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August 13, 2007
All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) for Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an attempt to catalog all of the species found within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Scientists and volunteers are collaborating and expect to find over 100,000 species, and have even discovered hundreds of species new to science (mostly insects and other tiny critters):
As of October 2006, 4,666 species new to the Park and an additional 651 species new to science have been discovered. Many of the species Smokies’ ATBI is discovering are small in size, and some are quite novel and obscure, but they all have roles in the natural ecosystem. The ATBI provides the information that allows the most enlightened stewardship of the national park; furthers scientific frontiers, and accomplishes this using citizen involvement, thereby providing quality educational experiences for everybody involved.
Their page with links on methods of inventory and collection looks like a very useful resource for any amateur naturalist.
The project is coordinated by Discover Life in America, a non-profit organization.
Posted by terrie at August 13, 2007 06:10 AM
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