Top Level Taxa of The Smokies

The Smokies are renowned for diversity on a variety of levels -- from plant communities and habitats to species and genetic variation. Non-microbial species estimates in the park vary from about 50,000 to 100,000. Over 19,000 are currently known.
The All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) seeks to discover the others -- including the smaller creatures that are the hidden, but crucial members of the ecosystem. Many are so small that most microscopes are not adaquate to view them. The ATBI also seeks to reveal critical ecological connections between soils, geology, and habitats.
As project scientists continue to make discoveries, we will be updating our classification pages and species information. In biological terminology, this classification system is known as a "taxonomic system" or "taxonomy". Each individual level of this hierarchical system is called a "taxon."
In the following table the top level taxa of park organisms are listed. However, the classification outlined below may change as this web page is updated to reflect current scientific understanding of the relationships between organisms. The links in the Kingdom column will allow you to venture into the next lower level of taxa applicable to the specific taxa term clicked.
Now Discover Life in America invites you to venture into the fascinating realm of organisms that have been discovered inhabiting our Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory of Life in the Smokies - Varieta Magnifico!
Domain	Kingdom	Phylum/Division	Common Names
ARCHAEA	Archaea	Euryarchaeota	Methanogens & Halophiles

BACTERIA	Eubacteria	Acidobacteria	Bacteria
		Actinobacteria	Bacteria
		Bacteroidetes	Bacteria
		Cyanobacteria	Photosynthetic Blue-green Bacteria
		Firmicutes	Bacteria
		OP10	Bacteria (possibly will be Armatimonadetes)
		Planctomycetes	Aquatic bacteria
		Proteobacteria	Bacteria
		Verrucomicrobia	Bacteria

EUCARYA
	Animalia	Acanthocephala	Spiny-headed Worms
		Annelida	Segmented Worms
		Arthropoda	Insects, arachnids, crustaceans, millipedes, centipedes, etc.
		Bryozoa	Moss Animals
		Chordata	Fish, amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, etc.
		Cnidaria	Freshwater jellyfish and hydra
		Gastrotricha	Freshwater microscopic gastrotrichs
		Mollusca	Clams, Snails & Slugs
		Myxozoa	Aquatic slime animals
		Nematoda	Round worms
		Nematomorpha	Horsehair worms
		Nemertea	Ribbon or proboscis worms
		Platyhelminthes	Flatworms
		Porifera	Sponges
		Rotifera	Wheel animals or rotifers
		Tardigrada	Tardigrades

	Chromista	Myzozoa	Myzozoa
		Ochrophyta	Diatoms and Yellowgreen Algae
		Pseudofungi	Pseudofungi

	Fungi
		Ascomycota	Sac fungi
		Basidiomycota	Club fungi
		Chytridiomycota	Little sporepot fungi
		Deuteromycota	Deutero fungi
		Microsporidia	Microsporidian parasites
		Zygomycota	Zygote molds

	Plantae	Anthocerotophyta	Hornworts
		Bryophyta	Mosses
		Charophyta	Stoneworts, etc.
		Chlorophyta	Green Algae
		Coniferophyta	Conifers
		Equisetophyta	Horsetails
		Hepaticophyta	Liverworts
		Lycopodiophyta	Lycopods
		Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants
		Pteridophyta	Ferns

	Protozoa	Amoebozoa	Amoeboid protozoa and slime molds
		Cercozoa	Amoeboid and flagellate protozoans
		Ciliophora	Ciliated protozoans
		Sarcomastigophora	Motile protozoans (mostly parasitic)

	Stramenopila
		Bacillariophyta	Diatoms
		Chrysophyta	Golden algae
		Tribophyta	Yellow-green algae

VIRUS	Viruses
		Picornavirales	Picorna viruses
		Tymovirales	Tymo viruses

Note: These taxa pages are a work-in-progress. The fact that particular taxa cannot be found on our hierarchial taxa lists does not mean that the organisms are not inhabiting the park. Your help in identifying these missing taxa, and then presenting science-based proposals and funding for inventorying these hidden, yet intrinsically valuable life forms is much appreciated by the DLIA staff and Board of Directors, as well as the Park's Inventory and Monitoring personnel.

ATBI Living Resources Classification System - The Top Tiers