The BioBlitz is a clever PR stunt where scientists converge on a small patch of a national park land and try to find as many new species as possible within a 24-hour period. They met on a two-square-mile patch of Yellowstone in August and the 125 scientists combing the ground found 1,200 new species. The point is to bring some focus to the park system’s biodiversity and remind people why it’s important to protect these lands. Among the new species found were tiny worms, lichen, mushrooms, slender grass, and a colorful tiger beetle, which brings to mind the quote: There is a story, possibly apocryphal, that an English cleric asked the noted evolutionist J.B.S. Haldane what could be inferred about the Creator from the works of nature. Haldane is reported to have replied, “An inordinate fondness for beetles.”

via Backpacker

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 11:52 am and is filed under National Parks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.