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The cumulative effects of resource development on biodiversity and ecological integrity in the Peace-Moberly region of Northeast British Columbia, Canada

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Abstract

Rapid acceleration of industrial development in north-eastern British Columbia is currently occurring without a comprehensive assessment of the effects it will have on ecological or cultural systems. The cumulative effects of past development are already being felt within the Treaty 8 First Nations of the region but these effects have not been quantified from a landscape point of view. Using habitat modeling and GIS analysis the effects of 35 years of agricultural and industrial development on forest biodiversity and ecological integrity were investigated for a 410,000 ha landscape in north-eastern British Columbia. The study identified a significant increase in area impacted by developments which lead to a shift in landscape structure and significant change in forest biodiversity. Forest fragmentation and habitat loss has resulted in an increase in open, early seral and edge habitats at the expense of contiguous mature forests. The change in landscape structure resulted in a significant increase in species richness as generalist and early seral species responded positively to increases in these habitats. A significant increase in brown-headed cowbird parasitism risk was also detected. Changes in landscape structure, reduction in habitat for 22% of modeled species, increase parasitism and predation risk due to fragmentation, and increased access have resulted in a cumulative effect of recent resource development on ecological integrity that is both additive and synergistic. The propose acceleration of future development will increase the risk to maintaining the biodiversity and ecological integrity in the Peace-Moberly region of British Columbia.

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Acknowledgments

First, and most importantly, I would like to thank the British Columbian Treaty 8 Tribal Council for allowing me to conduct this research on their traditional territory and for providing information paramount to the success of this project. Their support and interests are at the foundation of this project. I would also like to thank the British Columbian government for providing information on forest and oil and gas development. I would also like to acknowledge the leadership and guidance of Dr. John Innes on this project. Finally, I would like to thank the Sustainable Forest Management Network for funding this research project.

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  1. Department of Forest Resources Management, The University of British Columbia, 2045-2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

    Craig R. Nitschke

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Correspondence to Craig R. Nitschke.

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Nitschke, C.R. The cumulative effects of resource development on biodiversity and ecological integrity in the Peace-Moberly region of Northeast British Columbia, Canada. Biodivers Conserv 17, 1715–1740 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9376-6

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