Survey uncovers more than 2,000 species new to the park.
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS N.P.—Scientists have long said that 90 percent of the estimated 100,000 species in Great Smoky Mountains National Park remain unknown. But thanks to the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI), that percentage is dropping.
Since the study began in 1998, scientists, park staff, and volunteers have combed the park's half-million acres to find previously unknown life forms—mostly insects, spiders, worms, fungi, and slime molds, but also a mammal new to the park: the evening bat. Through March 2003, they have collected 334 species new to science and another 2,192 new to the park. The program's "Bio Blitzes," during which participants search for as many possible species from a particular group of organisms in a short amount of time, have yielded more than 130 new records of moths and butterflies, 21 soil series (similar to species), and two new slime mold records.
"There's always a flurry of new discoveries when you're looking at any family or group of organisms that hasn't received much study," said Jeanie Hilten of Discover Life in America, a nonprofit that oversees the study.
The ATBI, considered the most ambitious scientific study ever conducted, is expected to last between ten and 15 years and provide a comprehensive checklist of species in the park. Data collected will help park officials protect the park from threats such as exotic species, development, and pollution. Future discoveries also may reveal a new medicine or pest control method.
Of course, the ATBI and its potential benefits carry a price tag; the program's current budget is about $300,000 annually. Officials say the ATBI is nearing a crossroads, badly in need of new funding sources to pay for much-needed specialists and to enhance its database and web site. The Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountains Association have provided most funding to date.
"The difficulty is getting all the work done without a lot of money," said Hilten. "We're always seeking corporate and private support. So, right now, we are trying to expand the public's knowledge of what the project is and explain its importance."
At this year's ATBI conference, researchers discussed the project's discoveries, and photographers showed spectacular slides and scanned images of life forms never before or rarely seen, officials said. Photo exhibits of the findings have been displayed at public places such as art galleries and libraries.
A driving force behind the ATBI is its corps of dedicated volunteers, ranging from students and teachers to retirees, who logged about 7,000 hours of work last year. "We have a great assortment of volunteers giving us a tremendous amount of time," said Hilten. "We've even had park staff coming in on Saturdays to train some of the volunteers. That has been an exciting part of this. The human resource dedication is wonderful, and hopefully the financial aspect will follow eventually."
