Atlases

Current Activity

Promoting and publishing atlases is an integral part of BRC’s work.  Atlases continue to be important for biological recording while also providing a basis for periodic review of the distribution of species within a taxonomic group.  Atlas datasets are often used for research, including many of the examples given throughout this booklet.  In 2014, coinciding with its 50th anniversary, BRC is supporting the publication of major atlases of dragonflies and bryophytes.

 

Key Outputs

Printed atlases now cover over 10,000 species of plants and animals. Many atlases are richly detailed reference works which include much more than distribution data.  Atlases and their associated datasets have revealed major changes in species’ ranges over the past 50 years and are being used to address a growing number of research questions.  Maps, species accounts and associated information within atlases are also increasingly used to make informative and attractive websites to support recording.

Atlases are listed in the references below, or find those for specific taxa on the relevant recording scheme pages.

 

Future Challenges

Planned atlases will continue to extend the taxonomic breadth of mapped species distributions.  Repeat atlases, such as those already published for Lepidoptera, birds and plants, often reveal important insights into the causes of change in species distribution, and generate new research questions. Additional ecological and environmental information, now integral to most atlases, help to interpret species distributions. A challenge is to incorporate complex new analyses of trends in an accessible way.

 

References

Stroh Peter A., Walker Kevin J., Humphrey Thomas A., Pescott Oliver L, Burkmar R.J. (2023) Plant Atlas 2020: Mapping Changes in the Distribution of the British and Irish Flora. Princeton University Press, .
Barber Tony (2022) Atlas of the Centipedes of Britain and Ireland. Field Studies Council, .
Brown K.D. (2022) Earthworm Atlas (digital). , .
Lane S.A., Lucas C.B.H., Whiffin A.L. (2021) The Histeridae, Sphaeritidae and Silphidae of Britain and Ireland. Field Studies Council, .
D. Crawley, F. Coomber, L. Kubasiewicz, Harrower C. A., P. Evans, J Waggit, B Smith, Mathews F., The Mammal Society (2020) Atlas of the Mammals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Pelagic Publishing, Exeter .
Foster G.N., Bilton D.T., Hammond M., Nelson B.H. (2020) Atlas of Water Beetles of Britain and Ireland - smaller families of Polyphaga. Field Studies Council, .
Collins G.A., Roy Helen E. (2019) Provisional Atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland Part 10. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, .
Harvey M. (2018) Provisional atlas of soldierflies and allies. , .
Collins G.A., Roy H. E. (2016) Provisional Atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland Part 9. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, .
Stace Clive A, Preston Christopher D., Pearman David A. (2015) Hybrid flora of the British Isles. Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, Bristol .
Cham S., Nelson B., Parr A., Prentice S., Smallshire D., Taylor P. (2014) Atlas of Dragonflies in Britain and Ireland. Field Studies Council, Shrewsbury .
Blockeel T.L., Bosanquet Sam D.S., Hill Mark O, Preston Christopher D. (2014) Atlas of British and Irish bryophytes. Pisces Publications, Newbury .
Roy Helen E., Brown Peter M. J., Frost R., Poland Remy (2011) Ladybirds (Coccinellidae) of Britain and Ireland. Field Studies Council, Shrewsbury .
Edwards Robin, Roy Helen E. (2009) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of the British Isles, Part 7. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford .
Gregory Steve (2009) Woodlice and Waterlice (Isopoda: Oniscidea & Asellota) in Britain and Ireland. FSC Publications, Shrewsbury .
George R. S., Harding Paul T. (2008) Atlas of the fleas (Siphonaptera) of Britain and Ireland. Field Studies Council, Shrewsbury .
Cox Michael L (2007) Atlas of the Seed and Leaf Beetles of Britain and Ireland, supplementary material. , .
Cox Michael L (2007) Atlas of the Seed and Leaf Beetles of Britain and Ireland. Pisces Publications, Newbury .
Lee P. (2006) Atlas of the millipedes (Diplopoda) of Britain and Ireland.. Pensoft, Sofia .
Edwards Robin, Broad G. R. (2006) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of the British Isles, Part 6.. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Huntingdon .
Edwards Robin, Broad G. R. (2005) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland, Part 5.. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Newton A., Randall R. D. (2004) Atlas of British and Irish brambles. Botanical Society of the British Isles., London .
Huxley T. (2003) Provisional atlas of the British aquatic bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera). Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Biological records Centre, Huntingdon .
Alexander K. N. A. (2003) Provisional atlas of the Cantharoidea and Buprestoidea (Coleoptera) of Britain and Ireland. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Hardy F.G., Guiry M.D. (2003) A check-list and atlas of the seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.. British Phycological Society, London .
Harvey P.R., Nellist D.R., Telfer Mark G. (2002) Provisional atlas of British spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) 2 vols. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Preston Christopher D., Pearman David A., Dines T.D. (2002) New Atlas of the British & Irish Flora. Oxford University Press, Oxford .
Edwards Robin, Telfer Mark G. (2002) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland, Part 4.. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Asher Jim, Warren Martin S., Fox Richard, Harding Paul T., Jeffcoate G., Jeffcoate S. (2001) The millennium atlas of butterflies in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press, Oxford .
