Atbi Quarterly
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Autumn Newsletter 2001 ( Volume 2, Number 4) Great SmokyTBI Mountains National Park, The Natural HistoryUARTERLY Assoc., Discover Life in America, and Friends of the Smokies A QBeetle Blitz: Scientists and Volunteers Converge on the Smokies in Quest for Coleoptera Rebecca Shiflett Rebecca Tom Rogers The Beetle Blitz, held from Thursday, 28 people divided into groups and scattered June through Sunday, 1 July, was a re- throughout the Park to collect. Each af- sounding success! Specimens represent- ternoon we met to sort the days collec- ing 62 beetle families were collected. tions and to organize for the next day or Researchers working at the blitz included for collecting that evening. Coleoptera TWIG leader Chris Carlton Over 70 DLIA volunteers partici- Keith Langdon (NPS) and Upward Bound and Victoria Moseley, both from Louisi- pated, including 50 high school students students ana State University, and Alexander from various parts of the Southeast in the Konstantinov from the USDA. Mike Tho- Upward Bound program for math and mas of the University of Florida worked science held at the University of Tennes- on the Cerambycidae and Cucujidae, see. Volunteer photographers docu- while Ed Riley of Texas A & M and Shawn mented the event, National Park staff Rebecca Shiflett Rebecca Clark of the West Virginia Department assisted with the effort, and local and of Agriculture worked on the national media conveyed the excitement Chrysomelidae. Alexey Tischechkin of of the project to the public. The program Louisiana State University worked on the culminated in a refreshing Smoky Moun- Histeridae. Roger Dajoz and wife Aline tain downpour, followed by a barbecue from France searched the unique and of- dinner for about 100 people, which was Tom Rogers and Ed Riley examining a ten challenging habitats of Great Smoky generously provided by Orkin Com- collection Mountains National Park. Even lepidop- pany. terists joined in! Dave Wagner, Univer- Researchers also took time to work sity of Connecticut and Brian Scholtens, on the Parks specimen collection. The Contents College of Charleston, made light traps collection work has pointed the way for available to the coleopterists and assisted future efforts. If the volunteer groups Beetle Blitz 1 Annual Conference 2 with guiding students in the field. Some prepare material in advance of a Beetle Diversity 3 of our work was supported by Discover researchers visit to the Park, then they Algal TWIG 4 Life in America (DLIA) grantsmonies can quickly work through the specimens Slime Molds 5 contributed by the Great Smoky Moun- to make identifications. This will be an Reptiles 6 tains Natural History Association and efficient alternative to a researcher re- Lepidoptera 7 Friends of the Smokies. ceiving specimens in alcohol and Gametophytes 7 Training for this event began March spending their valuable time mounting Biting Flies 8 10, with the DLIA spring volunteer week- and labeling each specimen. Sorting Leeches 9 end where new volunteers were pre- workshops planned for this fall and win- Soil Arthropods 10 sented with an overview of the ATBI pro- ter will be the next steps in training vol- Beetle Blitz Photos 11 gram and the various volunteer oppor- unteers to address this need. Other such Tremont Students 11 tunities available, including a discussion collecting ventures are in the works for Registration 12 of the Beetle Blitz. In June we met again the coming years, including another to learn the actual collecting methods to Lepidoptera Blitz in June of 2002. In our winter issue: explore be used during the blitz and we prepared microbial diversity with Steve to go into the field with the various re- Tom Rogers Wilhelm and learn about aquatic searchers and contribute to the process. DLIA Volunteer, oligochaetes from Mark Wetzel After an initial orientation and safety Science / Taxonomy Team Leader meeting the first morning of the event, [email protected] 1 Letter from DLIA President Frank Harris Events of September 11 have left us all in a state of shock and disbelief that something so horrible could happen in a civilized world. Our thoughts, prayers and compassion go out to all who have been touched by this tragedy. We dont realize how small our world has become until some event of such huge, horrific proportions makes us realize that we are but one or two steps removed from one another despite the physical distance that might Science Advisory Panel seem to matter. Let us each take the time to reflect on this event and from it determine Dr. Dan Janzen, University of Pennsylvania how we might change to make the world a better place. Dr. Tom Lovejoy, The World Bank Peace be with you, Dr. Ron Pulliam, University of Georgia Dr. Peter Raven, Missouri Botanical Garden Frank Harris Dr. Edward O. Wilson, Harvard University Oak Ridge National Laboratory Board of Directors [email protected] Dr. Frank Harris - President and Chair Oak Ridge National Laboratory Annual Discover Life in America Conference The 2001 