Tardigrade Inventory - Year 3

To date, we have found 43 new records for the Phylum Tardigrada and 3 are being studied to determine if they are new to science. The total species number for the park is now 46. Species richness estimates indicate around 76 species could eventually be found. In the 2003-2004 collecting season, we will complete our major field collections, continue the lab processing and identification of samples, and work up the three suspected new species. Preliminary statistical work has begun on species richness estimates and habitat distribution models, and this will be continued as the database becomes more complete.