse River. Calcareous rivershore. 9 June, 2004 (Lomer 5231). It seems this inconspicuous little plant (formerly _Scirpus pumilus_ Vahl) is much more common than originally thought. It is considered rare in BC, but was collected at several wet calcareous sites in SE BC in 2004: Kootenay Nat. Park, Paint Pots (Lomer 5241), Rocky Mt. Trench, Windermere Creek (Lomer 5256), Yoho Park, Kicking Horse River & Hwy 1 (Lomer 5510). _Ventenata dubia_ (Leers) Coss. & Dur. Vancouver Island, Errington Gravel pit roadway. 3 August, 2004 (Lomer 5399). Weedy Eurasian annual grass. Probably first collection from Vancouver Island. It is rare, but established around Vancouver. _Verbascum virgatum_ Stokes Greater Vancouver, Surrey, CN railyards. Cleared gravelly area near railroad tracks. 4 September, 2004 (Lomer 5448). European weed, much like _V. blattaria_ L. but more glandular and mostly more than one flower per bract. Casual in Fraser Valley: Hope (Lomer 5037). _Zostera japonica_ Aschers. & Graebn. Vancouver Island, Tofino. Stony mud bay with shoreline seepage. 2 August, 2004 (Lomer 5386). Probably native to eastern Asia. This may be the first west coast collection in BC. Known previously from Greater Vancouver and Chemainus. All collections will be deposited in the UBC herbarium. BIOGEOCLIMATIC ECOSYSTEM CLASSIFICATION OF THE ALPINE AREAS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA From: Will Mackenzie [Will.MacKenzie@gems1.gov.bc.ca] Alpine environments have long held allure for ecologists and naturalists. The stunning scenery and the verdant flower meadows are made that much sweeter by the efforts required to reach them and the solitudes in which they are found. George Douglas was one such admirer, smitten by the highlands, who spent a good portion of his early career describing the alpine ecosystems of the Cascades and Yukon. British Columbia and its neighbours are blessed with an abundance of alpine environments. 12.5% of the landmass of British Columbia is categorized as alpine or subalpine. These areas form a significant and conspicuous part of the landscape and have received considerable classification work at a local level since the late 1960s. However, a broader synthesis of alpine ecosystems has been accorded little effort. The father of Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification in British Columbia, Dr. Vladamir Krajina, noted that there could be three alpine zones but did not provide any further differentiation (Krajina 1965). Similarly, Jim Pojar provided a rough sketch of three major alpine divisions in the "Ecosystems of British Columbia". Currently, the biogeoclimatic mapping for the province shows only "AT - Alpine Tundra" from the Tatsenshini to the Flathead. The lack of a comprehensive treatment of Alpine is a glaring omission in our ability to expand ecological knowledge of these areas. A compilation of existing plot data, field notes, published descriptions, and contemporary field sampling supports the existence of 3 major biogeoclimatic divisions of the Alpine. The Coastal Mountain-Heather Alpine Zone (CMA) The CMA zone occurs throughout the windward Coast Mountains and islands from Washington to Alaska above the Mountain Hemlock parkland (MHp). In the south, the CMA starts around 1600 m, but this falls to 900 m in the north. The zone is characterized by a maritime snow pack; very deep, dense, relatively warm, and with abundant melt features. The tree line is depressed by the heavy and prolonged snow cover and much of the region is covered by ice at the elevation of true alpine. Therefore, the "Alpine" is mostly extensive subalpine heath snow beds where tree patches occur on elevated rocky knobs that accumulate less snow. Summers are relatively cool and moderate compared to other alpine zones because of summer cloud cover and oceanic influence. The coastal Alpine is distinguished from other zones by the pervasiveness of mountain-heathers in almost all landscape positions. In the south (< 55ø latitude), _Cassiope mertensiana_ and _Phyllodoce empetriformis_ form the widespread zonal community and dominate the subalpine heath. On the mainland, north of 55ø latitude, _Harrimanella stelleriana_ becomes a co-dominant with _Cassiope mertensiana_. On the Queen Charlotte Islands, _Cassiope lycopoidioides_ is conspicuous. Late snowbeds dominated by _Carex nigricans_ or _Saxifraga tolmiei_, meadows of _Carex spectablis_ and seepages of _Caltha leptosepala_ and _Leptarrhena pyrolifolia_ are common but typically notof large aerial extent. Brett et al. (1998) provide a thorough description of community types that occur inthe southern portion of the CMA. The diversity of community types and species is relatively low compared to inland areasbecause of the over-arching effects of the heavy snow pack. The Interior Mountain-Heather Alpine Zone (IMA) The Interior Mountain-heather Alpine Zone (IMA) occupies the southern interior alpine above the Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine Ffir parkland (ESSFp), starting at elevations as high as 2500m in the south to about 1800m at its northern limit. The IMA includes the alpine of the Columbia Mountains, the Southern Rocky Mountains to the vicinity of McBride, the Northern Cascades and the most southerly areas of the lee Coast Mountains from the vicinity of Goldbridge southward. The snowpack in the IMA is classically alpine; generally deep, cool, consisting of well-consolidated snow layers of variable thickness and density with a basal depth hoar layer. Deep snow layers and relatively warm winter temperatures mean that ground-freezing and cryogenic processes are limited. Average summer temperatures are likely similar to northern alpine areas (because of the compensating factor of higher elevation of the alpine environment) but day length is shorter and extreme high temperatures may be more frequent. The zonal vegetation of the IMA is less consistent than the CMA, but mountain-heathers are typically common in moist and wetter regions. _Phyllodoce glanduliflora_ is common throughout much of the IMA and is typically part of the zonal ecosystems along with _P. empetriformis_ and _C. mertensiana_. A common and diagnostic associate of mountain-heather communities in the IMA is _Antennaria lanata_. The wetter regions of the IMA, especially like those in the area of Revelstoke, are coastal-like in many respects but still contain species that are of interior distribution. Moist and wet subzones are the most diverse alpine areas in the province and often support expanses of forb rich meadows. In drier subzones, _Dryas octopetala_ or other dwarf woody species such as _Salix cascadensis_ or _Vaccinium scoparium_ and _V. caespitosum_ are more common. Boreal Altai Fescue Alpine Zone (BAFA) The BAFA occurs mostly north of 54ø latitude but trails as far south as 51ø on the lee side of the Coast Mountains in the Chilcotin. The southern BAFA occurs above the ESSF parkland at elevations of 2000m in the south to 1700m in the north. And, it also occupies the alpine above the Spruce-Willow-Birch Scrub (SWBs) at elevations of 1600 m. This is the largest alpine zone by area with extensive, well-vegetated tundra occupying large areas of the northern plateaux. The majority of the BAFA has a thin and windblown, tundra-like snow pack but some areas such as the coast transition of the Nass and Iskut valleys above the very wet Interior Cedar - Hemlock and the McGregor Mountains above the very wet Sub-Boreal Spruce zones have deeper snowpacks. All areas have cold winters and ground freezing and cryoturbation features are likely wherever the snowpack is thin. Wind sorting of the snow pack seems more prevalent here because of cold unbonded snow pack and wind-exposed mountain ranges. _Festuca altaica_ is the characteristic species of the BAFA, dominating zonal ecosystems in southern and mid-latitude subzones. In the northern BAFA, this species only occurs on warm aspects and is replaced by _Carex microchaeta_ - _Salix polaris_ & _S. reticulata_ communities on zonal sites. In very dry regions, such as the lee slopes of the northern Rocky Mountains, _Dryas integrifolia_ communities are widespread. These new alpine Zones will appear on subsequent versions of biogeoclimatic mapping, beginning with the release of a new digital map in April 2005, and a new zone map shortly afterwards. Designation of further division of zones into subzones is on- going and will likely be completed for the southern interior within a year and elsewhere as continued fieldwork and analysis confirm subzone types and boundaries. A classification of alpine and subalpine plant communities is also on-going. Final draft descriptions for all of components will be posted on the BECWeb: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/becweb/index.htm References Brett, R. B., K. Klinka, & H. Qian. 1998. Classification of high-elevation, non-forested plant communities in coastal British Columbia. Scientia Silvica. 58 p. Krajina, V.J. 1965. Biogeoclimatic zones and biogeocoenoses of British Columbia. Ecol. West. N. Amer. 1:1-17. Pojar, J., & A. C. Stewart. 1991. "Chapter 18: Alpine Tundra Zone." Pp. 263-274 in Meidinger, D. & J. Pojar [eds.] _Ecosystems of British Columbia_. British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Victoria, BC http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/Srs/Srs06/chap18.pdf GEORGE W. DOUGLAS - FAVOURITE RECIPE George Douglas was an excellent gourmet cook. He didn't have one favourite recipe, but many. He often said he "thought this up on the way home". The following recipe was enjoyed many times over, usually as an appetizer. Seafood Medley Based on the number of servings gather together clams, mussels, prawns, scallops. Fresh is best. steam clams, mussels and set aside; saute‚ scallops and prawns; just before scallops and prawns are sauted to perfection add just enough "sun dried tomato & oregano" Kraft dressing to coat and heat through. To serve: divide seafood equally between the number of servings using soup plates (or if serving as main dish use pasta plates); garnish rim of plates with chopped or minced fresh parsley(or chives); serve with fresh french bread. Enjoy! ________________________________________________________________ Subscriptions: http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/ben-l Send submissions to aceska@telus.net BEN is archived at http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/ ________________________________________________________________ From aceska@victoria.tc.ca Thu Mar 24 23:57:26 2005 From: aceska@victoria.tc.ca (Adolf Ceska) Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 15:57:26 -0800 Subject: [BEN-L]BEN # 345 Message-ID: <002c01c530cd$4048f800$0828b440@HPLAPTOP001> BBBBB EEEEEE NN N ISSN 1188-603X BB B EE NNN N BBBBB EEEEE NN N N BOTANICAL BB B EE NN NN ELECTRONIC BBBBB EEEEEE NN N NEWS No. 345 March 24, 2005 aceska@telus.net Victoria, B.C. ----------------------------------------------------------- Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2 ----------------------------------------------------------- NEW "TOP OF THE LIST" INVASIVE PLANTS OF NATURAL HABITATS IN CANADA From: Paul M. Catling, Biodiversity, National Program on Environmental Health, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Wm. Saunders Bldg., Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0C6 [catlingp@agr.gc.ca] Many questions on new high priority invasive plants have followed presentations at the 2004 Canadian Botanical Association's second symposium on invasive alien plants in Canada. In the following notes some details are provided on five new high priority invasive species (preceded by priority rank): (1) European Common Reed (_Phragmites australis_ var. _australis_), (4) Diffuse Knapweed (_Centaurea diffusa_), (14) European Lake Sedge (_Carex acutiformis_), (15) Sea Buckthorn (_Hippophae rhamnoides_), and (16) Autumn Olive (_Elaeagnus umbellata_). When it comes to questions about which are the most serious invasive plants of natural habitats in Canada, the situation can change relatively quickly. Five of the top ranking candidates for "worst" nationally (listed above and discussed below) are not on the standard lists because their recognition, establishment and spread have been very recent. Each of the species discussed below received a high priority ranking (A = severe threat to native species and communities) in a recent (2005) evaluation based on NatureServe's invasive plant assessment protocol (Morse et al. 2004). In the 1993 publication on invasive plants in Canada (White et al. 1993), none of these five were mentioned. The 1993 list was based on a current survey of Canadian botanists and is a reliable source still widely employed and little more than a decade old. The high priority of these five species today and their complete absence in a comprehensive survey only a decade old suggests that: (1) an introduced plant can spread, achieve substantial range and major impact over a short time; (2) the problem of invasive alien plants in Canada is growing; and (3) information on invasive alien plants requires continuous updating. European Common Reed (_Phragmites australis_ [Cav.] Trin. ex Steud. var. _australis_) In many of the eastern US coastal National Fish and Wildlife Refuges, the invasion of European Common Reed has displaced native biodiversity by altering the structure and function of relatively diverse _Spartina_ marshes (Marks et al., 1993). It was not until 1997 that it appeared on the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network lists (Canadian Botanical Conservation Network 1997). Suddenly the native plant appeared to have become aggressive. At the time it was not realized that there were two races of _Phragmites australis_, one a native of fens, bogs and river shores, the other an alien capable of growing in a wide range of habitats. Possible "invasive biotypes" were alluded to in 2001 (Small & Catling 2001) and the status and identification of native and introduced races was clarified for Canada in 2003 (Catling et al. 2003). Further information for Canada is provided by Robichaud & Catling (2003) and Catling (2004). In 2004 the native North American race was described as a distinct subspecies, _Phragmites australis_ subsp. _americana_ Saltonstall, P. M. Peterson & Soreng (Saltonstall et al. 2004) and distinguished from the introduced (alien invasive) lineage, _Phragmites australis_ subsp. _australis_. At present the invasive alien subspecies is spreading rapidly in eastern Canada and is having major impacts. For example, it is displacing native vegetation in rich saltmarshes in the St. Lawrence estuary (pers. obs.), has become the most significant threat to native vegetation in the St. Lawrence River area (Lavoie et al. 2003), is replacing native wetland vegetation in Long Point Biosphere Reserve on the Lake Erie shore of Ontario (Wilcox et al. 2003), and is threatening the habitat of the endangered Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid (_Platanthera leucophaea_) and other rare native prairie plants in the Lake St. Clair marshes (pers. obs.). Using the NatureServe ranking system it is priority number 1 in Canada - truly remarkable for a plant that was not on the list in 1993! Additional information on the biology of the plant is available from Mal & Narine (2004). Sea Buckthorn (_Hippophae rhamnoides_ L.) This plant has recently attracted interest worldwide for its economic value as a nutritious food, a medicine, a soil enhancer, a pollution reducer, a source of firewood, and as a landscape management tool (e.g. Small & Catling 2002). It has been widely planted on the Canadian prairies to improve soil through nitrogen-fixing capability, to prevent erosion in dry and especially saline areas and for use as a shelterbelt. More recently it has attracted attention in Canada as an alternative crop, the leaves and berries being processed into a range of health foods and herbal products. Oil from the plant is also used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes (Li 1999, Li & Beveridge 2003). Despite its many virtues, sea buckthorn can be a serious problem. It was apparantly first listed as an invasive in Canada in 1997 (Catling 1997). Now it is regarded by many in Alberta as a potentially very serious problem. One respondent from Calgary writes "it is escaping into the natural environment, not only in Britain but also here on the prairies, and, as a result, is destroying biodiversity vegetation .... ultimately there will be no native fruiting plants to provide winter food for grouse or other wildlife Therefore, as the native plants are displaced, there is no food for birds that depend upon insects .... This is leading to the decline of many bird species .... Here on the prairies, most of the sea buckthorn has escaped to the low lying, moist riparian areas, the richest of all in biodiversity. Where it is now established, it has turned these areas into a monoculture. From a local wildlife point of view, such colonies are now biological deserts .... because it readily spreads by rhizomes, a single seed is able to colonize an area of acres within a few years. Such areas soon become impenetrable thickets. They are so dense that little light reaches the ground, therefore all herbaceous plants disappear. The soil beneath them is now unprotected. During periods of flooding this results in the loss of topsoil, and the silting of waterways, choking insect and fish habitat .... In Calgary we now have dozens of established colonies. Volunteers have been engaged in removing some of them, but most take several years to completely control, because if one section of rhizome is overlooked it readily rejuvenates the colony." Although evidently a major and rapidly increasing problem, it does not appear on the list of the Alberta Invasive Plants Council (2005), but the Alberta Native Plant Council (2000) does list it as invasive with the comment that it "has established extensive monocultural stands on gravel and sandbars along streams." In Alberta it is already established over a relatively extensive area including Calgary, Edmonton and Hinton. According to an invasive plant newsletter in British Columbia "the potential risk to BC natural ecosystems has been brought to the attention of BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and BC Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries." Using the NatureServe ranking system it was 15th. For some general biological information on this species, see Pearson & Rogers (1962). Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa Lam.) Diffuse Knapweed has proven capable of overwhelming all native vegetation in parts of central British Columbia where it occurs in a wide range of habitat types including various dry grasslands, scrub and Ponderosa Pine transition. The plant produces chemicals that inhibit the growth of native plants (Callaway & Aschehoug 2000, Hierro & Callaway. 2003). A single plant is said to produce 18,000 seeds that can remain dormant for years (Watson & Renney, 1974: Carpenter & Murray, 1998). Its establishment results in the decline of native forage species including those used by both livestock and native deer and elk (Pidwirny 2005). It is one of 21 noxious weeds listed for all regions of British Columbia under the BC Weed Control Act. It has degraded a number of very restricted Canadian ecosystems that are imperiled. The omission of Diffuse Knapweed from lists of major invasives of natural habitats may be attributable to its limited area of abundance in Canada and/or the fact that it has been highlighted as a pest of rangelands which are sometimes viewed as agricultural rather than natural. Although not in the 1993 survey, it was included in the results of the 1996 survey as "an additional species of concern that mat warrant major problem status" )Haber 1966). Using the NatureServe ranking system it was 4th. For more information see Watson & Renney (1974), Carpenter & Murray (1998), Sheley et al. (1998), and LeJeune & Seastedt (2001). European Lake Sedge (_Carex acutiformis_ Ehrh.) Presently restricted to a limited area, this sedge is extremely dominant and can exist in a variety of habitats. At a site near Ottawa it is present in permanent water to 50 cm deep and on dry slopes. It can spread rapidly by tough rhizomes and it competes very effectively for nutrients. The dense leaf cover and persisting dead leaves smother native vegetation. It is not easily distinguished from native species and could spread undetected. Although currently restricted, its remakarble potential for damage to native ecosystems resulted in a relatively high rank of 14th on the NatureServe ranking system. For more information see Catling & Kostiuk (2003). Autumn Olive (_Elaeagnus umbellata_ Thunb.) This alien plant fruits abundantly, grows rapidly and is widely disseminated by birds. It resprouts after cutting and with its nitrogen-fixing capabilities, it can adversely affect the nitrogen cycle of native communities that may depend on infertile soils, especially savanna, dry prairie and sand barren. It was introduced as a "wildlife enhancement shrub." Although extensively planted in the 1960s and 1970s it was unknown as a wild plant in Canada until 1987. Although not in the 1993 survey, it was included in the 1996 survey as a species of local importance. Its rapid spread in southern Ontario and threat to native biodiversity was documented in 1997 (Catling et al. 1997). The same year it appeared on the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network lists (Canadian Botanical Conservation Network 1997) and made the top 11 in Thompson's (1997) list for Canada. This is remarkable since the plant is so recently established. Using the NatureServe ranking system it was 16th. For more information see Sather & Echardt (1987), Szafoni (1990), Catling et al. (1997) and Fire Effects Information System (2005) Changes in priority and a longer priority list Not only are some invasive alien plants new and already at the top of the priority list, others that were regarded as "minor" in 1993 have assumed greater significance. For example _Pinus sylvestris_ was ranked in the top 10. _Agropyron pectiniforme_, _Cynanchum rossicum_, _Cytisus scoparius_, _Glyceria maxima_ and _Acer platanoides_ are all in the top 20. A number of plants ranked between 20 and 30 are also very serious invasives that have increased in importance. A good example of this is the white mulberry (_Morus alba_). It is anticipated that without very concerted and successful intervention, the native red mulberry (_Morus rubra_) will be replaced by the more common invading alien, white mulberry, as a result of hybridization and competition (Husband and Burgess 2001, Ambrose et al. 2003, Canadian Wildlife Service 2004). When white mulberry was listed as a minor invasive in 1993, red mulberry was only threatened, but in 1999 the status of red mulberry was changed to the endangered category and the next category after that is "extirpated" (= gone). Clearly the damage as a result of white mulberry has become much more serious and it is ranked as number 28. This suggests that there are at least 28 major invasive alien plants in Canada as opposed to 14 in 1993. Need for information A major part of the strategy to deal with invading plants is early detection of new invaders. From the above examples, it is clear that the situation is ever changing. This requires an extensive and coordinated effort of environmental monitoring as well as frequent updating of information. Of course there has to be information to update. Much more information on occurrence and impact is required. One does not have to be a professional botanist to help to remedy this situation. A very useful guide to monitoring is available on the web (Haber 1997). It is important to make the results of monitoring available periodically either electronically or through publication. Information on how the general public can help to prevent and diminish invasive species problems is available at www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=220 . Acknowledgements Ms. Laurie Hamilton of the Alberta Native Plant Council and Mr. Gus Yaki of Calgary helped to gather information on _Hippophae rhamnoides_. References Alberta Invasive Plants Council. 2005. Alberta invasives in 2004. http://www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/alberta2004.htm Alberta Native Plant Council. 2000. A rogue's gallery of invasive non-native plants. http://www.anpc.ab.ca/rogues.pdf Ambrose, J., and Red Mulberry Recovery Team. 2003. National Recovery Strategy for Red Mulberry (_Morus rubra_ L.). RENEW. 25 p. Callaway, R.M. & E. T. Aschehoug. 2000. Invasive plants versus their new and old neighbours: a mechanism for exotic invasion. _Science_ 290(5941): 521-523. Canadian Botanical Conservation Network 1997. http://www.rbg.ca/cbcn/en/projects/invasives/invade1.html Canadian Wildlife Service. 2004. Species at risk: red mulberry. http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/search/speciesDetails_e.cfm?S peciesID=228 Carpenter, A.T. & T.A. Murray. 1998. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Element Stewardship Abstract for _Centaurea diffusa_. 1998-1999 TNC Weed Report, _Centaurea diffusa_, Diffuse knapweed. Invasive Species Team, TNC, CA. http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/documnts/centdif.html Catling, P. M. 1997. The problem of invading alien trees and shrubs: some observations in Ontario and a Canadian checklist. _Canadian Field-Naturalist_ 111: 338-342. Catling, P. M. & B. Kostiuk. 2003. _Carex acutiformis_ dominance of a cryptic invasive sedge at Ottawa. _Botanical Electronic News_ 315: 1-6. Catling, P. M., G. Mitrow, L. Black, & S. Carbyn. 2004. Status of the alien race of Common Reed in the Canadian Maritime Provinces. _Botanical Electronic News_ 324: 1-3. Catling, P.M., M.J. Oldham, D.A. Sutherland, V.R. Brownell, & B.M.H. Larson. 1996. The recent spread of Autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) into southern Ontario, and its current status. _Canadian Field-Naturalist_ 111(3): 376-380 bibl Catling, P.M., Schueler, F.W., Robichaud, L., & B. Blossey. 2003. More on _Phragmites_ - native and introduced races. _Bull. Can. Bot. Assoc._ 36(1): 4-7. Fire effects information System. 2005. _Elaeagnus umbellata_. http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/elaumb/all.html Haber, E. 1996. Invasive plants of Canada: 1996 national survey results. Biodiversity Convention Office. http://24.114.142.233/nbs/ipcan/survey.html Haber, E. 1997. Guide to monitoring exotic and invasive plants. Ecological Monitoiring and Assessment Network. http://www.eman- rese.ca/eman/ecotools/protocols/terrestrial/exotics/intro.html Hierro,J. L.& R. M. Callaway. 2003. Allelopathy and exotic plant invasion. _Plant and Soil_ 256(1): 29-39. Husband, B. C. & K. S. Burgess. 2001. Evaluating hybridization as a cause of species endangerement: a role for systematics in plant conservation. Pp. 82-95 in Phipps, J.B. & P.M. Catling [eds.] _Bioconservation and Systematics (Proceedings of the Canadian Botanical Association Conference Symposium)_. Canadian Botanical Association. LeJeune, K. D. & T. R. Seastedt. 2001. _Centaurea_ species: the forb that won the west. _Conservation Biology_ 15(6): 1568- 1574. Li, T.S.C. 1999. Sea buckthorn: New crop opportunity. Pp. 335- 337 in: Janick, J. [ed.], _Perspectives on new crops and new uses_. ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA. www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-335.html Li, T.S.C. & T.H.J. Bereridge. 2003. Sea buckthorn (_Hippophae rhamnoides_ L.): production and utilization. National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa. 137 p. Mal, T. K. & L. Narine. 2004. The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 129. _Phragmites australis_ (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. _Canadian Journal of Plant Science_ 84: 365-396. Marks M., B. Lapin & J. Randall. 