InuvikSA国际影视传媒檚 streets are filled with more than 100 species of plants, and most of them are native to the area.
Brooke Smith holds up a dead dragonfly she found during the BioBlitz.
ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 in stark contrast to most cities in the south, which are full of weeds and introduced plants.
Paul M. Catling, who was in Inuvik during a BioBlitz this week, said 95 per cent of the plants in town are native to the area.
SA国际影视传媒淚n town is a special kind of habitat,SA国际影视传媒� said Catling, speaking during an introduction to BioBlitz at the Aurora Research Institute Sunday, July 30.
The event challenges residents to document the plant and animal life in their own community. After an introduction at ARI, community members set off with scientists to check out what could be found around Inuvik.
Catling pointed to the large amount of foxtail grass in town, which he said would have been the same grass the mammoths were trampling thousands of years ago.
The reason it grows in town more so than out on the land is because of the disturbed conditions in the city limits, he said.
SA国际影视传媒淭his part of the north is fascinating,SA国际影视传媒� said Catling. SA国际影视传媒淚t has a lot of stuff that isnSA国际影视传媒檛 anywhere else in Canada. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 unique and itSA国际影视传媒檚 fascinating and itSA国际影视传媒檚 rich.SA国际影视传媒�
Runel Jimenez, organizer of the BioBlitz with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, was touring with the group throughout the territory, having just spend some time in Tuktoyaktuk.
SA国际影视传媒淎t its heart, (the BioBlitz) is an event where we bring the public and scientists together to identify as many species in the local area (as possible) in a specific time period,SA国际影视传媒� said Jimenez.
SA国际影视传媒淚n Inuvik, there is all sorts of life and weSA国际影视传媒檙e here to examine how great our biodiversity is.SA国际影视传媒�
In Tuktoyaktuk, the group found a lot of bumblebees, Arctic orchids and of course mosquitos and sandflies.
Talking to locals about the differences over the last 20 years, Jimenez heard there were more eagles and robins in the area now.
Anyone who didnSA国际影视传媒檛 get to join the group on the Sunday blitz can still take part in the Canada 150 event by uploading photos of plants and species in the area to inaturalist.ca, an open-source data base for Canadian scientists to investigate the countrySA国际影视传媒檚 biodiversity.
