Encompassing over 800 square miles in the Southern Appalachian Mountains,
no other area of equal size in a temperate climate can match Great
Smoky Mountains National Park in number and variety of animals,
plants, fungi, and other organisms.
It is the most biologically diverse National Park in the United States.
Located within the Appalachian Mountain chain,
the park became a refuge for many species of plants and animals
that were displaced from their northern homes by changing climate
conditions during the last ice age.
The Smokies are one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world,
formed perhaps 200 to 300 million years ago.
Elevations in the park range from 850 to over 6,000 feet;
a change in elevation that mimics the climate and habitat variations
found from Georgia to Maine. Plants and animals common in the
southern US thrive in the lowlands. Species common in the
northern states find suitable habitats at higher elevations.
The crest of the Great Smokies runs in an unbroken
chain of peaks for over 36 miles.
The park's abundant rainfall and high summertime humidity
provide excellent growing conditions.
Weather and an array of habitat conditions
supports a wide range of living things.
Over 19,000 species have been documented in the park,
including more than 100 species of native trees,
over 1500 flowering plant species,
more than 200 species of birds,
and over 9,000 different species of insects.
With such biodiversity, how can park visitors and researchers
learn where to find plants, animals and other organisms in the park?
The park has partnered with the University of Tennessee
to use analysis modeling and data visualization to predict
the locations of the park's species. Predictions are based on
observations of species. Species have been observed and
documented in the park for over one hundred years
and new discoveries are being made all the time.
The model analyzes the locations of these observations
as well as the characteristics of the habitat
such as slope,
geology,
elevation,
forest type,
temperature,
and sun exposure.
The results are predictions of where the species might likely
be found in the park.
Understanding where species are in the park is critical to their
conservation. As the Park continues to gather data, the model
will become more accurate and we will be able to add more species.
Only when we understand the park's biodiversity
can we truly protect it.