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Section Symposium

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

Appalachian Arthropods: Continuing the Legacy of Biodiversity Research in the Smokies and Beyond

Insect community shifts and bird population declines in response to habitat and climate change in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A.

Wednesday, November 12, 2025
10:30 AM - 10:45 AM Pacific
Location: Oregon Convention Center, E141-142, OCC
Oral Presentation
Recent reports of widespread insect population declines have raised concerns that insectivorous bird populations are being negatively affected. Here, we used paired bird-insect resurveys in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN, USA to investigate bird and insect community change since the late 1940s. We found evidence of population declines in 12 of 28 bird species, increases in two species, and upslope elevational shifts in 19 of 28 species. For insects, we found no evidence of consistent abundance or biomass shifts between the survey periods in this protected area. Changes in insect and bird community abundance and biomass were correlated at survey sites with overlapping data. Overall, these results suggest linkage between bird and insect populations at the site level, highlight signatures of the effects of climate change, and emphasize the importance of considering habitat change when examining community change for both birds and insects.