The tropics are renowned bastions of biodiversity. But scientists are finding that our own backyard rivals the rainforests as they uncover dozens of new species each year in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Masked by stinking anaerobic mud, fuggy heat, clouds of mosquitoes, and acre upon acre of flooded forest, mangroves are as mysterious as they are vital to our coasts.
By Christopher R. Cox/Photography by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel
The long persecuted coyote is not vermin, after all. Researchers are now discovering that it’s a resilient, adaptable predator that’s not just surviving in U.S. cities but playing a valuable role in restoring the food chain for the benefit of birds and other species.
