Coleoptera of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A.

记录区域物种多样性是一项紧迫的任务，因为灭绝危机已经变得更加尖锐，对社会的集体经济更加明显。 昆虫目的鞘翅目（甲虫）是这一奋进的一个明显的起点，因为它是最大的昆虫目，占全球动物多样性的25%以上。同样，大烟山国家公园（GSMNP）是一个明显的地方，因为它是一个国宝，构成了北美最生物多样性和独特的景观之一，位于美国人口最稠密的地区之一。研究方法包括科学家、学生和志愿者的实地考察、形态和分子分析以及计算机数据库。该项目与其他进行生物调查的研究人员团队完全整合，作为GSMNP中所有生物多样性清单（ATBI）的一部分，包括数据和数据交换，联合收集活动（“bioblitzes”）以及年度ATBI会议的网络。 ATBI鞘翅目项目的产品将包括计算机生成的识别指南、互联网物种概况和研究出版物。 项目科学家估计将记录3000种甲虫，代表105个不同的甲虫科。以前的工作已经记录了25种新的科学物种，这个数字预计在四年的项目中翻一番。最终，GSMNP的甲虫区系将是全世界记录最好的。该项目与美国发现生命公司（DLIA）协调，DLIA是一个致力于记录美国国家公园生活的组织，是我们团队与国家公园服务，美国地质调查局（USGS）参与单位之间的联络人。国家生物信息基础设施（NBII）鞘翅目项目是帮助国家公园和其他保护区发展物种目录和方法来汇编生物数据的更大奋进的重要组成部分。多样性这项工作是在GSMNP ATBI的广泛保护伞下进行的，以记录公园内的所有物种。 其他国家公园已经在实施GSMNP建立的协同模型。 甲虫调查的完成将有助于这些更广泛的目标，证明单一的最多样化的动物群体可以成功地记录下来。 除此之外，中国和尼泊尔的公园和保护区正在密切关注这一调查，以制定拯救栖息地和保护生物多样性的举措。 该项目的教育部分将通过课堂和与该领域科学家的积极互动，以甲虫为例向美国青年传授所有生物重要性的基本知识。 通过网络提供的产品有可能教会数百万人关于生物多样性以及认识和理解与我们分享这个世界的生物体的重要性。

Documenting regional species diversity is an urgent task because theextinction crisis has become more acute and more apparent to the collectiveconscience of society. The insect order Coleoptera (beetles) is an obviousstarting point for this endeavor because it is the largest order of insectsand constitutes over 25% of total animal diversity worldwide. Likewise,Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is an obvious place to beginbecause it is a national treasure constituting one of the most biologicallydiverse and unique landscapes in North America and is located in one of themost densely populated parts of the U.S. This project will be conducted by ateam of 44 cooperating scientists engaging in an ambitious effort tocompletely document beetle diversity in GSMNP. Methods will includefieldwork by scientists, students and volunteers, morphological andmolecular analyses, and computer databasing. The project is fully integratedwith other teams of researchers conducting biotic surveys as part of the AllTaxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) in GSMNP, including data and specimenexchange, joint collecting events ("bioblitzes"), and networking at theannual ATBI Conference. Products from the Coleoptera project of the ATBIwill include computer generated identification guides, internet speciesprofiles, and research publications. Project scientists have estimated that3000 species will be recorded, representing 105 different beetle families.Previous work has already documented 25 species new to science and thisnumber is expected to double during the four-year project. Ultimately, thebeetle fauna of GSMNP will be the best documented in the entire world. Theproject is coordinated with Discover Life in America, Inc (DLIA), anorganization devoted to documenting life in U.S. national parks that servesas a liaison between our team and participating units in the National ParksService, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and National Biological InformationInfrastructure (NBII).The Coleoptera project is a significant part of a larger endeavor to assistnational parks and other conservation areas in the development of inventorymethods to compile data about biological diversity. This work is beingconducted under the broad umbrella of the GSMNP ATBI to document all specieswithin the park. Already, other national parks are implementing thesynergistic model established at GSMNP. Completion of the beetle surveywill serve these broader goals by demonstrating that the single most diversegroup of animals can be successfully documented. Beyond this, parks andreserves in China and Nepal are closely monitoring this survey in developinginitiatives to save habitats and preserve biodiversity there. The educationcomponents of this project will transfer basic knowledge of the importanceof all living things using beetles as examples to the youth of Americathrough the classroom and positive interactions with scientists in thefield. Products that will be available through the web have the potentialto teach millions of people about biodiversity and the importance of knowingand understanding the organisms that share this world with us.