Chris Lewis

Government of British Columbia, Canada · Minisry of Water Land and Resource Stewardship

The inventory of lichens, allied fungi, and their parasites in the Ottawa region has grown from 391 in 1988 to 543 today, almost entirely because of the discovery of species overlooked in previous years and the inclusion of fungal parasites. In addition, almost 140 names have changed with reclassifications and re-identifications. These changes are...

Frontenac Provincial Park is located on the Frontenac Axis, a southern extension of the Canadian Shield, linking Algonquin Park to the Adirondack Mountains. To better understand the lichen biota of this interesting ecosystem, an inventory was conducted during several field visits from 2016–2019. During these surveys, 280 species of lichens and alli...

On March 24th and 25th, 2020, a rocky mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) survey was conducted in MU 7-19 located in British Columbia, Canada. Prominent ridges and mountains that were searched during the survey included: Chevil Hill (BC), Dinosaur Ridge (AB/BC), Mount Hannington Complex (BC), Mount Gorman (AB/BC), Mokasis Mountain (...

Here we report 22 lichen species from 21 genera that are either new to the Canadian province of Ontario or are new records of provincially uncommon species. One species is new to Canada: Hyperphyscia syncolla. Three are new to Ontario: Bryoria fremontii, Fulgensia bracteata ssp. bracteata, and Hypogymnia incurvoides. Eighteen species are new report...

Globally, ungulate–vehicle collisions (UVCs) are a major human safety concern and may also represent a significant source of mortality for some ungulate populations. However, records of UVC based on counts of roadside carcasses or reports by drivers involved in these incidents are assuredly underestimated because not all ungulates struck die immedi...

Ontario Parks, under the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, Ministry required surveys of lichen found at Oxtongue River – Ragged Falls Provincial Park, and Algonquin Provincial Park Nature Reserve (Found Lake N52) and Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park. In 2023, the Lichen Flora of Algonquin Park was compiled and updated reve...

A minimum population count aerial survey was conducted for the Pink Mountain plains bison in the Halfway-Sikanni River area, northwest of Fort St. John, BC. The survey was conducted between March 1st to March 3rd, 2024, and covered the entire suspected plains bison winter range. Snow conditions were good, and temperatures during the survey ranged f...

While it is well documented that wolves (Canis lupus) hunt and scavenge bison (Bison bison) from some long-established populations, such ecological interactions are not well known for most small, reintroduced populations in the boreal forest. Indeed, predation or scavenging of reintroduced bison in the boreal forest is rarely reported. Yet, documen...

The epidermis of wild mammals is occasionally lacerated or punctured, and wound care behaviours evolved to keep animals healthy in nature. Communal wound licking may promote healing of affected sites, relieve stress after a traumatic experience, and reinforce social bonds among individuals. Yet, there are few reported cases of communal wound lickin...

On January 13th and 14th, February 11th and March 21st, 2022, rocky mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) aerial mark-resight surveys were conducted in MU 7-19 located in British Columbia, Canada. The study area focused on the 4 subpopulations (Nekik, Kakwa, Torrens and Sulfur) of the Narraway/Torrens herd. Surveys were completed in B...

The Etthithun wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) population was established in 1999 and 2000 with the release of 49 wood bison from Elk Island National Park (EINP). Animals were originally released in the Etthithun Lake area, a part of their historical range in an attempt to re-establish a viable subpopulation/herd. Much of the rationale for relea...

One of Canada's rarest lichens, Heterodermia leucomela (L.) Poelt, was first discovered in Belleville, Ontario by George Lawson in 1862. Thought to be extirpated in Ontario, it is known from fewer than a dozen records in Canada, with only a few discoveries in northeastern North America in the past 100 years. My discovery in 2018 is of historical si...

Lempholemma syreniarum is described from Ontario, Canada in North America. The new species grows on the bark of deciduous tree bases that are seasonally flooded. In seasonally dry periods, its black areolate thallus, typically with numerous light brown apothecia, is easily seen on tree bases and root flares but is underwater during most other parts...

The Golden-eye Lichen, Teloschistes chrysophthalmus, is a distinctive bright orange to greenish-grey, tree-inhabiting macrolichen. The thallus has a tufted, shrubby habit often with flattened branches held to surfaces by a central holdfast. The abundant orange fruiting bodies (apothecia) with ciliate margins and the lack of vegetative propagules su...