Edwards Robin, Telfer Mark G. (2001) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland, Part 3.. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Ball Stuart G, Morris R.K.A. (2000) Provisional atlas of British hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae). Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Kerney M.P. (1999) Atlas of the land and freshwater molluscs of Britain and Ireland. Harley Books, Colchester .
Twinn P. F. G., Harding Paul T. (1999) Provisional atlas of the longhorn beetles (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) of Britain. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Luff M.L. (1998) Provisional atlas of the ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of Britain. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Snow K.R., Rees A.T., Bulbeck S.J. (1998) A provisional atlas of the mosquitoes of Britain.. University of East London, .
Edwards Robin (1998) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland, Part 2.. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Haes E.C.M., Harding Paul T. (1997) Atlas of grasshoppers and allied insects in Britain and Ireland. TSO, London .
Edwards Robin (1997) Provisional atlas of the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland, Part 1.. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Mendel Howard (1996) Provisional atlas of the Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) of Britain and Ireland. Ipswich Borough Council Museums, .
Merritt R., Eversham B.C., Moore N.W. (1996) Atlas of dragonflies in Britain and Ireland.. HMSO, London .
Seaward M.R.D. (1995) Lichen atlas of the British Isles, fascicles 1-6.. London: British Lichen Society, London .
Arnold Henry R (1995) Atlas of amphibians and reptiles in Britain. HMSO, London .
Hill Mark O, Preston Christopher D., Smith A J. E. (1994) Atlas of the bryophytes of Britain and Ireland. Volume 3: Mosses (Diplolepideae).. Harley Books, Colchester .
Stubbs Alan E. (1993) Provisional atlas of the ptychopterid craneflies (Diptera: Ptychopteridae) of Britain and Ireland. Biological Records Centre Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, .
Gibbons D.W., Reid J.B., Chapman R.A. (1993) The new atlas of breeding birds in Britain and Ireland, 1988-1991.. Poyser, London .
Arnold Henry R (1993) Atlas of mammals in Britain. HMSO, London .
Hill Mark O, Preston Christopher D., Smith A J. E. (1992) Atlas of the bryophytes of Britain and Ireland. Volume 2: Mosses (except Diplolepideae).. Harley Books, Colchester .
Stubbs Alan E., Harding Paul T., Telfer Mark G. (1992) Provisional atlas of the long-palped craneflies (Diptera: Tipulinae) of Britain and Ireland. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Hill Mark O, Preston Christopher D., Smith A J. E. (1991) Atlas of the bryophytes of Britain and Ireland. Volume 1: Liverworts (Hepaticae and Anthocerotae).. Harley Books, Colchester .
Drake C.M. (1991) Provisional atlas of the Larger Brachycera (Diptera) of Britain and Ireland.. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Pont A. (1988) Provisional atlas of the Sepsidae (Diptera) of the British Isles. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Barber A.D., Keay A.N. (1988) Provisional atlas of the centipedes of the British Isles. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Martyn K. P. (1988) Provisional atlas of the ticks (Ixodoidea) of the British Isles. Biological Records Centre Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon .
Sankey John HP (1988) Provisional atlas of the harvest-spiders (Arachnida: Opiliones) of the British Isles. Biological Records Centre Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, .
Heath J., Brown D.J.F., Boag B. (1988) Provisional atlas of the Nematodes of the British Isles. Biological Records Centre, Monks Wood .
Lack P.C. (1986) The atlas of wintering birds in Britain and Ireland. A.D. Poyser., Calton .
Bland K.P. (1986) Preliminary atlas of the Lepidoptera: Incurvarioidea of the British Isles. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Ball Stuart G, McLean I F. G. (1986) A preliminary atlas of the Sciomyzidae of Great Britain.. Sciomyzidae Recording Scheme Newsletter, .
Heath J., Pollard E., Thomas J. A. (1984) Atlas of butterflies in Britain and Ireland.. Viking, Harmondsworth .
Ing B. (1982) Provisional atlas of the myxomycetes of the British Isles. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Elliott J. M., Tullet P. A. (1981) Provisional atlas of the freshwater leeches of the British Isles. Freshwater Biological Association, Ambleside, UK .
Dodge J.D. (1981) Provisional atlas of the Marine dinoflagellates of the British Isles. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
(1980) Atlas of the bumblebees of the British Isles. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Cambridge .
Barrett K.E.J. (1979) Provisional atlas of the insects of the British Isles: Part 5, Hymenoptera: Formicidae, ants.. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Archer Michael E (1979) Provisional atlas of the insects of the British Isles: Part 9, Hymenoptera: Vespidae, social wasps. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Marshall J.E. (1978) Provisional atlas of the insects of the British Isles: Part 8, Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae, caddisflies.. Biological Records Centre, Huntingdon .
Jermy Anthony C, Arnold Henry R, Farrell Lynne, Perring Franklyn H. (1978) Atlas of ferns of the British Isles. Botanical Society of the British Isles and British Pteridological Society, London .
Sharrock J.T.R. (1976) The atlas of breeding birds in Britain and Ireland.. A.D. Poyser., .
Perring Franklyn H., Walters S M. (1968) Critical supplement to the atlas of the British flora. Nelson, London .
Perring Franklyn H., Walters S M. (1962) Atlas of the British flora. Nelson, London .