re. bioblitzes

[John]

Chris - I disagree with your assessment on the lack of scientific value of
bioblitzes.  While there is a lot of data missed when doing a one day
inventory, the value lies in what is found.  If you have a bunch of field
experts combing an area, populations of all kinds of things are discovered.
And one of the first steps for scientific study is finding where the damn
things are.  For example, on one such blitz in CT, we found a population of
Cicindela tranquebarica that no one knew about.  This is a state listed
species (although I'm beginning to wonder if it should be).  This is only
one example of many rare and uncommon species covering many taxa that gets
turned up in places where no one knew they existed.  How else do we know
what we have if we don't set out looking for it?

The lack of data, data being species, however, is not as important.  You
miss a lot of things when you only sample an area and a weekly sampling, as
you say, would no doubt be more effective.

Also, these surveys would not be useful if the locations of the flora and
fauna were not recorded.  In the blitzes I've participated in, this info is
painstakingly recorded.

I was lucky to participate in the first bioblitz, held in Concord Mass, and
the test run a couple seasons earlier in Texas in 1998.  This was the baby
of Peter Alden who did value the "social" and educational aspect of it as
well as the information collected.  It's amazing how the idea has taken off
since!

John

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
John Himmelman
Killingworth, CT
jhimmel at comcast.net
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

JUST OUT FALL 2002!  "Discovering Moths, Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Yard"
Go to: http://booksandnature.homestead.com/DiscoveringMothspage.html

Visit my other websites at:
  www.johnhimmelman.com
  www.connecticutmoths.com
  www.ctamphibians.com


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]On
Behalf Of Chris J. Durden
Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2003 12:45 AM
To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: bioblitzes


A one day bioblitz works fine for perennial plants but is rather poor for
animal and other seasonal ephemera. A weekly sampling over a number of
years produces much better results. I agree that the bioblitz concept is
more of a propaganda item and a logistics tool than something that is
really useful for science. It is useful for introducing collecting
taxonomists to one another.
...........Chris Durden

At 05:17 PM 8/2/2003 +0000, you wrote:
>Dear all,
>
>I was intending to participate in this weekend's bioblitz at Nachusa
>Prairie, a reserve near Dixon, IL (Ronald Reagan's home town). However,
>much to my regret, I had to bow out at the last minute for medical
>reasons. I would like to get other people's opinion on bioblitzes. A
>bioblitz, for those unfamiliar with the term is a 24-hour marathon during
>which taxonomists and interested laypersons collect specimens in a
>selected area to find out what species occur there. I am aware that a
>bioblitz is something of a publicity ploy, but I'd still like to get your
>reactions.
>
>Thanks,
>Steve Parshall, Evanston, Illinois




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<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
John Himmelman
Killingworth, CT
jhimmel at comcast.net
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

JUST OUT FALL 2002!  "Discovering Moths, Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Yard"
Go to: http://booksandnature.homestead.com/DiscoveringMothspage.html

Visit my other websites at:
  www.johnhimmelman.com
  www.connecticutmoths.com
  www.ctamphibians.com



 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl