The search for all forms of life at Great Smoky Mountains National Park has tallied 20,000/DLIA

About a decade ago, the all taxa biodiversity inventory effort at Great Smoky Mountains National Park had tallied more than 6,500 previously undetected species in the park. Today that number has grown to 20,000 species of various plants, animals, and other organisms.

Why search for new species? Just knowing what resides in the park is a good reason, but also learning more about these species and their traits can help in surprising ways. The information teaches us how the park's ecosystem works, how change is impacting the park, either by introducing new species or eliminating long residing natives, and could even lead to new medicines to combat cancer or other diseases.

The species tally has grown through the efforts of scientists from across the world who have come to the national park to help catalog all life that resides within it.

“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the curiosity, tenacity, and dedication of the biological community,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “Each year, we have scientists who share their time and expertise to help us better describe, understand, and protect the wonders of the Smokies.”

The ATBI is an ongoing project to study the diversity of life in the Smokies, including where the species can be found, how abundant they are, and how they interact with one another. The project is managed by Discover Life in America (DLiA), a non-profit partner of the park, in cooperation with park staff.

“This is a remarkable achievement—cataloging so many species in this relatively small region!” said Dr. Will Kuhn, director of science and research for DLiA. “But, we think that there are still tens of thousands of species waiting to be discovered in the park. We’ve still got work to do!”

Yellow passion flower bee on a yellow passion flower at Great Smoky Mountains National Park/Katherine Parys

In the 21 years of its existence, the ATBI has documented more than 9,500 new species records for the park and an additional 1,006 species that were previously unknown to science. Among the newest species records in the park are the giant bark aphid (Longistigma caryae), which is the largest aphid in the United States; the Blue Ridge three-lobed coneflower (Rudbeckia triloba var. rupestris), a handsome wildflower native to Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina; the frosted elfin butterfly (Callophrys irus), a rare butterfly whose caterpillars feed on lupine and indigo; and the yellow passion flower bee (Anthemurgus passiflorae), which exclusively pollinates the small flowers of the yellow passion flower. In addition, the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) was recently documented in the park for the first time.

Recently, DLiA and park staff invited visitors to use a citizen science smartphone app to participate in ATBI efforts. Visitors can record species observations across the park as part of the Species SnapIt & MapIt project using iNaturalist. For more information, visit www.dlia.org/snapit-mapit  to learn how to collect and record species location data with just a few clicks.

“iNaturalist allows us to tap into some of the 11 million sets of eyes that visit the Smokies every year,” said Kuhn. “As visitors hike their favorite trails, they can use this incredible app to gather real scientific data about the organisms they see, and in doing so, help the park learn how to better conserve that life. It’s a fun and rewarding experience.”