Abrams
Falls, Cades Cove area -
Photographed by James Murray
Biodiversity and Ecology of Tree Canopy Biota in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
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"A
flood of roller coaster emotions bubbled up each time I swayed
to and fro at unbelievable heights in the treetops of the old
growth forests of the Smoky Mountains. I had gone where nobody
has ever gone before collecting specimens of myxos, mosses, liverworts,
and lichens". |
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The
Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program
is funded by a grant from the United States Department of
Education to Central Missouri State University. The McNair
Program was named after Dr. Ronald E. McNair, the African
American astronaut who died in the tragic1986 space shuttle
disaster. This program prepares first-generation, low-income
college students and students from groups underrepresented
in graduate education for doctoral study.
This research project began with a grant from the National
Science Foundation Biotic Surveys and Inventories Program
to investigate the tree canopy biodiversity (myxomycetes,
macrofungi, mosses, liverworts and lichens) in the park.
Additional support from Discover Life in America has enabled
the research team to include tardigrades, molluscs, and
insects. One of the objectives of this project was to involve
undergraduate and graduate students, a multidisciplinary
research team of volunteers and park interns. Six student
climbers from Central Missouri State University climbed
a total of 240 trees representing 35 different tree species
during two-three week periods in June, July and August of
calendar years 2000 and 2001. Kenneth L. Snell (Kenny) was
the graduate student and project leader who was in charge
of all phases of the field and laboratory research.
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