Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Nature & Science (U.S. National Park Service)

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park harbors a wondrous diversity of life.

Biological diversity is the hallmark of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which encompasses over 800 square miles in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. No other area of equal size in a temperate climate can match the park's amazing diversity of plants, animals, and invertebrates. Over 10,000 species have been documented in the park: Scientists believe an additional 90,000 species may live here.

Why such a wondrous diversity? Mountains, glaciers, and weather are the big reasons. The park is the largest federally protected upland landmass east of the Mississippi River. Dominated by plant-covered, gently contoured mountains, the crest of the Great Smokies forms the boundary between Tennessee and North Carolina, bisecting the park from northeast to southwest in an unbroken chain that rises more than 5,000 feet for over 36 miles. Elevations in the park range from 875 to 6,643 feet. This range in altitude mimics the latitudinal changes you would experience driving north or south across the eastern United States, say from Georgia to Maine. Plants and animals common in the southern United States thrive in the lowlands of the Smokies while species common in the northern states find suitable habitat at the higher elevations.

The Great Smoky Mountains are among the oldest mountains in the world, formed perhaps 200-300 million years ago. They are unique in their northeast to southwest orientation, which allowed species to migrate along their slopes during climatic changes such as the last ice age, 10,000 years ago. In fact, the glaciers of the last ice age affected the Smoky Mountains without invading them. During that time, glaciers scoured much of North America but did not quite reach as far south as the Smokies. Consequently, these mountains became a refuge for many species of plants and animals that were disrupted from their northern homes. The Smokies have been relatively undisturbed by glaciers or ocean inundation for over a million years, allowing species eons to diversify.

In terms of weather, the park’s abundant rainfall and high summertime humidity provide excellent growing conditions. In the Smokies, the average annual rainfall varies from approximately 55 inches in the valleys to over 85 inches on some peaks–more than anywhere else in the country except the Pacific Northwest. During wet years, over eight feet of rain falls in the high country. The relative humidity in the park during the growing season is about twice that of the Rocky Mountain region.

Some 100 species of native trees find homes in the Smokies, more than in any other North American national park. Almost 95% of the park is forested, and about 25% of that area is old-growth forest–one of the largest blocks of deciduous, temperate, old-growth forest remaining in North America. Over 1,500 additional flowering plant species have been identified in the park. The park is the center of diversity for lungless salamanders and is home to more than 200 species of birds, 66 types of mammals, 50 native fish species, 39 varieties of reptiles, and 43 species of amphibians. Mollusks, millipedes, and mushrooms reach record diversity here.

In recognition of the park's unique natural resources, the United Nations has designated Great Smoky Mountains National Park as an International Biosphere Reserve.

Scientific Research Projects in the Park:

All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory
There has been much written about the accelerating crisis in protecting global biodiversity. This is not just a tropical issue, but it is also an issue in the United States. How are we to make critical decisions about protection, when we do not even know what species exist, or what their relative abundance and distribution are?

An All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) is a concentrated effort to determine all species within a given area within a short time frame. The ATBI seeks to inventory the estimated 100,000 species of living organisms in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Discover Life in America is the non-profit partner of the national park that is coordinating the project.

You can be a part of the ATBI! Join other citizen scientists and volunteers in discovering new species in the park. Visit the Discover Life in America ATBI website to learn how you can become involved in this fascinating and important project.

Appalachian Highlands Science and Learning Center
This learning center, located at Purchase Knob, is one of 17 National Park Service learning centers in the United States. The purpose of the center is to increase the amount of scientific research in the national park and make it accessible to the public. Middle school, high school, and college students, along with their teachers, work with scientists and park staff on projects ranging form salamander population monitoring to air quality research. Students are also recruited to work as research assistants on extended scientific projects, especially during the summer field season.

The center encourages scientific research and education not only at the Smokies, but at other park service areas including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail, Big South Fork, and Obed River.

To learn more about opportunities at Purchase Knob call (828) 926-6251 or visit the Purchase Knob website.

Permit for Scientific Research
Please visit the National Park Service's for information regarding scientific research permits. If you have specific questions pertaining to research projects in the Smokies, please e-mail or call (865) 430-4740.

Recommended Reading

Books, maps and guides to the national park are available online from the park's nonprofit partner, the Great Smoky Mountains Association.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The Range of Life
Beautiful collection of photos with an overview of wildlife, wildflowers, old-growth forests, mountain streams, walking trails, geology, and history.