1993 Element Stewardship Abstract for _Phragmites australis_. The Nature Conservancy. http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/documnts/phraaus.html Morse, L. E., J. M. Randall, N. Benton, R. Hiebert, & S. Lu. 2004. An invasive species assessment protocol evaluating non- native plants for their impact on biodiversity. Version 1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. http://www.natureserve.org/getData/plantData.jsp Pidwirny, M. J. 2005. Land use and environmental change in the Thompson-Okanagan. http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/thomp-ok/env changes/biodiv/ch5.html#5.3.1 Robichaud, F. W. & P.M. Catling. 2003. Potential value of first glume length in differentiating native and alien races of Common Reed, _Phragmites australis_. Botanical Electronic News 310: 1-3. Saltonstall, K., P. M. Peterson & R. J. Soreng. 2004. Recognition of _Phragmites australis_ (Poaceae: Arundinoideae) in North America: evidence from morphological and genetic analysis. _Sida_ 21(2): 683-692. Sather, N. & N. Eckardt. 1987. Element Stewardship Abstract for _Elaeagnus umbellata_, Autumn-olive. The Nature Conservancy. Arlington, Virginia. http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs/documnts/elaeumb.html Sheley, R.L., J.S. Jacobs, & M.F. Carpinelli. 1998. Distribution, biology, and management of diffuse knapweed (_Centaurea diffusa_) and spotted knapweed (_Centaurea maculosa_). _Weed Technology_ 12(2): 353- 362. Small, E. & P.M. Catling. 2001. Poorly known economic plants of Canada - 29. Common reed, _Phragmites australis_ (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. _Bull. Can. Bot. Assoc._ 34: 21-26. Small, E. & P.M. Catling. 2002. Blossoming treasures of biodiversity: 5. Sea Buckthorn (_Hippophae rhamnoides_) - an ancient crop with modern virtues. _Biodiversity_ 3(2): 25-27. Szafoni, R. E. 1990. Vegetation management guideline: autumn olive, _Elaeagnus umbellata_ Thunb. _Natural Areas Journal_ 11(2): 121-123; 1991. Watson, A.K. & A.J. Renney. 1974. The biology of Canadian weeds. 6. _Centaurea diffusa_ and _C. maculosa_. _Canadian Journal of Plant Science_ 54: 687- 701. White D.J., E. Haber, & C. Keddy. 1993. Invasive plants of natural habitats in Canada: an integrated review of wetland and upland species and legislation governing their control. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Canada. 121 p. http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/publications/inv/index_e.cfm Wilcox, K. L., S. A. Petrie, L. A. Maynard & S. W. Meyer. 2003. Historical distribution and abundance of _Phragmites australis_ at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario. _Journal of Great Lakes Research_ 29(4): 664-680. OLD-FIELD SUCCESSION: A BIBLIOGRAPHIC REVIEW (1901 - 1991) From: Marcel Rejmanek and Kristina P. Van Katwyk, Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 Available at http://botanika.bf.jcu.cz/suspa/oldfield.php The ever-growing number of publications on secondary succession on abandoned agricultural land is overwhelming. The only published bibliography on old-field succession (Haug & Van Dyne 1968) covered 120, mostly American, references. Our bibliography covers 1511 references to old-field succession and related topics from the around the world until ca. 1991. At that time we also published a brief analysis of major research trends in this area (Rejmanek 1990). Our original intention was to publish this bibliography in _Excerpta Botanica, Sectio B_ (Gustav Fisher Verlag). However, this series, dedicated exclusively to bibliographies in plant ecology, ceased in 1995. Many new contributions have been published in the meantime. Fortunately, most of the recent references are now readily available from existing databases. Examples of particularly valuable recent publications are Schmiedeknecht 1995 (_Dissertationes Botanicae_ 245: 1-175), Bazzaz 1996 (_Plants in Changing Environments_. - Cambridge University Press), Chapman & Chapman 1999 (_Conservation Biology_ 13: 1301- 1311), Siemann et al. 1999 (_Ecography_ 22: 406-414), Foster & Tilman 2000 (_Plant Ecology_ 146: 1-10), Van der Putten et al. 2000 (_Oecologia_ 124: 91-99), Meiners et al. 2002 (_Ecography_ 25: 215-223), Hedlund et al. 2003 (_Oikos_ 103: 4568), Bartha et al. 2003 (_Appl. Veg. Sci._ 6: 205-212), Falinska 2003 (_Phytocoenosis_ 15: 1-104), Myster 2004 (_Bot. Rev._ 70: 381402), and Knops et all. 2005 (_Ecology Letters_, in press). As can be seen from some of these references, abandoned fields are used more and more for testing of very basic ecological hypotheses. We could even say that contemporary ecological theory is inseparable from abandoned fields. Old fields are often seen as a sort of _Drosophila_ of