The Science Approach to the Smokies ATBI

The traditional approach is defined as the types of activities employed by taxonomic authorities to collect the species of their expertise, normally accomplished by these authorities visiting habitats favored by the organisms under investigation, and using collecting techniques most likely to result in specimens. These techniques may involve, for example, turning over rocks and inspecting them individually for minute pauropod specimens, sweeping with an insect net in vegetation for planthoppers, or spraying a mixture of cola and honey on bushes where certain kinds of parasitic flies aggregate. Other approaches include using a light to attract flying insects after dark, collecting leaf litter for processing in a Tüllgren funnel to sample arthropods, and examining individual flowers and mushrooms for thrips. Because of the specialized nature of many of these approaches, they are best accomplished by experienced authorities, usually working on their own or with a trained technician. A variation on the traditional approach is a foray, or blitz, in which groups of experts and dedicated volunteers conduct intense, short-term efforts focused on particular taxonomic groups or habitat types. Since the Smokies ATBI began, we have held 26 forays, 23 of them focused on taxonomic groups such as moths and butterflies, beetles, snails, flies, ants, slime molds, bats, and millipedes. The other three have focused on particular ecosystems: a leaf-litter quest, a high-coun-