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Collaborative environmental monitoring in the Oil Sands Region.
Lidar and imagery data for Alberta.
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Working together to mobilize biodiversity data.
A grassroots initiative that works with Indigenous communities interested in biodiversity monitoring.
Learn about landholder information and land access details.
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View detailed online status reports summarizing land cover and biodiversity information for different regions.
Learn about the species ABMI monitors in Alberta’s encyclopedia of life.
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Use this tool to instantly generate a report on land cover and biodiversity for many areas of interest across Alberta.
Our code repository for species habitat models, the wildRtrax R package, land cover indicators, and more.
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We work hard to collect robust data on a variety of lichens from across the province. This work starts with training field staff to collect specimens from different substrates or strata, including trees, logs, soil, wetlands, and rocks. The field collections from each site are sorted and identified in the lab. Every one of the ABMI's lichen records after 2007 has a specimen supporting it, still associated with the substrate or stratum where it was collected. To turn collections into data on species diversity and relative abundance, our scientists identify 10,000–20,000 specimens per year. We use morphology, chemistry, and in some cases genetics to provide each specimen the most accurate name we can. We also consult and collaborate with experts across North America to validate and improve our taxonomy.
We are involved in a variety of scientific projects, including describing new species to science, developing new biomonitoring methods, and asking large-scale ecological questions alongside other researchers. We welcome graduate students, volunteers, and interns to the lab. Recent student projects at the University of Alberta with our lichen lab include:
Data Links
The ABMI monitors a subset of Alberta’s lichens, namely the relatively large macrolichens, and tiny stubble lichens and allied fungi. Learn more about them in the ABMI's Biodiversity Browser and access our monitoring data and analysis.
The ABMI has data on over 450 species of lichens and allied fungi.
Lichens are unions of at least two separate species, together forming a new, resilient organism. At a minimum, lichens are composed of a fungal partner and a photosynthetic partner—a green alga or a cyanobacteria—called a “photobiont.”
Change is in the Air
Lichens are sensitive to their environment and are one of the first taxa to be affected by changes in climate or habitat, making them a great candidate for monitoring. For instance, there are long-running air quality monitoring programs using lichens!
Lichen walk
Field training
Classroom training
Species Discoveries
A list of our new records for Alberta/Canada/science. Click on a species for further information in our Biodiversity Browser.
Workflow - Life of a Collection
During the identification phase, we may seek out the expertise of external experts. This is because the species is new to science or the phenotype is outside of the known range for the species. We will also use Thin Layer Chromatography (a tool that identifies the chemical constituents of a sample) or DNA barcoding (a tool that looks at the genetic material for testing) to augment our identifications.
Here is a link to more information on our identification and quality control process.
Trevor Goward (most macrolichen genera including Bryoria, Cladonia, Peltigera, Usnea), Steve Selva (calicioids), Troy McMullin (calicioids, DNA barcoding support), Martin Westberg (Candelaria), Irwin Brodo (Cladonia, Lecanora, Physcia), Teuvo Ahti (Cladonia), Matthias Shultz (Collema, Leptogium, Lichinaceae), Toby Spribille (Collemataceae, Spilonema, Pannariaceae, crustose lichens, DNA barcoding support) James Lendemer (Heterodermia), Ted Esslinger (Melanelia s.l., Phaeophyscia, Physcia, Physconia), Steve Leavitt (Melanelia s.l., Xanthoparmelia) and the Duke Peltigera lab (François Lutzoni, Jolanta Miadlikowska, Ian Medeiros, and Carlos Pardo-De la Hoz).
The Edmonton Lichen Biomonitoring project works to create a lichen-based citizen science biomonitoring tool for Edmonton in order to learn more about the city’s air quality.
The Peltigera project aims to expand our understanding of Peltigera lichen diversity in Alberta through genetic markers. Building on the research done by global Peltigera experts, we hope to use genetic data to both verify our identifications and detect new species to the province.
The RECCAP project—Retrospective Evaluation of Contaminants in Cryptogams in the Alberta Oil Sands Region Partnership—is exploring the use of ABMI data and specimens to determine environmental contaminant levels and their effects.
Ampbibians
Aquatic Invertebrates
Birds
Bryophytes
Mammals
Soil Mites
Vascular Plants