Welcome to the RGIS website

The Research Group on Introduced Species (RGIS) conducts multidisciplinary research and publicizes information on the effects of introduced species on natural ecosystems within the Haida Gwaii archipelago (British Columbia, Canada).
Our initial work focused on the effects of introduced deer and squirrel on native vegetation and fauna. This site synthesises findings on that topic.
Our current research investigates the effects of prolonged reduction in browsing pressure (or lack of) on vegetation and song birds and the role of the absence of predation risk in allowing deer to maintain abundant populations on sites they have severely overbrowsed (ANR-BAMBI). Fundamentally our objective is to better understand the role of trophic interactions in the dynamics of biodiversity. Results will be summarised on the BAMBI website.

On this site, designed to  inform both a specialized and non specialized audience, you will find:

• An introduction to Haida Gwaii

• A note on introduced species and on the issues they raise on Haida Gwaii

• A short presentation  of RGIS,  

• A nutshell summary of what we learned 

• More details on the science done to date and on the broader relevance of its results

• Ways to access the scientific publications produced

• Material from the 2002 symposium

• Guidelines for teachers interested in using our work in school curriculum