Rare and not so Rare Species in Ontario

I made my way up to the Thunder Bay area with my mom this weekend while she was up on vacation. We stopped at quite a few ecologically interesting spots: Mt. McKay; quite a few sections of Superior's shoreline, mostly bays protected by islands; and some cool, moist rivers that run into the big lake. I was mostly just enjoying the landscape and the break from work, but of course my eyes were also on the lichens, plants, and insects. 

With very little effort, I surprisingly found quite a few rare species. I have a few ideas as to why it was so easy. Many of the spots we stopped at were quite scenic, long expanses of shoreline, mountains, cliffs... these features are unique, hence they have unique species that are specialized to growing in those conditions. Going up north it was far more mountainous, being deeper into the Canadian Shield. While we definitely have similar habitats in MN, they are often more remote and inaccessible. There were also some unique rock types that I haven't noticed around the Finland area. Some of these rare species can be quite abundant in their habitat, so they might not seem so special to someone less familiar with them. I've spent quite a bit of time looking out for many of these species, so my eyes can easily recognize them. Many of these are considered arctic/alpine disjuncts. Thunder Bay is about 130 miles north of Finland, so it makes sense that as you head farther north there is more suitable habitat and these species become more common. 

It was interesting thinking about why these species are or are not rare in two different areas that are so close together and ecologically similar, although to some degree distinct. Conservation is inherently political, there is no denying that there are various components determining what is listed as "rare" in a state, province, or country. Some species are the charismatic megafauna that are easy to get people to care about. While others are much more obscure. Surely that can affect their listing. Some play more important ecological roles than others, or at least we perceive it that way. Listing some species would have a greater impact on industries like logging, mining, or tourism than others. All these things and more can affect our views and efforts around conservation. Are these discrepancies in legally defined rarity of some of these species based on their actual presence on the landscape, or based on something else?

Giant chives (Allium schoenoprasum var. sibiricum) is a state endangered (S1) species that reaches the southern edge of its range in MN with only about a dozen records, in Ontario and much of Canada it is far more common (S4).

The northern blue (Plebejus idas) is a state special concern (S3) species in MN, our subspecies is the Nabokov's blue (ssp. nabokovi). I assume Ontario has the same subspecies, but am not sure. In Ontario this species is apparently secure (S4)

Punctelia stictica is an endangered species in MN (S1) and a vulnerable species in Canada (S3)

Sandwort microcalicium lichen (Microcalicium arenarium) is not a listed species in MN, in Ontario it is endangered (S1)

Rock whitlow mustard (Draba arabisans) is a special concern species (S3) in MN

it is apparently secure (S4) in Ontario

Little emerald lichen (Myriospora smaragdula) is not listed in MN, although it does seem to be quite rare and may be in the future, in Ontario it is endangered (S1). This one was growing along the shoreline of Superior in a sheltered bay 

Little emerald lichen (Myriospora smaragdula) growing on a rock face along a river that runs into Superior

Squashberry (Viburnum edule) is a boreal species it is not rare in MN, but it is somewhat uncommon, restricted to just Lake and Cook counties, I'd assume it is quite common in Canada

Manzanita leafgall aphid (Tamalia coweni) forms leaf galls on bearberry, I've only seen it sparsely at a few locations, just across the border this population had thousands of galled leaves

Exobasidium arctostaphyli also forms galls on bearberry and is seemingly somewhat uncommon in MN, this bearberry population was also heavily afflicted with this species