Special Issue 2014 • Volume 31 • Number 1 • www.nature.nps.gov/ParkScience National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior PARKPARKScience Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Integrating Research and Resource Management in the National Parks Office of Education and Outreach BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: DISCOVERY, SCIENCE, AND MANAGEMENT IN THIS ISSUE Synthetic biology, data management, health benefits of biodiversity, and other features Bioblitz science and outreach All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventories Surveying for nonvascular plants and invertebrates, including pollinators Cultural sites and biodiversity PARK SCIENCE • VOLUME 31 • NUMBER 1 • SPECIAL ISSUE 2014 PARKScience Integrating Research and Resource Management in the National Parks Volume 31 • Number 1 • Special Issue 2014 www.nature.nps.gov/ParkScience ISSN 0735–9462 From the Editor Published by U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Seek, and you will fi nd Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Offi ce of Education and Outreach Lakewood, Colorado THIS INSIGHTFUL MESSAGE HAS GUIDED PEOPLE ON LIFE’S JOURNEY for millennia, and more recently it has undoubtedly led visitors to national parks Director, National Park Service Jon Jarvis in search of restoration, health, and well-being. It is also relevant to the study of Associate Director, Natural Resource biological diversity, the theme of this issue of Park Science and a subject of great Stewardship and Science importance to the future of national parks. Raymond Sauvajot (acting) All life-forms, from the smallest virus to the largest marine mammal, help Editor and Layout defi ne, regulate, and maintain park ecosystems. Understanding the functions Jeff Selleck of these organisms—the roles they play in the production of soils, provisioning Copyeditor/Proofreader Lori D. Kranz (contractor) of water, storage and recycling of nutrients, breakdown of pollution, and many Editorial board other ecological services—is at the core of our task in the National Park Service John Dennis—Deputy Chief Scientist, Natural Resource to preserve parks unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. Stewardship and Science The story of biodiversity in national parks is part discovery, part science, Charles Roman—NPS Research Coordinator, North and part management, and we touch on all three areas in this issue. A series of Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, University of Rhode Island articles describes the trend in parks to conduct activities devoted to the discov­ Editorial offi ce ery of biodiversity. When we commit time and resources to the search for life, Jeff Selleck we fi nd species that are new to parks and new to science, and we deepen our National Park Service NRSS/OEO understanding of familiar species. How we manage the information that comes P.O. Box 25287 from this endeavor and incorporate it into park decision making is equally im­ Denver, CO 80225-0287 portant and is also discussed in several articles. E-mail: [email protected] Much of the science related to biodiversity study is the same today as it Phone: 303-969-2147 Fax: 303-987-6704 has been traditionally, though the pool of taxonomists we rely on to make iden­ Sample style for article citation tifi cations is shrinking. Additionally, our focus has shifted to invertebrates, non- Leong, K. M., and G. T. Kyle. 2014. Engaging park vascular plants, and other less studied taxa and how we organize our fi eldwork, stewards through biodiversity discovery: Social outcomes of participation in bioblitzes. Park Science subjects we explore in several articles. Techniques for collecting, processing, 31(1):106–111. and documenting species and communicating about biodiversity are progress­ Printed on recycled paper. ing with the help of academic and conservation partners and volunteers. Data analysis now makes it possible to predict locations for species of conservation Park Science is a research and resource management journal of the U.S. National Park Service. It reports the interest, and synthetic biology has emerged as a means to create novel yet likely implications of recent and ongoing natural and social controversial alternatives to remedy species restoration and control problems. science and related cultural research for park planning, management, and policy. Seasonal issues are published In total we share more than 40 articles describing work to explore, under­ usually in spring and fall, with a thematic issue that stand, and integrate knowledge of biological diversity in national parks. I invite explores a topic in depth published in summer or winter. The publication serves a broad audience of national park you to read the stories, weigh our progress, and contemplate next steps. You and protected area managers and scientists