A group of citizen scientists is documenting thousands of species in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to monitor changes in the ecosystem. Their work forms part of a long-running biodiversity inventory that has identified over 22,000 species so far.
On a recent rainy day, volunteers including James Hollinger and Laura Boggess examined mosses and lichens on trees in the spruce-fir forest. Hollinger noted a rare lichen seen only about a dozen times in the park before. The group, known as the Gang of Retirees in Search of Life’s Diversity, contributes to the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. This project is managed by the nonprofit Discover Life in America in partnership with the park. Will Kuhn of the nonprofit said more than 1,000 species documented since 1998 are new to science. Volunteers work year-round to record species active outside typical research seasons. Paul Super, a retired biologist, highlighted how small organisms help regulate moisture in high-elevation areas. The inventory supports monitoring amid shifts in temperature and species distribution.
