We will sample carabid (ground) beetles along three altitudinal gradients in GSMNP, with sampling occurring at 300 m altitudinal increments. Four additional spruce-fir sites in GSMNP will also be sampled. Sampling will be conducted from March 1 – December 1, 2006 and will involve pitfall traps and hand collections. Data will be integrated with studies initiated in 2003. This approach will provide data for a) species inventories for each site, including previously undescribed species and species new to GSMNP b) seasonal and annual variation of the carabid communities, c) estimates of the efficiency of each technique for sampling carabid beetle communities d), to test a number of hypotheses regarding species occurrence and stability.

Principal Investigator

PI Name:  Dr. Robert A. Browne

PI Organization:  Wake Forest University