Taxonomic Working Group Information

• Taxonomic Working Groups (TWIGs) have been established to organize the efforts of scientists working the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI).
   
• Depending on practical considerations of research, some TWIGs are composed of individual orders, such as Lepidoptera or Coleoptera.
   
• Others TWIGs are combined into broader groups such as aquatic insects, or larger taxa such as vascular plants or fungi.

Summary of TWIG Functions:

Twig Members:

• deeply involved in organization of the TWIG
• or
• committed to research in the Park

Duties:

• gather data agreed upon in Park
• have some level of ID, curation
• report activities to TWIG leader and submit appropriate reports
• assist in orientation/training of volunteers
• provides input for proposals to TWIG leader

TWIG Leaders:

• maintain list of members and their expertise
• develop a budget for the TWIG
• interface with larger taxonomic community
• track and coordinate TWIG activities
• on a trial basis, serve as first filter for data authorization
• coordinates proposals for funding among members and with “gatekeepers”
• distributes timely info on volunteers to members
• helps select/orient volunteers

With Funding:

• distribute specimens to TWIG members (sort to family, etc.)
• develop active field program for TWIG
• maintain Biota database
• represent TWIG at the annual ATBI conference
• coordinate training of volunteers

Gatekeeper:

• administration of all TWIGs
• keeps all TWIGs and “Branch Leaders” informed
• contributes to newsletter
• gathers information from each TWIG, organizes it, and disseminates to all
• tracks or leads proposal development from TWIGs