The wildlife values area and site datasets represent the consolidation of 13 wildlife data classes collected by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The data estimates locations used by wildlife for various reasons, including: * breeding * calving and fawning * denning * feeding * staging * nesting * wintering * general habitat areas * nurseries * travel corridors Locations are represented as points (site) or polygons (area) and may be related to a specific species or described more generally. Wildlife values data is most often used to support policy and legislation associated with the Crown Forest Sustainability Act. The data may also be used to inform a wide range of resource management activities and decisions. There are additional sensitive features related to provincially tracked species and species at risk that are not available as part of the open data package. Sensitive features are subject to licensing and approvals and may be requested by contacting [geospatial@ontario.ca](geospatial@ontario.ca).

The data represent the distribution of species of amphibians, reptiles, reptiles, terrestrial mammals and freshwater and migratory fish in Quebec.The files represent:amphibians: 21 speciesreptiles: 17 speciesterrestrial mammals: 69 speciesfreshwater and migratory fish: 118 speciesThe ranges were established on the basis of various sources of information and validated by the Main Directorate of expertise on terrestrial fauna (DPEFT), the Main Directorate for Threatened or Vulnerable Species (DPEMV) and the Main Directorate of Expertise on Aquatic Wildlife (DPEFA) of the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP).The ranges of species of _freshwater and migratory fish_ are also illustrated in the [“Freshwater Fish of Quebec”] poster (https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/faune/documents/animaux/affiche-poissons-eau-douce.pdf). Some ranges have been slightly modified since they were included in the poster.__There may be differences between the ranges of the species shown in the files and the current spatial distribution of the species. __The distribution areas were produced on a small scale; they provide indicative information on the presence of the species in Quebec.The cards are the property of MELCCFP.__Atten:__ The ranges of marine mammals that frequent the coasts of the province of Quebec are not included in this dataset.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The Canadian Breeding Bird Census (BBC) Database contains data for 928 breeding bird plot censuses representing all known censuses of breeding birds carried out in Canada during the period 1929–1993. The 928 records in the database represent 640 unique census plots located in all provinces and territories, except Prince Edward Island. The BBC, which was replaced by the current Breeding Bird Survey, is one of the longest-running surveys of bird populations in North America, and was designed to help determine abundance and distribution patterns of bird species. An important feature of the BBC Database is the habitat data associated with each census plot. The most prevalent vegetation species in different layers (canopy, shrub and ground cover) were recorded to reflect the assumption that birds respond principally to vegetative structure.

DescriptionConservation of marine biodiversity requires understanding the joint influence of ongoing environmental change and fishing pressure. Addressing this challenge requires robust biodiversity monitoring and analyses that jointly account for potential drivers of change. Here, we ask how demersal fish biodiversity in Canadian Pacific waters has changed since 2003 and assess the degree to which these changes can be explained by environmental change and commercial fishing. Using a spatiotemporal multispecies model based on fisheries independent data, we find that species density (number of species per area) and community biomass have increased during this period. Environmental changes during this period were associated with temporal fluctuations in the biomass of species and the community as a whole. However, environmental changes were less associated with changes in species’ occurrence. Thus, the estimated increases in species density are not likely to be due to environmental change. Instead, our results are consistent with an ongoing recovery of the demersal fish community from a reduction in commercial fishing intensity from historical levels. These findings provide key insight into the drivers of biodiversity change that can inform ecosystem-based management.The layers provided represent three community metrics: 1) species density (i.e., species richness), 2) Hill-Shannon diversity, and 3) community biomass. All layers are provided at a 3 km resolution across the study domain for the period of 2003 to 2019. For each metric, we provide layers for three summary statistics: 1) the mean value in each grid cell over the temporal range, 2) the probability that the grid cell is a hotspot for that metric, and 3) the temporal coefficient of variation (i.e., standard deviation/mean) across all years.Methods:The analysis that produced these layers is presented in Thompson et al. (2022). The analysis uses data from the Groundfish Synoptic Bottom Trawl Research surveys in Queen Charlotte Sound (QCS), Hecate Strait (HS), West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI), and West Coast Haida Gwaii (WCHG) from 2003 to 2019. Cartilaginous and bony fish species caught in DFO groundfish surveys that were present in at least 15% of all trawls over the depth range in which they were caught were included. This depth range was defined as that which included 95% of all trawls in which that species was present. The final dataset used in our analysis consisted of 57 species (Table S1 in Thompson et al. 2022).The spatiotemporal dynamics of the demersal fish community were modeled using the Hierarchical Modeling of Species Communities (HMSC) framework and package (Tikhonov et al. 2021) in R. This framework uses Bayesian inference to fit a multivariate hierarchical generalized mixed model. We modeled community dynamics using a hurdle model, which consists of two sub models: a presence-absence model and a biomass model that is conditional on presence. Our list of environmental covariates included bottom depth, bathymetric position index (BPI), mean summer tidal speed, substrate muddiness, substrate rockiness, whether the trawl was inside or outside of the ecosystem-based trawling footprint, and survey region (QCS & HS vs. WCVI & WCHG)), mean summer near-bottom temperature deviation, mean summer near-bottom dissolved oxygen deviation, mean summer cross-shore and along-shore current velocities near the seafloor, mean summer depth-integrated primary production, and local-scale commercial fishing effort.Layers are provided for three community metrics. All metrics should be interpreted as the value that would be expected in the catch from an average tow in the Groundfish Synoptic Bottom Trawl Research Surveys taken in a given 3 km grid cell. Species density (sometimes called species richness) should be interpreted as the number of the 57 species that would be caught in a trawl. Hill-Shannon diversity is a measure of diversity that gives greater weight to communities where biomass is spread equally across species. Community biomass is the total biomass across all 57 species that would be expected to be caught per square km in an average tow. Data Sources:Research data was provided by Pacific Science's Groundfish Data Unit for research surveys from the GFBio database between 2003 and 2019 that occurred in four regions: Queen Charlotte Sound, Hecate Strait, West Coast Haida Gwaii, and West Coast Vancouver Island. Our analysis excludes species that are rarely caught in the research trawls and so our estimates would not include the occurrence or biomass of these rare species.Commercial fishing data was accessed through a DFO R script detailed here: https://github.com/pbsassess/gfdata. Local scale commercial fishing effort was calculated from this data. The substrate layers were obtained from a substrate model (Gregr et al. 2021). The oceanographic layers (bottom temperature, dissolved oxygen, tidal and circulation speeds, primary production) were obtained from a hindcast simulation of the British Columbia continental margin (BCCM) model (Peña et al. 2019).Uncertainties:Species that are not well sampled by the trawl surveys may not be accurately estimated by our model. The model did not include spatiotemporal random effects, which likely underestimates spatiotemporal variability in the region. It is also important to underline covariate uncertainty and model uncertainty. The hotspot estimates provide one measure of model uncertainty/certainty.

