Monday, February 4, 2013

New! The Biodiversity of BC Blog

There is so much happening on our three biodiversity sites these days, that we realized that we needed a way to let you know what's new and interesting on the sites and in BC biodiversity news.  So today is the launch of the new Biodiversity of BC blog, covering news and updates for the three sites (E-Flora BC, E-Fauna BC, and the Biodiversity of BC umbrella site). 

First up, check out our new Comprehensive Search feature at the bottom of the E-Flora and E-Fauna home pages. This new search tool allows you to search all three of our interlinked biodiversity sites. You can search for species, ecosystems, habitats and more  For example, a search for 'salt marsh' will call up salt marsh plants (e.g. English cordgrass--Spartina anglica) AND salt marsh fauna, including the intertidal pseudoscorpion (Halobisium occidentale) and the invasive Asian Hornsnail (Batillaria attramentaria) (which is now present on southern BC shorelines by the thousands). A great way to learn more about the many interlinked components of salt marshes.

Also, we are busy preparing new updated mapping for E-Flora BC and E-Fauna BC. The mapping software that we use to drive our maps has been updated and we are about to switch our maps over.  The new updated software has more flexibility and is easier to use. ETA, spring 2013.  A part of this work on the mapping includes developing maps that can be displayed on Apple products (e.g. the iPhone).  Apple doesn't allow the display of anything using FLASH, which is what we use to display our maps on the atlases.  UBC geography grad student Jake Wall has been working on developing maps specifically for Apple products. ETA, soon!

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