Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services
FAQs: Endangered Species and Ecosystems
What do Rare and Endangered really mean?
Rare means not common. Many species and ecological communities are naturally rare.
Relative rarity does not necessarily
mean that a species and ecological community is endangered. Endangered
means that a species or ecological community is at risk of becoming extinct.
Ranking is the process of determining the degree of extinction risk.
In B.C., the Conservation Data Centre is responsible for assigning provincial
ranks. For a description of ranks and how they are determined, please
read NatureServe Conservation
Status and Ecological
Communities in British Columbia: Conservation Status Assessment Factors
(pdf 258 KB).
How can you tell if a species or ecological community is truly rare or just hasn't been found very often?
If the species or ecological community is known from a common, relatively unthreatened
habitat in a remote region and/or is not a showy, easily observed species,
then it may be more common than the number of observations indicate. Only
by targeted surveys can this question be answered. Some species and
ecological communities have indeed been down-listed after such surveys.
Until the survey can be done, though, the precautionary principle requires
the Conservation Data Centre to rank the species or ecological community
based on existing information.
Why should we care about rare invertebrates?
The greatest part of the biodiversity
of British Columbia is made up of invertebrates - a group that we know
the least about! We do not even know what species are found in the province
or the extent of their ranges, let alone the roles that they play in
the diverse ecosystems in the province. For example, many bees, flies,
butterflies or beetles are key pollinators. They are critical components
in the food chain. There are many plants that are dependent on fungal
associations with their roots, invertebrates are important vectors in
this process. Insects and other soil-dwelling creatures help create
productive soil. There are many predaceous or parasitic invertebrates
that are vital in the control of unwanted plants or other invertebrates
that may be considered pests.
Why are we concerned about elements whose range just barely reaches
into B.C. but may be common elsewhere?
One cannot assume that just because an element is at the
edge of its range in B.C. that it is doing well elsewhere. For example,
the Oregon Spotted Frog is declining across its range. Other species,
such as the golden paintbrush and Columbia Sharp-tailed Grouse, are
doing better at the edge of their ranges than in the centre. Furthermore,
range edge populations often have special conservation value. They have
often adapted to live in different habitats than populations in the
centre of the range, and have developed unique genetic characteristics
that should be preserved to maintain the strength and diversity of the
species as a whole. In the case of climatic change, it may be the population
at the edge of the range that can best adapt to a new environment.
Where can I find the rank of a species or ecological community
elsewhere in North America?
Visit the NatureServe web site and use
NatureServe Explorer. This is a source for authoritative
conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals, and ecological
communities of the United States and Canada. Through the NatureServe
site you can also link to Conservation Data Centres and Natural Heritage
Programs in other states and provinces. From the NatureServe home page,
click on the Network Directory.
Links to other FAQ topics
BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer
Red, Blue and Yellow Lists
Ecological Communities
Known Locations of Species and Ecosystems
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