Search Help

Text Search

Type a keyword or phrase into the search field to conduct a general search of all unit names and factsheets. To search on geographic distributions or moisture/nutrient regimes, see Advanced Options below.

Search results are provided as a tabular list of units that meet the search criteria:

  • Click on the hierarchy icon at the right to see the placement of the unit in the hierarchy (without siblings).
  • If the unit code at the left is highlighted, click on it to view an abstract page containing a brief conceptual description, placement of the unit in the hierarchy (with siblings), and a link to the factsheet pdf.

If you know the unit code (e.g., CNVC00001) or the full unit name (e.g., Cool Temperate Forest & Woodland), you can search on these to find the exact unit in the hierarchy.

Vernacular (common) names of plant species are used only in the unit names and in the factsheet abstracts. Searches using vernacular species names will return results only for the subset of units that mentions these species in the unit name or abstract. By searching on scientific species names, you will also return units that mention the species elsewhere in the factsheet (i.e., a larger set of search results).

A search on “Festuca occidentalis” (in quotation marks) will return results for Festuca occidentalis only. A search on Festuca occidentalis (not in quotation marks) will return results for Festuca occidentalis, as well as other combinations of these words such as Festuca subulata and Strix occidentalis.

To search for species hybrids, use the formatting in the following example:  "Picea x lutzii".

Use the Botanical Nomenclature lookup on this website to confirm the plant species scientific and vernacular names (with synonyms) that have been adopted for the CNVC.


Advanced Options

Use the advanced filter options for searching on geographic distributions as well as on moisture/nutrient regime characteristics of units (currently only available for the association level). Visit Understanding the Factsheet for more information about these criteria.

Combine the text search with one or more search filters, or use the filters on their own. Search results will meet all of the conditions specified in the search field plus filters. You can use up to 5 filters per search.