Bioblitz

The first bioblitz was organized by Sam Droege and colleagues at the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service in 1996 at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens in Washington, D.C.¹ The format was designed to combine scientific rigor with public outreach, allowing experts to inventory a site while engaging local communities. A typical bioblitz begins at noon and runs for 24 hours, with teams of taxonomists, ecologists, and amateur naturalists surveying specific taxa—from birds and mammals to fungi and lichens. Methods include visual surveys, netting, trapping, acoustic monitoring, and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. Data are recorded in real time using mobile apps and later uploaded to platforms like iNaturalist, making the results publicly accessible and reusable for research.

Bioblitzes generate valuable baseline data on species occurrence and distribution, often revealing rare or previously unrecorded species in urban and protected areas. For example, a 2015 bioblitz in New York City's Central Park recorded over 400 species, including the rarely seen leopard slug and the elusive red-backed salamander.² These events can inform land management decisions, detect invasive species, and monitor the effects of climate change. They also serve as a gateway for citizen science, fostering long-term engagement with biodiversity monitoring. The data collected are often published in peer-reviewed journals or contributed to national databases, such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).³

Since the 1990s, bioblitzes have spread worldwide, with events held on every continent except Antarctica. The National Geographic Society has sponsored numerous bioblitzes in U.S. national parks, while organizations like the Natural History Museum in London have organized urban bioblitzes in parks and schoolyards.⁴ Variations include mini-blitzes (a few hours), aquatic bioblitzes (focusing on freshwater or marine habitats), and virtual bioblitzes that rely on social media and remote sensing. Some events target specific taxa, such as the 'Fungus Blitz' in Oregon, which documented over 500 fungal species in a single weekend.⁵ The flexibility of the format allows adaptation to local needs, from school projects to national-scale biodiversity assessments.

Beyond the headline species counts, bioblitzes have produced surprising findings and niche innovations. In 2018, a bioblitz in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park discovered a new species of caddisfly, later named Hydropsyche species 'smoky'.⁶ Some events have used specialized techniques like canopy fogging to sample insects high in trees, or acoustic bat detectors to record ultrasonic calls. Bioblitzes have also been used in urban settings to document biodiversity in vacant lots, green roofs, and even wastewater treatment plants. A notable edge case is the 'BioBlitz at Night', which focuses on nocturnal organisms, often revealing moths, owls, and bats that are missed during the day. The data from these events have contributed to the discovery of range expansions, such as the northward movement of the giant swallowtail butterfly in the United States.⁷

eDNA

Environmental DNA; genetic material shed by organisms into the environment, used to detect species presence.

Taxon

A group of organisms, such as a species or genus, used in classification.

Citizen science

Scientific research conducted with participation from the general public.