Director of Communications
amanda.murphy@tn.gov
615-741-9010
Senior Communications Manager
jill.kilgore@tn.gov
615-927-1320
Communications Manager
Alli.Lapps@tn.gov
GATLINBURG, Tenn. – Discover Life in America has announced the Great Smoky Mountains Science Colloquium, hosted by Discover Life in America and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Glenstone Lodge. The event is free and open to the public.
This annual event highlights the research, conservation and education efforts being made to understand, manage and restore the unique biological diversity in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and beyond.
Scientists consider the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to be one of the most biodiverse locations in North America. In the midst of such species richness, DLIA conducts an ongoing project to inventory all species that exist in the Park.
The All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) seeks to catalog the estimated 60,000-80,000 species living in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The project continues to develop reports, maps, databases, GIS tools, and natural history profiles that describe the biology of this rich landscape. These tools enhance park management and provide information to a wide audience in an effort to promote science and conservation of biodiversity.
Research partners will present at the annual GSMNP Science Colloquium on a variety of topics of research in the park. These may include:
• Wildlife diseases
• Salamanders
• Weather, especially precipitation
• Louisiana Waterthrush
• Climate & vegetation change
• Bats
• Black bears & wildfire
For more information call 865-430-4757, visit www.dlia.org.
# # #
DLIA’s mission is to discover and understand America’s species through science and education for conservation. DLIA’s flagship project, the ATBI, is a joint effort with the National Park System to identify and record every single species within the Park. To date DLIA has assisted in adding over 9,140 new species to the park’s records and 979 new to science.
Director of Communications
amanda.murphy@tn.gov
615-741-9010
Senior Communications Manager
jill.kilgore@tn.gov
615-927-1320
Communications Manager
Alli.Lapps@tn.gov