New Species
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI)
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Acalypta
Click illustration to enlarge. View more illustrations and photos of new species: |
New Species:
- Species new to science are ones that have never been formally identified and described.
- Species new to the Park are species that were previously known to science but until now had not been found in the Smokies.
- Scientists estimate there may be as many as 100,000 species in the Park.
When scientists discover a new species, several steps need to be taken to “introduce” it to the world:
- Researchers publish papers about their findings.
- The papers include photographs, drawings, descriptions, and comparisons to similar species.
- The articles are reviewed by fellow scientists.
- If the organism is accepted as new and previously un-described:
- It is placed in the taxonomic scheme.
- It is given a scientific name a Latin “binomial” such as Homo sapiens.
There is much more to be learned in addition to the listing and classification of new organisms. Many questions remain to be answered about all the residents of the Smokies:
- Where do they live?
- How do they relate to other life forms and toothier habitats?
- Are they in danger from threats such as:
- acid deposition or ozone?
- exotic insects, plants, and diseases?
- development pressures on the border of the Park?
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.
- Although most of the new species are small in size, they are often big in importance to the health of ecosystems. They play crucial roles in cycling of nutrients, as predators or prey, or even improving the vigor of trees and other plants by fixing nitrogen in the soil.
- 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.
- Read about past discoveries in articles from Sightline at:
If you are interested in participating in this fascinating venture, contact DLIA at 865-430-4752 for information about science education programs and volunteer opportunities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Text:
Jeanie Hilten.
Photographs:
Heather MacCulloch.
Web page:
REFERENCES
Nichols, Becky. 2007. Personal communication, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