terrestrial ecology. At the same time, however, research on post-agricultural succession brings extremely valuable information for land management and conservation, especially in the tropics. While the majority of old-field studies have been conducted in the United States, the monographic study on old-field succession in Central Bohemia (Osbornova et al. 1990) is a multidisciplinary project that remains thus far unparalleled. The virtual absence of old-field ecological studies in Australia remains puzzling even in 2005. References in this bibliography are classified into one or more of the 46 categories. References Haug, P.T. & G.M Van Dyne. 1968. _Secondary succession in abandoned fields: an annotated bibliography. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, ORNLTN-2104, 69 p. Osbornova, J., M. Kovarova, M., J. Leps, & K. Prach [eds.] 1990. _Succession in Abandoned Fields. Studies in Central Bohemia, Czechoslovakia_. Kulver Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 168 p. Rejmanek, M. 1990. Foreword: old and new fields of old-field ecology. pp. iv-xiii, in: Osbornova, J. et al. [eds.] _Succession in Abandoned Fields: Studies in Central Bohemia, Czechoslovakia_. Kulver Academic Publishers, Dordrecht. NEW BOOK: BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF INVASIVE PLANTS Coombs, E.M., J.K. Clark, G.L. Piper & A.F. Cofrancesco, Jr. [eds.] _Biological control of invasive plants in the United States_. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, OR. viii+467 p. ISBN 0-87071-029-X [soft cover] Price: US$ 45.00 Available from: At bookstores or fax your order 1- 800- 426-3797 [fax]. Distributed in Canada by the UBC Press, 1-877-864-8477 [voice]. Secure online ordering: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/press/a-b/BioControl.html This is an essential reference to the biological control of invasive introduced plants in the United States. It represents a collaboration of 63 authors representing 10 universities, five federal agencies, four private organizations and four overseas agencies. The authors included in the book only those species that are approved by USDA-APHIS-PPQ. In spite of this restriction, there are 94 agents covered in this book. The first part of the book (_The theory and practice of biological control_) deals with problems associated with introductions of biocontrol agents: theory, testing, permits, monitoring etc. Each chapter is an in-depth introduction to the treated topic. The second part of the book deals with the target plants and their biocontrol agents. Since the success of biocontrol depends on the understanding of bioagent's ecology, this section gives a detailed description of each agent. The following invasive plants are treated in this section: Alligatorweed (_Althernanthera philoxeroides_) Bindeweeds (_Convolvulus arvensis_, _Calystegia sepium_) Brooms (_Genista monspessulana_, _Cytisus scoparius_) Eurasian watermilfoil (_Myriophyllum spicatum_) Giant Salvinia (_Salvinia molesta_) Gorse (_Ulex europaeus_) Hydrilla (_Hydrilla verticillata_) Knapweeds (_Centaurea cyanus_, _Centaurea diffusa_, _Centaurea pratensis_ = _C. jacea_ x _nigra_, _Acroptilon repens_ = _Centaurea repens_, _Centaurea stoebe_ subsp. _micrantha_ = _Centaurea maculosa_, _Centaurea virgata_ subsp. _squarrosa_) Leafy spurge (_Euphorbia esula_ complex) Mediterranean sage (_Salvia aethiopis_) Melaleuca (_Melaleuca quinquenervia_) Puncturevine (_Tribullus terrestris_) Purple loosestrife (_Lythrum salicaria_) Rush skeletonweed (_Chondrilla juncea_) Russian thistle (_Salsola tragus_) Saltcedar (_Tamarix_ spp.) Smooth cordgrass (_Spartina alterniflora_) St.Johnswort (_Hypericum perforatum_) Tansy ragwort (_Senecio jacobaea_) Thistles (_Cirsium vulgare_, _Cirsium arvense_, _Carduus pycnocephalus_, _Silybium marianum_, _Carduus nutans_, _Carduus acanthoides_) Toadflax (_Linaria genistifolia_, _Linaria vulgaris_) Tropical soda apple (_Solanum viarum_) Waterhyacinth (_Eichhornia crassipes_) Waterlettuce (_Pistia stratiotes_) Yellow starthistle (_Centaurea solstitialis_) The last section deals with ongoing biological control projects on plants not included in Section II. [For the 1993 historical record of the biological control programs in British Columbia see Roy Cranston's contributions in BEN # 51 and 52: http://victoria.tc.ca/Environment/Botany/ben/bengoph03.html ] ________________________________________________________________ Subscriptions: http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/ben-l Send submissions to aceska@telus.net BEN is archived at http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/ ________________________________________________________________