All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory - Discover Life in America Annual Conference Dr. Peter White - Vice-Chair will take place at the Glenstone Lodge in Gatlinburg, Tennessee from November 28-De- University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill cember 1. The meeting is being held earlier this year to allow for semester exams, and potentially bad weather. There have been many accomplishments over the past year, Mary H. Johnson - Vice-Chair Interstate Development Company such as new species discoveries, increased financial support, volunteer action, exciting prospects for science education, and plans for a new NPS Science Center to mention a Tom Kiernan - Secretary few! Dont miss this opportunity to join together to share knowledge, ideas, and visions National Parks Conservation Association for the future. Charles Maynard - Treasurer Note that our volunteer photographers are hosting a Photo Workshop on Wednes- Friends of Great Smoky Mountains NP day, November 28, with classes, guest presenters, and field trips into the Park. Contact Kevin Fitz Patrick at 828-526-0272 or [email protected] to register. All other ATBI sessions Peter Alden, Concord, MA will be held on Thursday, Nov. 29 and Friday, Nov. 30. Glenn Bogart, Pi Beta Phi Elementary School VENUE: The meeting will be held at the newly refurbished Glenstone Lodge, His- toric Nature Trail (formerly Airport Road), P.O. Box 330, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Please George Briggs, North Carolina Arboretum make your own reservations by calling the Glenstone at 1-800-362-9522 or 865-436-9361. We have reserved a block of rooms at a discounted rate of $60.00 per night. Please tell Dr. Norm Johnson, Ohio State University them that you are with Discover Life in America for the ATBI Conference. The Glenstone Dr. Meredith Lane, Biodiversity Group, Lodge has again graciously provided us with meeting rooms at no charge. We are look- Academy of Natural Sciences ing forward to your participation. Dr. Rex Lowe, Bowling Green State University Fundraising and Development Dr. John Morse, Clemson University Discover Life in America has accomplished so much in three short years with the help of a small army of volunteers. I have two more volunteer teams that I would like to add to Dr. John Pickering, University of Georgia the volunteer plan written by Jeanie Hilten; a Development Team and a Community Relations & Publicity Team. Stephanie Ramsey, Center for Disease Control The Development Team will work on special events and fundraisers for DLIA. The first event on our schedule is the Biodiversity Auction to be held on Thursday, Nov 29, Dr. Susan Riechert, University of Tennessee during the Annual Conference reception. Volunteers are needed to help obtain auction items and organize the event. It would be great to have a volunteer auctioneer in our midst. The David Scanlon, Great Smoky Mountains Development Team also will help with house parties, receptions, and other fundraising ac- Natural History Association tivities. Dr. Mike Sharkey, University of Kentucky The Community Relations & Publicity Team will help get out the word about DLIA. Volunteers can help the ATBI by tending booths or tables at community events like Earth Elizabeth Skillen, University of Georgia Day and professional and public meetings. This team may help with press conferences to Staff bring attention to publications and media opportunities. We would like a volunteer rov- ing reporter to interview ATBI scientists and educators for newsletter and video presen- Jeanie Hilten, Administrative Officer tations. We could also use some help in preparing an ATBI-DLIA video or multimedia Emily Jones, Development Coordinator presentation. If you would like to work on these activities, please call Emily Jones at 865- 453-2428 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. 2 Mining Beetle Diversity in the Smokies Chris Carlton During June, a team of specialists from the Louisiana State own research are the predatory Arthropod Museum (LSAM) participated in the Beetle Blitz short-winged mold beetles (see front page) along with a large contingent of other scien- (Pselaphinae, one of several large tists, volunteers, and Upward Bound students. This was a won- subfamilies of staphylinid, or rove derful event and a great way to jump-start the beetle diver- beetles). Some, such as the bizarre- sity project. We and other ATBI specialists are now sorting and shaped Adranes lecontei, pictured, identifying. live in intimate association with How many beetle species are there in the Smokies? When ants. Their complete integration into asked this question at the media event during the blitz I confi- the social order of ant colonies is as- dently said 6000, a figure that was picked up by the Associ- Adranes lecontei, sociated with the evolution of spe- ated Press and quoted enough times in newspapers around illustration by Nancy Lowe cialized glands that produce secre- the country to make it sound plausible, and make me feel com- tions that the ants find irresistible.