The distribution of nesting areas for bird colonies in coastal British Columbia showing relative abundance (RA) by season and overall relative importance (RI). RI is based on project region and not on the province as a whole. Number counts for various species in the colony location are provided. CRIMS is a legacy dataset of BC coastal resource data that was acquired in a systematic and synoptic manner from 1979 and was intermittently updated throughout the years. Resource information was collected in nine study areas using a peer-reviewed provincial Resource Information Standards Committee consisting of DFO Fishery Officers, First Nations, and other subject matter experts. There are currently no plans to update this legacy data.

AIS NL Biofouling Species Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) National Marine Biofouling Monitoring Program conducts annual field surveys to monitor the introduction, establishment, spread, species richness, and relative abundance of native and some non-native species in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Region since 2006. Standardized monitoring protocols employed by DFO's NL, Maritimes, Gulf, and Quebec regions include biofouling collector plates deployed from May to October at georeferenced intertidal and shallow subtidal sites, including public docks, and public and private marinas and nautical clubs. Initially, (2006-2017), the collectors consisted of three 10 cm by 10 cm PVC plates deployed in a vertical array and spaced approximately 40 cm apart, with the shallowest plate suspended at least 1 m below the surface to sample subtidal and shallow intertidal species (McKenzie et al 2016a). Three replicate arrays were deployed at least 5 m apart per site. Since 2018, collector networks have been modified to improve statistical replication, including up to 10 individual collectors deployed per site at 1 m depth and at least 5 m apart (as above) from May to October. Since 2006, seven invasive biofouling organisms have been detected in Newfoundland and Labrador harbours, marinas and coastal areas.Should be cited as follows: DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region Aquatic Invasive Species Marine Biofouling Monitoring Program. Published March 2024. Coastal and Freshwater Ecology, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.Reference:TunicatesViolet tunicate (Botrylloides violaceus) 2007The violet tunicate was first detected in NL waters in 2007 in Belleoram, Fortune Bay on wharf structures and vessels (McKenzie et al. 2016b). This colonial tunicate forms irregular shaped colonies usually of a solid color (orange, purple, yellow or cream). It is currently found in relatively small colonies in four harbours in NL; Placentia Bay (1), Fortune Bay (1), Conception Bay (1) and the west coast of NL (2). The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL.From 2018-2022, the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program provided additional support to enhance sampling efforts in Placentia Bay.

