BioBlitz in SAP

Every year BioBlitz attracts hundreds of families and scientists from around the state who use sonar detectors, bug lights, live traps and laptops to count and chronicle an area’s floral and fauna. Volunteers of all ages work alongside biologists to collect plants and insects and live-trap animals, which are identified before being released back into the wild.

A program of the Bell Museum, in 2006 BioBlitz came to St. Anthony Park.

Thanks to everyone who participated in Bioblitz 2006 on May 19th to May 20th. Close to 40 researchers and experienced volunteers helped to search the surrounding area along with the help of close to 100 visitors including some very ambitious children.  Another highlight was the participation of 82 households that registered their yards as official Bioblitz sites, allowing researcher to literally find out what species can be found “in your backyard.”

Over 875 species of plants and animals were identified.  Pleasant surprises abounded including a very impressive list of birds that included 8 species of sparrow, from the ubiquitous European House Sparrow to the surprising LeConte’s sparrow.  Also flying around were many spring migrants such as Tennessee, Mourning and Chestnut-sided Warblers.  Amphibians and reptiles have a hard time surviving in urban areas but we did manage to see and hear some of the species that are the least susceptible to pollution and roads including American toads, chorus frogs, grey tree frogs, painted turtles and snapping turtles.

This was a landmark year for plants at the Bioblitz.  We counted 437 plant species (including lichens) in and around the St. Paul campus.   The majority were native species (240).  We also found 197 species of exotic, introduced, ornamental and cultivated plants.  It was encouraging to find many uncommon native plants thanks to homeowners who are gardening with the intent to restore the woodland diversity that has been so devastated by deer & earthworms across the state. A most remarkable find was a tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) which is not supposed to be hardy in this growing zone.  The fact that plants like this from warmer climes are doing well here is a harbinger of climate change in our area.  Seedlings of Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glauca) are now surviving the Minnesota winter, something unheard of 20 years ago.  We also found yellow lady slipper orchids (Cypripedium parviflorum) right in our own backyard!

It was early in the season for both insects and fungus and as such the total number of species was low.  The fungi collectors did manage to come up with 1 new state record and 15 new county records, some of these very common species that had been neglected by previous surveys.

A break down of species identified-

Plants – 456 (includes lichens)
Fungus – 54
Birds – 78
Mammals- 20
Insects- 232
Fish- 2
Reptiles- 2
Amphibians- 3
Spiders- 18
Mollusks- 3
Other invertebrates- 8