and provides may even fi nd something of value that you didn’t know you were looking for. for public outreach. It is funded by the Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. —Jeff Selleck, Editor Articles are fi eld-oriented accounts of applied research and resource management presented in nontechnical language. The editor and board or subject-matter experts review content for clarity, completeness, usefulness, scientifi c and Article inquiries, submissions, and comments should style guide, an archive and key word searching of all technical soundness, and relevance to NPS policy. be directed to the editor by e-mail. Letters addressing articles, and subscription management. scientifi c or factual content are welcome and may be Facts and views expressed in Park Science are those of the edited for length, clarity, and tone. Though subscriptions are offered free of charge, voluntary authors and do not necessarily refl ect opinions or policies donations help defray production costs. A typical donation is of the National Park Service. Mention of trade names or Park Science is published online at http://www.nature $15 per year. Checks should be made payable to the National commercial products does not constitute an endorsement .nps.gov/ParkScience (ISSN 1090-9966). The Web site Park Service and sent to the editorial offi ce address. or recommendation for use by the National Park Service. provides guidelines for article submission, an editorial 3 Contents OLMSTED NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE/JOEL VEAK NPS PHOTO NPS HEARTLAND NETWORK/HOPE DODD 24 37 47 DEPARTMENTS INVITED FEATURES Biodiversity and national parks: What’s relevance got to do with it? 14 From the Editor By Glenn Plumb, Edward O. Wilson, Sally Plumb, and Paula J. Ehrlich Seek, and you will find / 2 Ben Clark, Biodiversity Youth Ambassador 17 Commentary By Sally Plumb A bold strategy for biodiversity conservation / 6 Inventory and monitoring of park biodiversity 18 By William Monahan and Kirsten Gallo Getting Started The language of biodiversity: A glossary / 8 Data management for National Park Service–National Geographic Recommended readings in biodiversity / 9 Society BioBlitzes 20 By Peter Budde and Simon Kingston National Parks and Biodiversity Discovery Benefits of biodiversity to human health and well-being 24 Introduction / 11 By Danielle Buttke, Diana Allen, and Chuck Higgins Map / 12 IUCN World Parks Conference to address values and benefits of biodiversity 29 Map supplement* / Online By Diana Allen *See www.nature.nps.gov/ParkScience /index.cfm?ArticleID=653 for a four- Synthetic biology offers extraordinary opportunities and challenges page listing of the biodiversity discovery for conservation 30 activities summarized on the map. By Kent H. Redford Notes from Abroad Synthetic biology and NPS policy 33 Restoring biodiversity in Ireland’s By John G. Dennis national parks / 120 THE BIOBLITZ Engaging citizens on a large scale in biodiversity discovery 34 By Sally Plumb Saguaro National Park 2011 NPS-NGS BioBlitz! 37 By Natasha Kline and Don Swann ON THE COVER The bioblitz: Good science, good outreach, good fun 39 A large part of the story – Acadia National Park bioblitz program / 40 of biodiversity is told in images – Wild in the city: Minnesota bioblitz events at Mississippi National River sharing the excitement of discovery, and Recreation Area / 42 documenting expert study, – Sampling understudied taxa in Great Basin National Park / 44 and detailing organisms that By Gretchen M. Baker, Nancy Duncan, Ted Gostomski, Margaret A. Horner, and David Manski distinguish natural environments Bioblitz Profiles 46 in the national parks. – Ocmulgee National Monument Butterfly Bioblitz / 46 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 – George Washington Carver Bioblitz / 47 – Upper Delaware Bioblitz / 48 4 PARK SCIENCE • VOLUME 31 • NUMBER 1 • SPECIAL ISSUE 2014 AYA ROTHWELL NPS PHOTO USGS BEE INVENTORY AND MONITORING LAB 50 62 84 THE ALL-TAXA BIODIVERSITY INVENTORY UPCOMING ISSUES Perspectives on the ATBI 50 Winter 2014–2015 – Interview with Marc Albert, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area / 50 Seasonal issue. March release. – Interview with Todd Witcher, Discover Life in America / 54 Contributor’s deadline: 15 November By the Editor The George Washington Memorial Parkway All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventory: Spring 2015 Finding new species near the nation’s capital 58 Seasonal issue. June release. By Brent W. Steury Contributor’s deadline: 15 February NONVASCULAR PLANTS AND INVERTEBRATES Visit http://www.nature.nps.gov /ParkScience for author guidelines or Moving beyond the minimum: The addition of nonvascular plant contact the editor ([email protected] inventories to vegetation research in Alaska’s national parks 62 or 303-969-2147) to discuss proposals By James Walton