AIS NL Biofouling Species Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) National Marine Biofouling Monitoring Program conducts annual field surveys to monitor the introduction, establishment, spread, species richness, and relative abundance of native and some non-native species in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Region since 2006. Standardized monitoring protocols employed by DFO's NL, Maritimes, Gulf, and Quebec regions include biofouling collector plates deployed from May to October at georeferenced intertidal and shallow subtidal sites, including public docks, and public and private marinas and nautical clubs. Initially, (2006-2017), the collectors consisted of three 10 cm by 10 cm PVC plates deployed in a vertical array and spaced approximately 40 cm apart, with the shallowest plate suspended at least 1 m below the surface to sample subtidal and shallow intertidal species (McKenzie et al 2016a). Three replicate arrays were deployed at least 5 m apart per site. Since 2018, collector networks have been modified to improve statistical replication, including up to 10 individual collectors deployed per site at 1 m depth and at least 5 m apart (as above) from May to October. Since 2006, seven invasive biofouling organisms have been detected in Newfoundland and Labrador harbours, marinas and coastal areas.Should be cited as follows: DFO Newfoundland and Labrador Region Aquatic Invasive Species Marine Biofouling Monitoring Program. Published March 2024. Coastal and Freshwater Ecology, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.Reference:TunicatesVase tunicate (Ciona intestinalis) 2012 The Vase tunicate, is a high impact solitary invader and was first detected by DFO in 2012 on the Burin Peninsula at Ship Cove and Little Bay, Placentia Bay. Various mitigation measures (McKenzie et al. 2016b) contained this invasive tunicate to a small area for six years within Placentia Bay. First detected in Fortune Bay as an established population in 2019, increasing reports of the Vase tunicate have been made along the south coast of Newfoundland. The data provided here indicates the detections of this AIS in coastal NL.From 2018-2022, the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program provided additional support to enhance sampling efforts in Placentia Bay.

Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys osculus) are listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) as endangered. These fresh water fish, of the family Cyprinidae, are found in Canada only in the Kettle Valley of British Columbia. Proposed critical habitat was based on minimum viable population analysis and assumed densities of fish. From October 19th to the 22nd of 2015, night time pole seining surveys were conducted to enumerate Speckled Dace in proposed critical habitat on the West Kettle River; one of three rivers containing Speckled Dace. The estimated population abundance of Speckled Dace within the survey area was 8,978 (6,143-11,814), however only 1,014 of these are estimated to be adults.

A compendium of reports that provide information about aquatic and terrestrial animals and plants, soils, surface water, groundwater and their accompanying data files and maps

This geodatabase includes hotspot maps of 1) nearshore habitat richness, 2) diversity (fish and invertebrates), and 3) biomass (using catch per unit effort of fish and invertebrates), as well as two layers showing the spatial extent of the diversity and biomass hotspot analyses. Full details and methods can be found in the Rubidge et al. 2018 CSAS Research Document 2018/053 available here or at https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/40759842.pdf. These data were reviewed as part of a Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) regional peer review process on Nov 1-2, 2017.Habitat Richness Hotspots: Because there are no systematic surveys of nearshore species that span the entire coastline of Northern Shelf Bioregion, the nearshore habitat richness hotspots were developed as a proxy for species diversity in nearshore areas. Habitat richness was calculated from eight habitat features: eelgrass, surfgrass, canopy-forming kelp, estuaries, areas of high rugosity, and hard, mixed, and soft substrate. The number of features within 1 km x 1 km planning units was counted, and hotspots were identified using the Getis-Ord G* tool in ArcGIS. Planning units with Gi_Bin values of 3 (99% confidence) were classified as habitat richness hotspots.Diversity and Biomass Hotspots: Hotspots of fish and invertebrate diversity and biomass were developed as proxies for spatial patterns of productivity in the Northern Shelf Bioregion. Diversity (Shannon diversity) and biomass (kg/hour or count/hook/hour) were calculated from DFO synoptic trawl and outside hard-bottom longline (HBLL) survey catch records. The outside HBLL survey was previously referred to as Pacific Halibut Management Area (PHMA) survey. The synoptic trawl and HBLL surveys have complementary spatial coverage, with the HBLL surveys occurring in more coastal areas (20–260 m) and the synoptic trawl surveys occurring on deeper shelf areas (50–1300 m). Hotspots were identified using the Getis-Ord G* tool in ArcGIS for five separate analyses: fish biomass (trawl), fish diversity (trawl), fish diversity (longline), invertebrate biomass (trawl), and invertebrate diversity (trawl). Using the Minimum Bounding Geometry Tool, convex hull polygons were drawn around groups of hotspot points (Gi_Bin values of 1, 2, or 3; confidence ≥90%) containing 10 or more points. The resulting polygons were then buffered by 1 km and manually edited where needed to exclude any large areas of the polygons that did not include hotspot points.