Biological Diversity

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”  The saying applies to nature, as well as to eggs. 

Diversity within the natural environment allows ecosystems to change and adapt to changing circumstances.  Some people have gone so far to call “biological diversity” a measure of the health of an ecosystem (although some areas are naturally more diverse than others). 

Biological Diversity occurs at three levels:

·         Genetic Diversity – The variation within a single species.  A variety of traits in a species means that some members of the species will be better adapted to changes in the environment, allowing the species to have a better chance of survival.

·         Species Diversity – The variety of different species living within a particular ecosystem.  The different animals, plants, fungi, and other organisms in an ecosystem determines the complexity and features of the ecosystem as a whole.

·         Ecosystem Diversity – The variety of ecosystems in an area. 

These three levels are related and affect one another.  Fewer different types of ecosystems will mean fewer species well suited to the ecosystems that are available (species diversity), and less need for an individual species to adapt to a range of environments (genetic diversity). 

British Columbia is one of the most biologically diverse provinces in Canada.  Because of its mountainous geography (which makes it difficult for species to spread from one area to another) and the wide range of weather patterns, the province is home to a wide range of ecosystems, and consequently a wide range of different types of species.  B.C. is home to 143 mammal, 454 bird, 20 amphibian, 19 reptile, 450 fish and between 50-70,000 invertebrate species.  Plants are also diverse, with 2850 vascular plant, 1000 mosses and liverworts, 1600 lichen and over 10,000 fungi species in the province.  (Figures from Biodiversity in British Columbia)

Law and Biological Diversity

One aspect of protecting biological diversity is making sure that individual species do not go extinct.  The Guide has a separate page related to laws, strategies and planning processes focused on protecting particular endangered species and their habitat. 

In addition, however, there are laws and planning processes aimed at retaining diversity in ecosystems, which, it is hoped, will result in greater genetic and species diversity as well. 

In the mid-1990s the provincial government made a commitment to protect at least 12% of the land of the province as park.  The “Protected Areas Strategy” attempted to identify candidates for protection in all areas of the province and was seen by the provincial government as a major tool to protect biological diversity.  In addition to parks, there are a variety of land-use designations that government can make that can protect biological diversity.  Ecological Reserves and Parks are two key designations.  While a step forward, critics say that parks by themselves will not prevent loss of biodiversity. 

The primary tool for addressing biological diversity across a landscape on Provincially-owned Land that is not in parks is Sustainable Resource Management Planning (SRMP).  SRMP results in objectives being set which resource-users (and especially logging companies) must attempt to meet.  The objectives can address many values, but much of the initial work (started under an earlier model of planning) has focused on the protection of biological diversity through the initial step of establishing Old Growth Management Areas (OGMAs) to ensure that some of an original ecosystem is retained. 

The creation of OGMAs on provincial forest lands is guided by the Ministry of Forests’ Biodiversity Guidebook.  Critics of the Guide note that it will result in significant loss of species in much of the province.  Moreover, the government has been slow and in some cases reluctant to fully implement the Guide, promising that only a minimal impact on levels of logging will occur.  This has resulted in further risks to species and ecosystem diversity.  Since the Guidebook is a policy document only, there is no legal way to require the government to implement it. 

In addition, government can consider biological diversity in making decisions under particular statutes or in designing particular plans.  For example, reviews of projects under the federal and provincial Environmental Assessment Acts frequently consider biological diversity. 

Related Guide Pages:

·         Endangered Species

·         Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat

·         Sustainable Resource Management Planning

For more information about Biological Diversity in B.C.:

·         The Biological Diversity in B.C. site, is maintained by a private citizen, Lyrae Emerson.

·         The Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection has a useful introduction to biological diversity called Biodiversity in British Columbia.  

·         Living Landscapes – Columbia Basin – Information on ecosystem and species diversity in the Columbia Basin.

·         The B.C. Endangered Species Coalition website not only tells you about what biological diversity is, but gives suggestions on what to do about it (For general background check out the Coalition’s Biological Diversity Backgrounder).

·         Briefing Note -- The Sierra Club’s critique of how the Ministry of Forests Biodiversity Guidebook and BC’s Forestry legislation is failing to protect Biological Diversity.