11/04/09

HELENA, Mont. (AP) _ Grizzly bears, bison and wolves _ those are
the typical wild sights at Yellowstone National Park.

But a recent scientific experiment tried to inventory
Yellowstone's lesser-known inhabitants, from mushrooms and
earthworms to rare plants and secretive bats.

Some 125 scientists and volunteers from around the country spent
24 hours in Yellowstone in August as part of a ``bioblitz'' _ a
sort of mad-dash to document as many species as possible over the
course of a day.

Initial results released this week show more than 1,200 species,
including many that hadn't been documented in Yellowstone before.

More and more national parks are conducting similar inventories.
Scientists say they provide important snapshots for future
researchers tracking the effects of climate change, human
development and other disturbances.
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On the Net:
http://www.greateryellowstonescience.org/index.php
http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APNP-11-04-09 0903MST<