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An All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) is an intensive survey of all species-groups in a set geographic area to determine what species occur there. Typically the area is a park or other conservation reserve, which is targeted for a number of different scientific protocols that will yield the most species records with least effort. These activites are usually undertaken over a multi-year period by a partnership of the governmental host agency, scientific researchers, and citizens. A non-governmental organization is usually involved in coordinating the scientists, citizens, and educational programs.

Background: An accelerating loss of native species in many areas of the world, especially in the tropics, has alarmed biologists and ecologists and led to appalling estimates of losses to global biodiversity (Wilson, 1996). Renowned University of Pennsylvania (USA) researchers Dan Janzen and Winnie Hallwachs organized an international symposium in 1993 in Philadelphia, PA (USA), on how to conduct comprehensive biodiversity inventories in a relatively short period of time (Janzen and Hallwachs, 1994).

Initial attempts to develop an ATBI in northwestern Costa Rica foundered due to a re-allocation of financial resources in Costa Rica that had been garnered by Janzen and Hallwachs. A second attempt has been underway in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee (USA) since about 1998 <>. Other ATBIs are planned or underway in other US National Park units and state parks in several states.

Goals and approaches: Goals of ATBIs may vary somewhat between projects; however, most contain goals for science, education, and better stewardship for the reserve. ATBIs are usually planned cooperatively by scientists, agency conservation professionals, citizen volunteers, and educators. They attempt to maximize integration of science and education by conducting activities that promote both. "BioBlitzes" are events with many citizens and scientists involved to find as many species as possible in 1-2 days. These are sometimes used in ATBIs as activities, but they are viewed as just single events in a larger sequence of activities and processes planned in an ATBI that together lead to a comprehensive understanding of life in the reserve. While discovering every species is impractical in typical natural environments,an operational objective is sample extensively in every species group, to such a degree that the number of undiscovered taxa can be estimated.

The Smokies ATBI: Probably the most advanced ATBI is at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A non-governmental organization Discover Life in America, Inc. is the partner with the US National Park Service in this project. The scientific approach uses both traditional searches by taxonomic authorities and structured plots arrayed in a sampling design (Parker and Bernard, 2006). The educational activities include involving students from several levels, reaching out to the public with results, training of adult citizen scientists, and facilitating advancement of students with serious interests in biodiversity via contacts with scientists (Hilten et al., 2006). Enhanced stewardship of the Park is another series of objectives; the Smokies ATBI has resulted in the documentation of several thousand species that were not previously known from the Park and an additional 800+ that are new to science, mostly invertebrates (Langdon et al., 2006). Many of these are rare species that require increased surveillance from park authorities to meet the mandate to keep the Park "...unimpaired for future generations" (1916 Organic Act of the National Park Service).

Alliance of ATBIs: As other parks and reserves are started, there has been a greater need to create some minimum standards by which ATBIs can share scarce taxonomic resources and scientific protocols, transfer data, and cooperate (rather than compete) in funding proposals. With minimal planning and ATBIs in each eco-region of the United States, it may be possible to construct the first comprehensive understanding of natural biodiversity in the United States. For more information on ATBIs or an Alliance of ATBIs, go to <>.

References:

Hilten, J., J. Cox, D. Dourson, H. Grossnickle, J. Pierce, S. Sachs, P. Super, and M. Wetzel. 2006 Science Education Programs with the ATBI. The George Wright Forum, Vol. 23, #3 (2006) p.37-44.

Janzen, D. H. and W. Hallwachs. 1994. All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) of Terrestrial Systems: A Generic Protocol for Preparing Wildland Biodiversity for Non-Damaging Use. Report of a National Science Foundation Workshop, 16-18 April, 1993, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Langdon, K. R., C. Parker, and B. Nichols. 2006. Scientific Findings, Success Stories, Lessons Learned, and an Alliance of ATBIs. The George Wright Forum, Vol. 23, #3 (2006) p.52-60.

Parker, C. and E. Bernard. 2006. The Science Approach to the Smokies ATBI. The George Wright Forum, Vol. 23, #3 (2006) p.26-36.

Wilson, E. O. 1996. In Search of Nature. Island Press, Washington D.C. 214 p.