The 2015 CFBC Colloquium "Forging New Frontiers in Biological Control - Linking molecular advances with practical field applications" was held at the Botany 2015 Science and Plants for People Conference in Edmonton, Alberta, July 29, 2015 in The Shaw Conference Centre
The following invited speakers discussed key progresses/challenges in field work on biological control and explored how molecular advances could enable field research.
The 2014 CFBC Symposium ‘Novel
approaches to improve and understand biological control’ was held September 30, 2014 at the Joint Entomological Societies of Saskatchewan and Canada meeting in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, September 30, 2014. The following four invited speakers discussed their research from across a spectrum of different aspects of biological control, presenting new ideas, concepts and improvements in the way in which we can research and implement biological control strategies.
2014 Poster Competition Congratulations to the 2014 CFBC Student Poster Award Winner Joyce Leung, Simon Fraser University, and 1st runner-up Diana Wilches, University of Lethbridge! For more information and to see a copy of the winning posters, please see the Student Affairs page! Book Offer FREE ebooks on grassland arthropods!
The Biological Survey of Canada (http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/english/overview.htm) is a non-profit organization that exists to promote awareness of Canada's arthropod (insects, mites and spiders) species. The BSC recently published two books reporting on arthropods of Canada's grasslands. Both books are written by professional researchers for a general audience. Each book is about 350 pages, has been professionally edited and formatted, and contain many beautiful photographs. Topics include the geographic formation of the prairies and effects on soil type, prairie weather, different types of grasslands, the history of European settlement on the prairies, insects associated with rivers and ponds, and a number of chapters focused on insects of specific regions or taxonomic groups.
Volume 2 is perhaps of greatest interest to biocontrol researchers. One chapter provides an exhaustive summary of biocontrol agents released in Canada against weed and arthropod pests. Another summarizes the programs and legislation that exists to protect 'species at risk' (including arthropods) in Canada, which has potential implications for the release of biocontrol agents. Further chapters are devoted to pest and beneficial arthropods associated with stored grain products, crops, and livestock.
Each book is freely available in PDF format via the links below:
Shorthouse, J.D. and Floate, K.D. (eds). 2010. Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands (Volume 1): Ecology and Interactions in Grassland Habitats. Biological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, ON. 358 pp. (http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/english/grasslandsbook.htm)
Floate, K.D. (ed.). 2011. Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands (Volume 2): Inhabitants of a Changing Landscape. Biological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, ON. 371 pp. (http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/english/grasslandsbook2.htm)
Hard copies can be purchased via a 'print on demand' option for a small fee.
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