Video
Atlas of the Smokies
Transcript
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 200-300 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 the 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 1,500 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 a 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.
Description
This video describes the the diversity of life in the Smokies and introduces viewers to the applications the park has created with the University of Tennessee.
Duration
3 minutes, 28 seconds
Credit
Quen Eastridge
Date Created
09/03/2019
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