Since this lichen was last assessed in 2004, increased search effort and a better understanding of its habitat requirements have revealed new occurrences in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec and the minimum number of mature individuals is now estimated at 350,000. Canada is thus the stronghold for this species which has declined or disappeared from els...

We report on fifty-seven lichen species from forty-four genera that are new either to Canada or the Province of Ontario, are the first published records in approximately the last century, or are additional provincial records of rare species with few collections. Ranges of several species are also expanded in northeastern North America. The first pu...

On August 18th, 2015, while staff from Kemptville District were conducting Forest Values Collection surveys in an identified priority forest block in Lanark County, an interesting lichen species was observed. A specimen was collected, taken back to the District Office and confirmed as Tree Stipple-scale - Placidium arboreum (Schwein. Ex E. Michener...

Some lichens can grow on more than one type of substratum but others are highly specific to a particular type of substratum. The lichen, Leptogium rivulare is designated as threatened in Canada by COSEWIC, and it grows on rock and tree bark which also coincides with different geographic locations in Manitoba and Ontario. Since L. rivulare is consid...

Cladonia robbinsii is reported here for the first time in the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, Canada, and distinctions between it and similarly sterile and/or squamulate Cladonia species found in those provinces are discussed.

Sandbanks Provincial Park contains one of the world’s largest freshwater bay mouth sandbar and dune systems. To better understand the lichen biota of this provincially rare ecosystem, we inventoried the species at Sandbanks and its surrounding area. We found 128 species of lichens and allied fungi in 58 genera. Two species are new to Canada, Hyperp...

Pterygiopsis neglecta, formerly only known from the area of type locality, along the River Elbe in Hamburg, Germany, is reported here for the first time in North America. Placynthium stenophyllum var. stenophyllum is a new record for Canada, and Cryptothele granuliformis and Placynthium stenophyllum var. isidiatum are new to Ontario. Notes on Epheb...

Approximately 770 specimens of lichens were collected by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) staff during field work in the Ontario Far North (Hudson and James Bay lowlands) during 2012. Five (5) lichen species are being reported here as new to Ontario (based on Lewis et al, 2012 unpublished) Arthrohaphis citrinella (Ach.) Poelt, Collema...

An inventory of the lichens of Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five National Marine Park in the Georgian Bay area of southern Ontario was carried out by 30 lichenologists participating in the 2008 Tuckerman Workshop. A list of 370 species of lichens, related fungi and lichenicolous fungi was compiled, documenting that the parks are remarka...

A species of Lecanora in the L. dispersa group, with a well-developed pale thallus and a heavily pruinose apothecia, resembling superficially among others L. poeltiana, is found on shaded vertical calcareous cliff faces and is described here as Lecanora carlottiana sp. nov. The species is recorded mainly on northern portions of the Niagara Escarpme...

Approximately 710 specimens of lichens were collected by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) staff during field work in the Ontario Far North during 2011. Specimens varied from a single lobe or “sprig” to large luxurious collections. Confident identifications were made when there were enough characteristics shown on the material present....

Approximately 700 specimens of lichens were collected by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) staff during field work in the Weenusk, Mishkeegogamang, and Eabametoong traditional lands in the Far North during 2010. Specimens varied from a single lobe or sprig to large luxurious collections. Confident identifications were made when there w...

This series presents the collection of recovery strategies that are prepared or adopted as advice to the Province of Ontario on the recommended approach to recover species at risk. The Province ensures the preparation of recovery strategies to meet its commitments to recover species at risk under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA, 2007) and the...

Psilolechia clavulifera is reported as new to Canada, where it was been found growing under a shaded rock overhang near Temagami, Ontario. This is the first record of the species for Canada. This occurrence represents only the fourth documented record of the species for North America since it was first discovered in 1939 by J. Lowe. This specimen w...

This short technical report provides specimen updates and corrections to the 2009 lichen identifications by OMNR staff in the Ontario Far North (Hudson and James Bay lowlands).

Xanthoria parietina, a conspicuous orange foliose lichen, has been doubtfully recorded as part of the Ontario lichen flora because the previous documented reports were very old (1868 and 1917) and it had never been reported since. Here, we document a number of new sightings, all in southern Ontario. A previous report of this lichen from “Longulac”...